Starting today, people issued a PaRx nature prescription can access Conservation Halton Parks for ten (10) free visits. This collaboration will empower residents to reap the health benefits of spending time in nature. Visitors can fulfil their nature prescriptions through activities like scenic trail hikes, wildlife spotting and nature photography.
"This partnership with PaRx provides greater access to nature and creates pathways to better health and a deeper connection with our environment” says Chandra Sharma, President & CEO, Conservation Halton. “This initiative exemplifies our dual commitment to ecological preservation and community well-being.”
PaRx, an initiative of BC Parks Foundation, equips healthcare providers with a powerful tool: nature prescriptions for preventative and therapeutic care. Supported by a significant body of evidence, time spent connecting with nature has been shown to improve a wide variety of health outcomes.
Halton Healthcare is proud to be the first hospital system in Canada to partner with PaRx, furthering its commitment to innovative, nature-based health solutions available close to home. Through this partnership, primary care physicians are also connected to the PaRx initiative through the Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT), expanding access to nature prescriptions across the region.
Healthcare providers across Halton Region are encouraged to join the PaRx program to begin issuing nature prescriptions. By participating, they become part of a growing movement that harnesses the power of nature as a therapeutic tool, benefiting patients while promoting conservation and environmental stewardship.
“Spending more time in nature has health benefits like improving mental health, lowering blood pressure and even extending life expectancy,” says Dr. Stephen Chin, Interim Vice President, Medical Affairs at Halton Healthcare. “The partnership between PaRx and Conservation Halton allows health professionals to prescribe an effective remedy to our patients. Nature prescriptions offer an accessible and sustainable way to improve the health of our community and is a wonderful complement to the care we provide.”
This summer, Adam van Koeverden, Member of Parliament for Milton, introduced Conservation Halton and BC Parks Foundation’s PaRx program to Halton region. MP van Koeverden is a steadfast advocate for the outdoors, health and well-being, and he fully endorses the initiative.
"This collaboration is a game-changer for our community,” says van Koeverden. “It encourages outdoor activity, fosters a connection with nature, promotes physical health, and nurtures mental resilience and environmental stewardship.”
Conservation Halton joins a growing movement of support for Canada’s national nature prescription program. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority became the first Conservation Authority to partner with PaRx. Building on this momentum, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority hosted a ‘Park Prescription (PaRx) Day’ at Scanlon Creek inviting dozens of families to connect with the outdoors for their health.
Conservation Halton has been connecting the community to nature for over 60 years with eight unique parks to explore in the region. Visitors can choose their own adventure to help ignite a greater love for the outdoors. Whether that means a quiet hike in the woods, a peaceful walk along the boardwalk around an internationally recognized meromictic lake, exploring a new trail on foot or on bike to a breathtaking waterfall, saying hello to furry and feathered friends in our barn or Raptor Centre, or taking in the expansive beauty of the lookouts along the Niagara Escarpment, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
For more information, please contact:
Jennie McCaffrey
VP of Health and Education, BC Parks Foundation
jennie.mccaffrey@bcparksfoundation.ca, 778-222-5543
Shelly Datseris
Manager of Communications & Marketing, Conservation Halton
sdatseris@hrca.on.ca or 905-208-0030
Lea Batara
Coordinator, Communications and Public Affairs, Halton Healthcare
lbatara01@haltonhealthcare.com
About BC Parks Foundation:
BC Parks Foundation, the official charitable partner to BC Parks, is on a mission to create the greatest system of parks and Indigenous protected areas in the world. Our programs promote both the health benefits of nature and nature stewardship, inspiring and empowering people in BC to enjoy and protect parks and Indigenous protected areas so that they flourish for now, for all, forever.
About Conservation Halton:
Conservation Halton is a community-based environmental agency that works to protect, restore, and manage the natural resources in the Halton Region. The agency provides opportunities for people to connect with nature through parks, conservation areas, and educational programs, fostering an appreciation and understanding of our natural environment.
About Halton Healthcare:
Halton Healthcare: Halton Healthcare is a healthcare organization comprised of three community hospitals - Georgetown Hospital, Milton District Hospital and Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Together these hospitals, along with their community locations, provide healthcare services to nearly 400,000 residents in the communities of Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville. Halton Healthcare hospitals have been recognized for their best practices in a number of patient safety and patient care initiatives.
For more information, visit www.haltonhealthcare.com