Harper government announces injury prevention funding

To promote active and safe play among children and youth

WHITEHORSE, Jan. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon, announced on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, investments in two projects to reduce the number of sports- and recreation-related injuries among Canadian children and youth.

"In Canada, forty percent of all children and youth injuries are sports- and recreation-related," said Ryan Leef. "That's why our government is taking action to create safe sports and recreational environments where children and youth can participate in activities that are fun, safe and healthy."

Yukon First Nations Youth - Back to the Land, led by the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, will promote safety awareness information among children and youth living in their communities by strengthening injury prevention knowledge and skills among First Nations youth leaders. Information will encourage young Aboriginal children to participate in traditional and contemporary outdoor activities and increase awareness on ways to avoid injury.

"It is important for First Nations children and youth in Yukon to participate in outdoor cultural activities to help keep them active and healthy," said Kwanlin Dun Chief Rick O'Brien.  "Through our initiative, community youth leaders will encourage their peers to learn ways to be both active and safe when playing outdoors."

Active and Safe Yukon - Building Multi-sectoral Collaboration in Recreational Snow Sports for Children and Youth, led by the Arctic Institute of Community-Based Research in partnership with the Injury Prevention Coalition of Yukon, will review best practices related to injury prevention, help children and youth learn ways to play safely so they can avoid being injured during sports or recreational activities, and develop an online tool to help connect organizations working to prevent injuries across Yukon.

"Sports and physical activity give children and youth a chance to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends or get involved with others in their community so they can maintain their health," said Jody Butler Walker, Executive Director of the Arctic Institute of Community-Based Research. "Through our initiative, young Yukon residents and their parents will learn ways they can be active while staying safe."

Through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Active and Safe initiative, the federal government invests in a number of projects that focus on preventing injuries among children and youth by reaching Canadians in the communities where they live and play. Active and Safe encourages community level action to increase sport and recreation safety awareness.

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FACTSHEET

January 21, 2013

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Injury Prevention Funding To Promote Active and Safe Play

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Unintentional Injuries among Children and Youth in Canada

Sports- and recreation-related injuries make up a significant proportion of unintentional injuries among children and youth up to age 19. In fact, 40 per cent of child and youth injuries treated in Canadian emergency departments are sports- and recreation-related. While the Government of Canada encourages Canada's children and youth to become more active and live healthy lifestyles, it is also important to ensure their safety while being active.

Through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Active and Safe injury prevention initiative, the Government of Canada is investing $5 million over two years to support a number of community-based projects that empower young Canadians to make safe choices when they get involved in sports and recreational activities.

Today's funding announcement of close to $200,000 will support 2 projects:

The Yukon First Nations Youth - Back to the Land project, led by the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, in partnership with the Kwanlin Dun Elders Council, will promote injury prevention knowledge and skills among First Nations youth leaders so they can encourage children and youth to learn ways to participate safely in traditional and contemporary outdoor activities.  Youth leaders will learn injury prevention techniques related to land-based and water-focused activities such as fishing, canoeing, hiking, archery and snowshoeing, and contemporary land-based activities such as snowmobiling and skiing. With support from their communities, youth leaders will then promote safety messages directly to their peers so they learn ways to stay active and safe.

Active and Safe Yukon- Building Multi-sectoral Collaboration in Recreational Snow Sports for Children and Youth, led by the Arctic Institute of Community-Based Research in partnership with the Injury Prevention Coalition of Yukon, will review best practices related to injury prevention, help children and youth learn ways to play safely so they can avoid being injured during sports or recreational activities, and develop an online tool to help connect organizations working to prevent injuries across the Yukon.

SOURCE: Public Health Agency of Canada

Health Canada
Cailin Rodgers
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
[phone]

Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
[phone]