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Mobilizing Knowledge for Action in Active Transportation

ACT Canada: Sustainable Mobility & Healthy Communities Summit 2014

Michelle Halligan, Prevention, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer

Kim Perrotta, Formerly of Healthy Canada by Design

Dawn Sheppard and Pam Turner, Public Health Agency of Canada

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Objectives of Today’s Session

To share project findings and learnings from recent active transportation knowledge mobilization efforts

To provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on learnings from their own knowledge mobilization efforts

To identify knowledge brokering opportunities across sectors

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Some Definitions for Consideration

Knowledge Mobilization is getting the right information to the right people in the right format at the right time, so as to influence decision-making.

Canadian Council on Learning, 2008

Knowledge Brokering is a process of bringing people together to help them build relationships, uncover needs and share ideas and evidence that will enable them to do their job better (and/or advance action in a specific area).

Adapted from: Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, 2003

Context: Active Transportation for Healthy Living and Healthy Weights

• All levels of government have identified childhood obesity prevention as a key priority.

• Active transportation has many benefits for livable communities, physical activity and healthy living through creating supportive environments.

MKAT Goals

MKAT Goals

Increase understanding of

knowledge mobilization

Increase coordinated

action across sectors

Accelerate the use of knowledge

to inform AT action

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MKAT Steps

Identifying Knowledge

Gaps

Creating & Disseminating

New Knowledge

Using Knowledge to

Strengthen Action

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• Scan & information gathering: internet scan, interviews with provincial government staff and follow-up questionnaires (n=22 P/T participants)

• Focus groups and interviews with other key players in active transportation across Canada: municipal/regional governments, public health units and non-governmental organizations (n=50 participants)

• Translation of Research: Project Briefings, Highlight Sheets, Support Framework for AT

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• Ideas in Motion – Webinar series

• Conferences & online posting of knowledge products

• Stakeholder conversations to explore next steps

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Convening partners to consider options for further action:

• Strengthening evaluation capacity

• Working towards better national and Provincial-level data of active transportation activity

• Reviewing international AT evaluation evidence

Overall Project Findings

• Half of provinces identified AT as a priority

• Level of priority given to AT and nature and scope of AT initiatives vary considerably across provinces

• Some areas where there is significant activity, and other areas where it is just beginning

• Municipalities across all areas of Canada are very active in this area

Project Findings: Catalysts & Facilitators

• Key Motivatorso Healtho Injury prevention/safetyo Tourism/economic developmento Environmental - air emissionso Traffic congestiono Sustainable transportation systems

• Collective benefits of AT

• Provincial funding mechanisms

• Policies, organizational structures in place that facilitate AT

Project Findings: Barriers

• Lack of coordination across departments, jurisdictions and sectors

• Lack of evidence o National and provincial-level data on ATo Economic analyseso Evaluation evidence to identify and understand effective approaches

• Governance and external factorso Level of priority/political willo Absent or conflicting policies and mandateo Inadequate capacity: o Perceptions of safety issueso Car-centric culture

Project Findings: Characteristics of Progressive Efforts

• AT plan that formalized the intent to work on AT• Cross-ministry structure or more formal mechanism to work on AT• A lead department in charge of AT• Leadership from advocacy organizations• Involvement/buy-in from senior management• Someone in transportation has AT in their portfolio/mandate, even if not full

time

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Knowledge Mobilization: Collective Lessons Learned

• Use multiple forms of evidence

• Invite a diversity of perspectives – no one is the holder of all knowledge

• Work across sectors

• Generate knowledge with the users of knowledge

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Knowledge Mobilization: Collective Lessons Learned

• Build relationships - knowledge mobilization is about relationships and the quality of the relationships matter

• Find creative ways of knowledge sharing in the context of fiscal restraint

• Acknowledge complexity of AT - varied context, broad geographical scope; huge scope

Acknowledgements

Research Support: Peter Truch, Ellen Morrison, OPUS international Elizabeth Dyke, Health Consultant, Diana Daghofer, Wellspring Strategies

Reference Group Members:Olivier Bellefleur and François Gagnon, NCCHPP

Sharon Lewinson, ACT Canada

Alice Miro, Heart and Stroke Foundation of British Columbia and Yukon

Kim Perrotta and Gene Chin, Healthy Canada by Design

Vicky Reaney and Katy Walsh, Manitoba Department of Local Government Department

Amy Schwartz, Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness

Matt Herman and Toby Green, British Columbia Ministry of Health Services

Heidi Craswell, Ahalya Mahendra, Munira Lalji, Greg Butler, Mitulika Chawla, Britt Erickson, Public Health Agency of Canada

PHAC Project Team:Kerry Robinson, Dawn Sheppard, Pam Turner

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Small Group Discussion

Which sector do you represent: transportation, planning, environment, health or other?

In your AT experience within your jurisdiction, what has worked from a knowledge mobilization perspective, why?

What AT knowledge are you sharing/using?

What more can you do in your role to advance knowledge sharing on active transportation?

What do you need to know from other sectors e.g. if you work in transportation, what can health/planning/environment sectors do to help advance your work?