WestShore Healthy Communities Initiative

A good way for a community to live!
Health ... wellbeing ... sustainability

Growing from the award-winning roots of Climate Action West Shore (CAWS), the WestShore Chamber of Commerce Healthy Communities Initiative has a mission to work together with local business, government, education, community groups and individuals to build a healthy conservation culture of engaged citizens on the West Shore (Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin and Highlands).

The Healthy Communities Initiative has a commitment to continue to strengthen and support an integrated community network with a shared mandate to mentor the behavioural and lifestyle changes required to achieve important energy, waste and greenhouse gas reduction targets on the West Shore which contribute to quality of life and a sustainable economy.

Our Healthy Communities Initiative consists of three portfolios:

• Climate Action West Shore
  Supporting community action collaborations which provide service to WestShore Chamber of Commerce members. We do this by helping people adapt to greener business practices and assisting local municipalities in delivering public outreach that supports the implementation of their community energy plans and aspects of official community plans related to behavioural change required in response to climate change.
   
• WestShore Healthy Communities Council
  Evolving from the community collaborative forged by Climate Action West Shore, the Council is intended as an inter-municipal secretariat bringing government, organizations and individuals together to discuss, plan, advise and take integrated action to help West Shore municipalities build healthy and sustainable communities.
   
  Part of the Council's work includes the WestShore Community Health Index that will build on the work achieved through the Vancouver Island Health Authority's Capital Region 2008 Happiness Index. There is growing understanding that values-based decision-making is essential as communities move forward and address the challenges of climate change in an integrated way. Local members of the public of all ages need to be engaged in meaningful dialogues that help to establish community social planning priorities, and the WestShore Healthy Communities Council, building on the secretariat services provided over the past three years by CAWS, can facilitate such community dialogue at the West Shore's grassroots.
   
• The Hive
  The Hive is part of the WestShore Chamber of Commerce Healthy Communities Initiative with a commitment to:
   
• Community - connecting people with people, places, projects and opportunities to go local and go green
   
• Culture - find a great sampler of local art, craft and music, and learn about the region's nature, food, sport, recreation and heritage
   
• Commerce - link up with the growing network of WestShore Chamber businesses and entrepreneurs who care about their community