THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017
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NEWS
ONLINE at yorkregion.com News, events and information on your desktop, laptop or mobile device
Events Calendar
Metroland file photo
York Region Pride Parade organizers were shocked and disappointed when they were told the route would have to change. See what’s happening by visiting our online community calendar. www.yorkregion.com/events
Raining on York’s Pride Parade KIM ZARZOUR kzarzour@yrmg.com York Region Pride Parade organizers remain in shock after being told the June 17 event
would be moved from its traditional Yonge Street route. The town welcomed the parade with "open arms" when it was first launched in 2013, said Jacob Gal, Pride Parade spokes-
person, but now Richmond Hill is suggesting the fifth annual event - the only one of its kind in the region - take place in a park adjacent to Elgin Barrow arena, just east of Yonge.
uReport the News
Meeta Gandhi, communications director for the town, said the change was made due to traffic issues, costs to the town
newsroom@yorkregion.com www.facebook.com/yrmgnews @yorkregion yorkregion.com/ureport
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WELLNESS
Health more than ’the broccoli on your plate’ LISA QUEEN lqueen@yrmg.com While York Region residents generally enjoy a high quality of life, a new report is shining a light on some troubling health concerns. "I see this as a wake-up call," Cathy Jaynes, director of healthy living with the region’s public health department, said. While residents can take personal responsibility for their health, the report, called Social Determinants of Health, said there are also bigger social and economic factors at play when it comes to people’s well being, Jaynes said. "This is about more than just the broccoli on your plate," she said. Overall, York residents enjoy a higher quality of life than the average Ontarian. For example, a York man can expect to live to the age of 83.8
while a York woman’s life expectancy is 86.9 years, higher than the Ontario averages of 80.2 years and 82.1 years, respectively. However, residents who are most vulnerable to social determinants of health tend to experience worse health outcomes, Jaynes said. People with the lowest incomes experience the highest rates of smoking, the least amounts of physical activity and the lowest satisfaction with their health. Twenty-two per cent of York residents in the lowest third of income earners smoke. That compares with 18 per cent in the middle third and 15 per cent in the top income bracket. Only 40 per cent of low-income York residents over the age of 12 are physically active or moderately physically active. That jumps to 49 per cent of middle-income earners and 58 per cent of top earners.
Only 50 per cent of low-income earners over the age of 12 rate their health as good or excellent, compared to 62 per cent of middleincome earners and 73 per cent of top earners. Not surprisingly, low-income earners have a harder time affording healthy options such as safe housing and nutritious food and have a harder time participating in educational, cultural and recreational activities that affect their well being, Jaynes said. Last spring, the United Way of Toronto and York Region released a study showing more than 40 per cent of York residents surveyed live with some degree of unstable job prospects. Precarious employment stretches across all income levels but has more dire consequences for low and middle-income earners, study co-author Michelynn Lafleche said.
Susie Kockerscheidt/Metroland
Social determinants, such as income levels, have a significant impact on health, Cathy Jaynes, director of healthy living with York Region Public Health, says.
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NEWS
Town to review costs of 8 cm snow standard for plows AMANDA PERSICO apersico@yrmg.com Snow removal is a municipal must, up there with waste collection, water services and road maintenance. "These are core issues we have to provide and do it right," said Coun. Michael Thompson during a recent council meeting. "Otherwise, we hear about it." And councillors are hearing from residents the town’s winter maintenance levels are not up to par.
The town sends plows out when there is about 8 centimetres on the ground except for Yonge Street, which is plowed after 5 cm. Major thoroughfares such as Orchard Heights Boulevard or John West War are plowed first, followed by secondary or side streets. Municipalities such as Newmarket, King Township and Vaughan have a 5 cm standard, in Markham it is 7.5 cm and in East Gwillimbury it’s 8 cm. At the region, snow plows are deployed as soon
as snow begins to accumulate on the roads. Some Aurora councillors want to see a return to the 5 cm standard. "The town lowered service levels but residents are still paying the same amount," said Coun. Tom Mrakas. "We are supposed to provide the best possible service for the best possible price." Whether roads are plowed at 5 cm or 8 cm, the issue is not having enough man hours to get the plows out and the roads clean, said town CAO Doug Nado-
Metroland file photo
Aurora to look at how town’s snow maintenance policy is rolled out. rozny. "A 5 cm service means the start of the storm would
have better service and the tail end of the storm would be worse, because we run
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