TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 1, 2008) - Canada's children are under threat from a crisis caused by preventable injuries that are needlessly shortening the lives of our kids. That should concern parents, grandparents, government leaders and anyone else who cares about our youth. For the first time in our history, our children will have shorter lives than their parents. Of the 29 nations in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada's record for preventing childhood deaths from injuries ranks 22nd and for the reduction of child obesity, 28th. That's an appalling record for a country that takes such pride in its advanced standard of living and enlightened social policies. As the country commemorates National Safe Communities Day, Safe Communities Canada reports it is well positioned to address this emerging situation.

Safe Communities Canada released the results of its Annual National Report Card, which focuses on the leadership and expansion of initiatives from 40 of the network of Canadian designated safe communities over the past year. Results reported in this year's National Report Card provide a clear direction of how communities across Canada are facing this emerging crisis where the difference will be most effective - in our own neighbourhoods and back yards.

Safe Communities president and founder, Paul Kells said "the results of this year's report card clearly demonstrate that we have a vibrant, engaged and passionate organization with volunteers and injury prevention practitioners right across the network dedicated to making our communities safer places to live. The results speak for themselves. Over 2,200 individuals across Canada have assumed leadership positions to address community-specific priorities causes of injury and over 24,000 volunteer hours were logged last year in the development and delivery of initiatives to reduce those causes of injury."

Twelve of the communities achieved a perfect score on the key attributes required for designation by Safe Communities Canada and fourteen communities are well positioned to apply for additional designation by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion.

Injuries are the leading cause of death for Canadians under 44 years of age. They cause 53 percent of all deaths of children aged one to 19. In the 20-44 age group, injuries account for 59 percent of all deaths, while in the 20-24 age group, injuries cause a whopping 81 percent of all deaths. That's four out of five fatalities caused, not by cancer or other illnesses, but by injuries that are entirely preventable.

As Kells notes, "the answer to reducing and eliminating injuries lies with each of us. We have known for a long time that when individuals get involved, either of their own accord, or within a corporate culture, change does occur. As will be evidenced through the release of individual community report cards today, individuals in communities across the country are leading this change to make communities thrive, and save lives. Collectively we can fix this emerging crisis."

It is a common perception that most injuries occur on the job. In reality, 70 percent of injuries occur outside of the workplace - in our homes, neighbourhoods, and communities. Yet most municipalities have yet to put strategies in place that will address the root causes of those injuries.

The theme for this year's Safe Communities Day, Leaders for Tomorrow, shines a spotlight on the volunteers, professional practitioners, institutions, and other community members that work tirelessly to promote a culture of safety and injury prevention. It also suggests that everyone can do their part to mobilize their community to make a difference.

In communities right across the country, various events are being held to increase awareness of community safety and injury reduction initiatives. As well, Ambassadors for Safety are being recognized for their contribution within their own communities who are already demonstrating leadership and truly are making a difference.

Safe Communities Canada announced today that three local Ambassadors for Safety have been selected as recipients of National Ambassadors for Safety Awards.

The National Ambassador for Safety Business Partner Award recipient is CANARM Ltd. in Brockville Ontario. CANARM is a leading world manufacturer that supports numerous local initiatives which enhance residents' quality of life and is looked upon as one of the most influential mentors by representatives of the public, private and community sectors in Brockville and area.

The National Ambassador for Safety Community Service Partner recipient is the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia's Youtheatre initiative. The Mermaid Youtheatre addressed the serious issue of suicide among our youth by producing a play, written and performed by youth. The Play, The Fit, was developed with advice from the Suicide Prevention Working Group of the South Shore Safe Communities Initiative and the South Shore regional School Board and is being developed as a video to be included and used as part of the curriculum in grade nine classrooms across Nova Scotia.

The National Ambassador for Safety Volunteer recipient is Mark Whelpton from Grande Prairie Alberta who has been involved in his community since 1998 conducting presentations to local businesses and community groups promoting first aid training, young worker safety and traffic safety.

"Canada is a world leader in developing initiatives that lead to safer environments for everyone in our communities, and these three National Ambassadors for Safety are representative of why Canada is held in such high regard around the globe," says Kells.

