6. REGULATORY MECHANISMS TO ENSURE CANADIANS ARE PROTECTED FROM UNNECESSARILY HIGH LEVELS OF SALT IN DIETS

MÉCANISMES DE RÉGLEMENTATION AFIN D’ASSURER QUE LES CANADIENS SONT PROTÉGÉS CONTRE DES QUANTITÉS DE SEL INUTILEMENT ÉLEVÉES DANS LEUR RÉGIME ALIMENTAIRE

Committee Recommendation

That the Council of the City of Ottawa, acting as the Board of Health, urge the federal government to review, on an urgent basis, regulatory mechanisms to ensure that Canadians are protected from the unwitting exposure to unnecessarily high levels of salt in their diets.

Recommandation DU Comité

Que le Conseil municipal, à titre de Conseil de la santé, demande instamment au gouvernement fédéral d’examiner, de façon urgente, des mécanismes de réglementation afin d’assurer que les Canadiens sont protégés contre une exposition involontaire à des quantités de sel inutilement élevées dans leur régime alimentaire.

Documentation

1. Community and Protective Services Coordinator’s report dated 18 September 2009 (ACS2009-CCS-CPS-0022).

Report to / Rapport au:

Council / Conseil

18 September 2009 / le 18 septembre 2009

Submitted by / Soumis par: Marc Desjardins, Committee Coordinator /

Coordonnateur de comité

Contact / Personne-ressource : Councillor Marianne Wilkinson

(613) 580-2474, Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca

City-wide/ à l'échelle de la Ville

Ref N°: ACS2009-CCS-CPS-0022

SUBJECT: REGULATORY MECHANISMS TO ENSURE CANADIANS ARE PROTECTED FROM UNNECESSARILY HIGH LEVELS OF SALT IN DIETS

OBJET: MÉCANISMES DE RÉGLEMENTATION AFIN D’ASSURER QUE LES CANADIENS SONT PROTÉGÉS CONTRE DES QUANTITÉS DE SEL INUTILEMENT ÉLEVÉES DANS LEUR RÉGIME ALIMENTAIRE

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Council of the City of Ottawa, acting as the Board of Health, urge the federal government to review, on an urgent basis, regulatory mechanisms to ensure that Canadians are protected from the unwitting exposure to unnecessarily high levels of salt in their diets.

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Que le Conseil municipal, à titre de Conseil de la santé, demande instamment au gouvernement fédéral d’examiner, de façon urgente, des mécanismes de réglementation afin d’assurer que les Canadiens sont protégés contre une exposition involontaire à des quantités de sel inutilement élevées dans leur régime alimentaire.

BACKGROUND

On 3 September 2009, the Community and Protective Service Committee suspended the rules and voted on the following Notice of Motion.

WHEREAS Canadians of all ages consume an average of 3100 mg/day of sodium, which is double the recommended amount of 1200-1500 mg/day,

WHEREAS increased consumption of sodium has been identified as a risk factor for hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease,

WHEREAS studies have shown that sodium levels in processed and fast foods in Canada tend to be higher in sodium than in other countries,

WHEREAS the United Kingdom’s nationally led salt reduction strategy has prompted the food industry to lower the sodium content of food by 20-30% resulting in an average decrease of individual sodium consumption of 542 g per day,

WHEREAS Ottawa Public Health is collaborating with the Champlain Cardiovascular Prevention Network on a campaign to educate the public on ways to reduce sodium intake,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Ottawa, acting as the Board of Health, urge the federal government to review, on an urgent basis, regulatory mechanisms to ensure that Canadians are protected from the unwitting exposure to unnecessarily high levels of salt in their diets.

CONSULTATION

City Operations

City Operations is supportive of the motion .

Ottawa Public Health staff will continue to work in collaboration with the Champlain Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Network on the sodium reduction campaign as well as health promotion and policy interventions related to reducing dietary sodium consumption.

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:

There are no legal and/or risk implications associated with this report.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A 

DISPOSITION

Ottawa Public Health staff will take the appropriate action following Council’s decision.