Reimagining the Future of Child and Youth Health: From the Individual to the Community

In 2026, Canada ranks 22nd of 37 countries on overall child and youth well-being, 27th for physical health and 22nd for mental health. Child mortality (31st of 44 wealthy countries) has actually risen from 0.94/1,000 in 2018 to 1.09/1,000 in 2026. As Article 3 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states, “In all actions concerning children…the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.”

In this session we explore the role of community in supporting and protecting the developmental trajectory of children. The session will explore “community” as it relates to health, drawing on population-based understanding of community, artificial intelligence creating new communities, and the nature of community in relation to specific “communities” of children. We draw on the creative energy of youth and the “wisdom” of elders to generate the ideas and opportunities to shape the future.