By Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health and Lowertown resident
Lowertown is the oldest part of Ottawa and continues to be a dynamic and vibrant part of the city. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) works directly with residents of Lowertown or in partnership with local organizations to support residents to achieve their full potential for health.
What does OPH do? We are a department of the City of Ottawa that prevents disease and injury by sharing health promotion messages and offering services at clinics. OPH also protects health, by conducting inspections and enforcing regulations in an effort to make the environment we live in more supportive of health.
Current priorities in Lowertown, as in the rest of the City of Ottawa, are healthy eating, active living, mental health and substance use. OPH nurses visit families in Lowertown to support healthy growth and development. We work with partner agencies to share mental health information and address the health effects of drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and opiates.
Much of our approach involves looking at the factors that can determine a person’s health. These factors include income, education, employment, gender, culture and the physical environment.
What are some of the things we know about our Lowertown neighbourhood? The Ottawa Neighbourhood Study data shows that immigrants make up 27.2% of the population of Lowertown, with 5.2% having immigrated between 2006 and 2011. While just over half of immigrants come from Europe, immigrants from Africa, South, East, Southeast and West Central Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Latin, Central and South America make a rich and diverse population in our neighbourhood.
A higher proportion of residents in Lowertown live in low income than the Ottawa average (28% vs. 12%) and a higher proportion of seniors live alone in Lowertown than in other areas of Ottawa (55% vs. 26%). We also know that Lowertown offers many aspects of our community can help us be healthy. Some of Ottawa’s most popular attractions are within the community or within walking distance and more residents in Lowertown walk or bike to work than residents in other areas of Ottawa. The neighbourhood’s numerous parks provide opportunities for physical activity and community connectivity in all seasons and healthy food is accessible at nearby local stores as well as the ByWard Market.
Some of OPH services offered in Lowertown include:
- Ottawa Public Health’s Sexual Health clinic is located at 179 Clarence St. In addition to sexual health services, OPH also offers supervised injection services seven days a week, a needle and syringe program, and the mobile Site van which offered harm reduction services to clients throughout the city.
- OPH offers immunization clinics at York Street Public School and De La Salle Secondary School. Monthly immunization clinics are also offered at the YMCA family shelter nearby.
- Dental hygienists visit English as a Second Language (ESL) classes every spring to provide free dental screenings for young children and dental health information to newcomers.
Ottawa Public Health values feedback and encourages Lowertown residents to participate in our upcoming strategic planning this summer and early fall. Residents can connect with OPH at: OttawaPublicHealth.ca, ParentingInOttawa.ca, TheLinkOttawa.ca, healthsante@ottawa.ca, @OttawaHealth (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram).