Highlights from TOPHC’s 2024 Workshops

The Ontario Public Health Convention (TOPHC) in-person workshops sparked excitement as hundreds of dedicated public health professionals from across Ontario convened at Toronto's Beanfield Centre on March 26. This year’s in-person workshops delivered valuable insights, opportunities for collaboration, and practical solutions to pressing public health challenges. 

The day began with a morning networking activity to enable meaningful connections and collaboration with peers across the public health sector. This energizing start set the stage for TOPHC’s workshops.

Attendees at TOPHC networking

The workshops provided attendees with a platform to engage with peers, from seasoned veterans to emerging leaders in the field. It was a prime opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, and forge new partnerships that can drive innovation within the public health sphere.

Across the six workshops, participants gained valuable insights and practical solutions to address crucial public health concerns:

• Lessons Learned from the 2023 Wildfire Season: Challenges and Opportunities for Local Public Health Units

  In this workshop attendees learned about the health implications of wildfire smoke, along with mitigation strategies and communication opportunities to enhance community preparedness for future climate change-induced emergencies.

• Hypothesis Generation Methods and Tools for Enteric Outbreaks

  Attendees honed their skills in hypothesis generation, mastering the ability to identify potential exposures and pinpoint the sources of enteric outbreaks, crucial for effective outbreak management.

• Measuring What Matters: A Collaborative Approach to Chronic Disease Prevention Program Outcome Measurement

  In this workshop attendees built a roadmap for clearer, more consistent measures of performance to better understand the effectiveness of Chronic Disease Prevention programs across Ontario's Public Health Units.

• Building Power to Advance Health Equity

  Empowering attendees to confront power imbalances and champion equity, this workshop featured a series of presentations and interactive exercises aimed at addressing structural determinants of health.

• Rapid Reviews 101

  In this workshop, participants learned how to conduct high-quality, efficient reviews to support evidence-informed decision making.

• Applying the Principles of Risk Communication in a Changing World

  In this workshop attendees learned to position organizations as a trusted and credible source among stakeholders, using a disciplined and methodical framework for communicating effectively about risk.

Attendees in one of TOPHC’s workshops

This year’s in-person workshops offered a wealth of knowledge and practical tools for public health professionals. We hope that attendees took with them newfound insights and relationships that will help them continue to drive positive change in their communities.

Missed this year's workshops?

The learning journey continues! You can still register for TOPHC’s virtual convention on April 3. We have a stacked program featuring plenaries, concurrent sessions and poster presentations. Registration also includes access to TOPHC’s 2024 Virtual Library for six months following the convention, to browse programming and resources you may have missed. Register now!