Kells also announced that Janie McNish of Brandon Manitoba was named as the Passport to Safety Leader for Tomorrow Award recipient.

Passport to Safety is Safe Communities Canada signature program that was originally conceived and piloted by Peterborough Safe Communities to increase awareness of workplace safety for young workers 15 to 24 years old. It was then developed on-line and launched as a signature program by Safe Communities Canada in 2004 and now is applicable to workers of any age. The program is now being used in Australia and New Zealand as well as over 1,000 schools and over 350 work places in Canada. Over 200,000 people have completed a Passport to Safety test.

"Janie is another example of one of those Leaders who has made a significant difference in her community" Kells said. "She is a driving force and an integral member of the Safe Communities Brandon and Area Young Worker Injury subcommittee who as a Work Education Coordinator in Brandon was instrumental in Passport to Safety becoming the core program for career development students in the Brandon School Division" Kells concluded.

National Ambassador for Safety Award recipients and the Passport to Safety Leader for Tomorrow Award recipient will be receive their awards during the 11th Annual Safe Communities Awards dinner being held on Monday, November 3, 2008 at The Fort Garry hotel in Winnipeg Manitoba as part of Safe Communities Canada Annual conference November 2 -4.

"As the National Report Card shows, and as our Ambassadors for Safety across Canada exemplify, every one of us, right across Canada, has a role to play in addressing the emerging crisis and making our communities safer. We believe Safe Communities Day will make that possible by raising the awareness of our organization and the work we do throughout this country." Kells said.

Safe Communities Canada is the country's foremost community-driven injury prevention charity whose mission is to make our nation the safest place in the world to live, learn, work and play.

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For Information:


Rod Kelly, Director
Marketing, Communications & Fund Development
Safe Communities Canada
(P) 416-964-3959
(C) 416-201-1430
rkelly@safecommunities.ca 

Backgrounder

In November, 1994, 19 year-old Sean Kells was pouring a highly flammable chemical from one ungrounded drum to another when it ignited and exploded. Sean was not told that what he was doing was potentially dangerous, let alone lethal. Sean was killed on the third day of his part-time job. His death was entirely preventable.

In 1996, Sean's father, Paul Kells, founded the Safe Communities Foundation, a national charitable organization dedicated to helping communities to come together to reduce the rate of personal injuries and promote a culture of safety in every community in the country. In 2007 the Foundation became known as Safe Communities Canada.

Since 1996, when 6 communities in Alberta and Ontario were designated Safe Communities, the number of designated safe communities has expanded to 54 representing 23% of the Canadian population in 7 provinces and 1 territory.

M'Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Ontario became the first designated Aboriginal Safe Community in 2004 and Whitehorse became the first designated safe community in a territory in 2005. In 2007 the City of Brampton became the 6th Canadian community to receive international Safe Community designation from the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion. There are only 10 internationally designated communities in North America.

Safe Communities Canada is a leader and an important part of a world-wide family of 134 designated safe communities in 24 countries. Canada was a key mentor for the only three other national networks (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America) and is North America's first International Certifying Centre on behalf of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion.

Over 200,000 young people have completed Passport to Safety - a program originally conceived and piloted by Peterborough Safe Communities, then developed and launched on-line as a signature program of Safe Communities Canada in 2004. The primary purpose for the initiative was, and still is, to heighten the awareness of workplace safety, particularly for young workers 15 to 24 years of age and now for any worker of any age. Passport to Safety has been used in over 1,000 Canadian schools and over 350 work places.

Results of the second National Report Card were released in the fall 2008, on National Safe Communities Day, which showed that twelve of the communities achieved a perfect score on the key attributes required for designation by Safe Communities Canada and fourteen communities are well positioned to apply for additional designation by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion.

In 2008 volunteers contributed over 24,000 hours to the cause of injury prevention and safety promotion through Safe Communities Canada's network of designated safe communities.

Safe Communities Canada is a lead partner in the National Injury Prevention Strategy with SafeKids, Smartrisk and Thinkfirst and is Canada's foremost community-driven injury prevention charity whose mission is to make Canada the safest place in the world to live, learn, work and play.

To view the 2008 National Safe Communities Day - Community Events Listing, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/safe101events.pdf

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