Parachute advocates for changes to regulations and laws that will help prevent Canadians from suffering serious and fatal injuries.
Parachute’s policy priorities
Falls prevention
Falls are the leading cause of reduced longevity and high healthcare costs among older adults. For the first time, there are more Canadians over the age of 65 than under 19, so it is becoming even more important to prevent falls among older adults. Policies that focus on ensuring a safe environment and support activity enable older adults to maintain their independence, health and fitness.
Motor vehicle collisions
These are a leading cause of preventable injury and death in Canada. Effective policies, standards and legislation relating to the built environment and enforcement mechanisms will reduce injury and improve Canadians’ safety on the road, whether they are motorists, passengers, cyclists or pedestrians.
Home safety
From falls through open windows to the strangulation danger from corded window coverings, our homes and the products we use can be built differently to prevent injury, especially in young children. The home is also a place where dangerous products such as medication and cleaning products are found and poisoning is a much larger public health issue than is generally recognized, with children being particularly at risk of unintentional poisoning.
Sports and recreation
Preventing injuries and keeping Canadians active go hand in hand. Policies for sport and recreation related injuries focuses on managing the risks that can often occur during sports, such as protocols for managing concussions, mandatory wearing of personal flotation devices and bike helmets for all ages.
Parachute is leading the way
- We focus on community activation, building awareness and delivering solutions.
- We share leading practices and policy models that have a proven impact on injury reduction.
- We are guided by an evidence-based framework for injury prevention that serves as a guide for federal, provincial, territorial and local policy makers.
- We build capacity within organizations and communities, supporting widespread adoption of public policy in priority areas.
Parachute has continuing relationships with federal government ministries such as Health (including Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada), Transportation and Sport. We serve on several federal and national committees, including:
- Sport Canada Federal-Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Concussions in Sport: This working group is composed of representatives from Sport Canada, PHAC, several provincial and territorial ministries responsible for concussion, and national organizations such as Hockey Canada, Coaching Association of Canada, along with representatives from several National Sport Organizations.
- Transport Canada, Vulnerable Road User Countermeasures Advisory Panel, which in 2018 produced the Safety Measures for Cyclists and Pedestrians Around Heavy Vehicles – Summary Report (opens PDF).
- Canadian Standards Association: Parachute serves as a member the School Bus Technical Committee and the Window Coverings Technical Committee. In 2019, Canada introduced new regulations to help stop strangulations linked to corded window coverings recommended by this committee.
- ASTM: Parachute serves as an affiliate member on the Committee on Consumer Products.
Parachute’s policy work in action
Examples of Parachute’s recent efforts to inform policy include:
2023
- Development of child passenger safety legislation recommendations in collaboration with the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada, Child Safety Link and multi-sectoral partners.
2022
- Development of ATV legislation recommendations in collaboration with multi-sectoral partners.
- Participation in Coroner reviews of sledding and e-bike injury deaths.
- Consultation with the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on a potential building code change regarding horizontal railings.
2021
- Presentation to the Canadian Marine Advisory Council Standing Committee on Recreational Boating recommending amendments to the Small Vessel Regulations to require mandatory life-jacket wearing.
2020
- Testimony at the Office of the Chief Coroner Ontario Inquest into a pediatric ATV death.
2018
- Testimony at the public hearings for Bill 193, Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety).
- Consultation with the Ministry of Transportation Ontario on increased distracted driving penalties and safe school zones legislation.
Resources
Position statements
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Children’s unstructured play – Canadian Public Health Association position statement (2019)
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) recognizes unstructured play as a child’s right and a critical component to child and youth health and well-being. Actions are necessary to reduce the barriers limiting opportunities for unstructured play at school and in the community. CPHA commends those school boards, municipalities, other governments and non- governmental organizations that are taking positive steps to improve children’s access to unstructured play; however, further steps are needed.
Public policy resources
Some useful resources for the development, implementation and evaluation of public policy in Canada.
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Policy Readiness Tool
The Policy Readiness Tool is a self-administered questionnaire that can be used to assess a community or organization’s readiness for policy change. Included is a series of strategies for working with communities or organizations at different stages of readiness for policy change and a resource list for additional information. The purpose of the Tool is to help advocates and policy developers encourage the adoption of healthy public policy within communities or organizations.
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Sector Monitor: Public Policy Activity (2016)
Imagine Canada’s Sector Monitor program provides relevant and timely information on the issues facing charities and nonprofits to the sector itself and to various sector stakeholders, including Imagine Canada members, policymakers, business leaders, the media and the Canadian public.
This report discusses:
-How many charities engage in public policy?- How has the advocacy chill affected charities?
- Has the likelihood of engaging in public policy changed over time?
- Why do charities engage in public policy?
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Being an Influencer for Social Policy – An injury prevention perspective
The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for stakeholders to see their role in influencing social policy that supports injury prevention. This document defines social policy, its importance and connection to injury prevention, outlines examples of activities that can influence social policy in injury prevention, as well as provides overall supporting documents and definitions.
(Atlantic Collaborative on Injury Prevention & Child Safety Link (2020). Being an influencer for social policy: An injury prevention perspective. Halifax, NS.) -
Social policy and injury prevention infographic – How you can influence change