2 Carlton Street, Suite 1306 Toronto, M5B 1J3 Tel: (416) 595-0006 Fax: (416) 595-0030 E-mail: [email protected] March 5, 2013

alPHa’s members are Hon. , Hon. Teresa Piruzza the public health units Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Minister of Children & Youth Services in Ontario. 10th Floor, Hepburn Block 14th Floor 80 Grosvenor St 56 Wellesley St W alPHa Sections: Toronto, Ontario M7A 2C4 Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S3

Boards of Health Kelly Murumets Alex Munter Section Co-Chair, Healthy Kids Panel & Co-Chair, Healthy Kids Panel and President & Council of Ontario President and CEO, ParticipACTION CEO, CHEO Medical Officers of 77 Bloor St. West, Suite 1205 401 Smyth Road Health (COMOH) Toronto, Ontario M5S 1M2 Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L1

Affiliate Dear Co-Chairs Murumets and Munter & Ministers Matthews and Piruzza, Organizations: Re: No Time to Wait: the Healthy Kids Strategy ANDSOOHA - Public Health Nursing Management On behalf of member Medical Officers of Health, Boards of Health and Affiliate organizations of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa), I am writing today Association of Ontario to enthusiastically congratulate you on the release of this strong and thorough report. Public Health Business Administrators We had an excellent opportunity to discuss the critical public health issue of obesity in a Association of presentation by our Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health (COMOH) to the Co- Public Health Chairs of the Panel, and we are very pleased to see so many public health principles Epidemiologists embedded in the report. Its themes and sense of urgency resonate with Ontario’s public in Ontario health professionals, and we collectively and strongly urge the Government of Ontario to Association of continue its commitment to tackling the problem of unhealthy weights. We know that Supervisors of Public recent estimates show that overweight and obesity numbers have worsened. Change must Health Inspectors of happen, and must happen in all of the comprehensive ways recommended in the report, Ontario No Time to Wait. We agree that change must start happening now. Health Promotion Ontario The ABC’s to success as listed offer a clear blueprint for moving forward and the life course perspective will maximize the effects of all of our efforts. The three pillars of starting all Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry kids on the path to health, changing the food environment, and creating healthy communities hit the mark right on. It truly will take many different strategies joined Ontario Society of comprehensively to shift current trends in overweight and obesity. The voices of parents, Nutrition Professionals youth and children are clearly present in the report, and their engagement must continue in Public Health during the implementation as we drive to move this yardstick in a positive direction. Public Health is ready to play a critical part in the solution as we have important roles in the achievement of many of the recommendations.

The Healthy Kids Panel was given an ambitious task with an equally ambitious eight-month timeline. We commend all who were involved in the process and the hard work to make it a success. Ministers Matthews and Piruzza can expect a more detailed response to the specific recommendations from alPHa’s Council of Ontario Medical Officers’ of Health in the coming weeks. Page 1 of 2 www.alphaweb.org Providing Leadership in Public Health Management

Co-Chairs Murumets and Munter & Ministers Matthews and Piruzza Page 2 of 2 March 5, 2013

Again, congratulations to all of you on this report and your ongoing commitment to making Ontario the healthiest province in Canada.

Yours truly,

Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, President

Copy: Hon. , Dr. Arlene King, Chief Medical Officer of Health Kate Manson-Smith, Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Promotion Division, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Roselle Martino, Executive Director, Public Health Division, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Darryl Sturtevant, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Children and Youth Services Dr. Vivek Goel, President and CEO, Public Health Ontario