FLOURISH: Food systems and Local cOmmunities Uniting for Research Impact on Sustainable Health

Applying participatory approaches to meaningfully engage community partners in research and processes to mobilize knowledge into practice is a key focus of our community-based research portfolio. We collaborate with community actors on equity-centred and health-promoting initiatives. Project activities draw upon research supported by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (tri-agency program), Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (funding program of the Public Health Agency of Canada), and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
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Food is Medicine: Centring Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the Co-design of a Community Food-Health Program

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This project builds on formative research and partners' priorities to develop a plan for a novel food is medicine program. The program will draw on a social prescribing model to enhance and leverage Community resources to meet the cultural food security, health, and wellness needs of two First Nations Communities. 

Minwanjigewin: Towards Food security and Food Sovereignty with
Williams Treaties First Nations 

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This project aims to foster capacity-sharing for Community-led food security and food sovereignty initiatives. Research activities involve participatory asset mapping to identify and inventory, within each community, strengths and enablers for the successful implementation of community-identified food projects. 

Food Uniting Neighbours (f.u.n): Co-designing Interventions to Improve Food Access and Healthy Eating

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This project aims to engage community members to co-design and pilot test actions aimed at increasing food access and healthy eating among residents in the Onward Willow community. As part of our newly funded ‘Design to Implement’ phase of the initiative, we will build on formative work in the Onward Willow community to strengthen and evaluate the implementation of food system interventions and explore opportunities to roll out our co-design model in Centre Wellington.

Pilot Testing a Produce Prescription (PRx) Program

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This project aims to evaluate a pilot PRx Program designed to improve food access and promote healthy eating among adults in Toronto, Ontario. Research activities include an assessment of the implementation process and health outcomes supported by the PRx program to provide insights into program reach, utilization and impact. 

Cancer Screening for Black Women: Development and Dissemination of an Implementation Toolkit

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This project aims to develop and distribute a practical toolkit for culturally tailored and prevention-focused healthcare interventions for Black communities. Research activities include the co-creation and dissemination of an implementation toolkit for promoting breast and cervical screening access in Black communities. The toolkit will detail considerations for knowledge users across Canada who would like to conduct similar community-partnered health promotion events for Black women.

Strengthening Gestational Diabetes Prevention and Management in the Northwest Territories

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This project aims to promote collaboration between community members, healthcare providers, health system administrators, and policy makers to identify and mobilize wise practices for the prevention and management of gestational diabetes in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Northwest Territories.  This project responds to inequities in healthcare and food insecurity (including the loss of access to country foods and traditional hunting and fishing grounds) that have contributed to increased rates of chronic diseases among Indigenous Peoples.