BETTER HEALTH IS WORTH 0.5%

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What is the 0.5% campaign all about?

Ontario is facing an urgent health care crisis. But the real tragedy is that it’s preventable.

Did you know that we can prevent up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke, and about half of all cancers through healthy public policies and lifestyle changes, such as increased physical activity, healthy eating, reducing high-risk drinking, and eliminating tobacco use?

Heart disease, stroke and cancer are the three biggest threats to Canadians’ health – and their lives. Policies that affect health care, increased physical activity, healthy eating, reducing high-risk alcohol consumption and eliminating tobacco use can have a critical impact on disease prevention, helping Ontarians live longer, fuller lives.

This March, the Ontario government will deliver its 2012 budget. Through this process we have an opportunity to influence and shape the future health of Ontario. The Heart and Stroke Foundation (Ontario), Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division, Ophea and members of the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (OCPDA) want Ontarians to make their voices heard during Ontario budget consultations.

“Better Health is Worth 0.5%” encourages Ontarians to tell their MPP, Premier and Finance Minister that our health is worth 0.5% of the budget. It’s time to invest now in order to make Ontario the healthiest province. Healthcare expenditures are rising at an unsustainable rate yet the Ontario government currently only invests 0.35% of the budget on health promotion. We need to take urgent action now in order to prevent a looming healthcare crisis that costs Ontarians’ their lives – and billions of tax dollars.

Better health is worth 0.5% of the Ontario budget, which means investing at least $170 million more in health promotion and illness prevention.

Why does Ontario need this Campaign?

The Ontario government spends nearly 50% of the provincial budget on healthcare to treat those who are already sick. That’s a staggering $46 billion and quickly rising.

Yet, only 0.35% of the current budget is set aside for health promotion to prevent illness and chronic disease.

We believe that the way to reduce the cost of healthcare is to influence the upcoming 2012 budget process so that at least 0.5% of the budget goes towards health promotion and illness prevention. Investing to promote better health today will save money and lives tomorrow.

But don't just take our word for it that this is a necessary step forward. Don Drummond, former TD Bank chief economist, and Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health both agree that investing in health promotion is critical. Ipsos Reid recently found that 85% of Ontarians would support investing more to promote and support better health in our province, and 86% of Ontario’s legislature has already committed to promote and support better health in Ontario through the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Healthy Candidates 2011 campaign. Now it’s time for your MPP to put their commitment into action.

Tell your MPP, Premier and Finance Minister that better health is worth 0.5%
Political campaigns and candidates always seem to be full of promises. In the last election many voters secured a promise from their candidates towards promoting better health in Ontario. It’s time to hold your MPP to that promise by calling on them to make Ontario the healthiest province by investing at least 0.5% of the budget towards health promotion. That’s just $170 million more for better health in Ontario.

It’s time to invest in promoting a healthier Ontario.

Take action now! Tell your MPP, Premier and Finance Minister that health promotion is worth 0.5% of the Ontario budget.

Together we can make Ontario the healthiest province.