Built Environment
Recognizing the health impacts of the natural and human-made surroundings in which we live, work, and play.
Topics:
Built Environment
In recent years, research evidence on the influence of healthy built environments (HBE) on human physical, mental, and social health has increased drastically. As a result, public health agencies and…
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Modern artificial turf is used indoors and outdoors in a wide variety of settings, including multipurpose recreational and professional sports fields, playgrounds, residential areas, and public…
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Topics:
Built Environment, Pest Control
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, elusive, and resilient insects that live by feeding on the blood of mammals, including humans. Bed bug infestations have become prominent worldwide, generating…
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Topics:
Built Environment, COVID-19
Bicycle-sharing services (bike shares) allow individuals to use bicycles on membership or fee-per-trip bases and can be a convenient, inexpensive alternative to owning a bicycle. These services may…
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[Last Updated: Feb 11, 2021]
During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it may be necessary to periodically close public buildings and facilities, followed by re-opening when safe again. Periods of low…
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The transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, occurs primarily via direct contact with or respiratory droplets from an infected person. However, there is evidence to suggest that…
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Topics:
Built Environment, Food
The foods that people choose to consume are influenced by the availability, affordability, and accessibility of foods in the environments in which they live, work, and play. Defined by the built and…
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Topics:
Pest Control, Built Environment
Recent sightings of the Giant Asian Hornet- dubbed the murder hornet by some sources- have left many wondering whether these enormous, aggressive insects are a new insect of concern.
Their usual…
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Topics:
Built Environment
In Canada, almost 4 out of 5 of us live in medium or large cities. Surrounded by buildings, concrete, traffic, noise, and pollution all day every day takes a toll on our physical and mental health,…
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BackgroundAspects of the built environment, including man-made and natural features, impact human health directly and indirectly through air quality, traffic injuries, and toxic substances. These…
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Topics:
Built Environment
Social isolation is an increasingly important issue in Canada which has been associated with negative health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline among those with dementia. …
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For over 50 years the importance of protecting health has been recognized in many areas of public policy. Concepts and approaches for actually including heath considerations in assessment processes,…
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[Last Updated: Feb 24, 2021]
Legionella bacteria are opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPP) that can cause illnesses collectively referred to as legionellosis. Legionellosis includes…
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Topics:
Outdoor Air, Built Environment, Infectious Diseases, COVID-19
The abrupt change in our lives brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is and will continue to affect us all deeply. There are obvious changes of limited movement and social interaction with many…
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Topics:
Built Environment, Indoor Air
On January 14, 2019, a massive carbon monoxide exposure event occurred in a Montreal-area primary school. The event appears to have been caused by a faulty heating system and there are still…
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In the 1970s, fire regulations began requiring the addition of chemical flame retardants (CFRs) to a variety of consumer products. Now, we find these compounds in products as diverse as cell phones,…
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Topics:
Built Environment, COVID-19, Outdoor Air
Over the past few months, there have been numerous reports of increasing numbers of people riding bicycles in many Canadian cities. There are also expectations that during the warmer months, cycling…
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It is meant as an ominous threat when characters in the popular Game of Thrones series utter “winter is coming”, and I feel the same way about the summer of 2020. The catastrophic wildfire seasons of…
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Topics:
Built Environment, Pest Control
Why do European fire ants matter for Canadians?
The European fire ant is an emerging problem insect across Canada. Formally named Myrmica rubra, the European or ruby fire ant is a very small,…
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Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the most effective strategy for removing the COVID-19 virus from hands. In some situations, hand sanitizers can be used as a substitute if…
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