About the Conference:

As cities around the world continue to grow, new ways of thinking and the implementation of innovative solutions are required to solve the many complex problems that are being identified. Attend this conference to learn more about today’s challenges and potential solutions for healthy cities, where we can all live, work and play.

The objectives of the annual conference include:

• To foster an interdisciplinary and intersectoral community of practice among researchers, trainees, practitioners, and knowledge users interested in healthy cities.
• To transfer of knowledge of current issues, research and potential solutions related to healthy cities.
• To identify emerging priorities for healthy cities and research questions and training opportunities

Conference session topics and posters will span many areas related to healthy cities, including implementation science, convergence-by-design, food and health, Indigenous issues, and equity, aging and chronic disease, transportation and housing, and training and policy. This conference is hosted by the Implementing Smart Cities to Build Healthy Cities (SMART) Training Platform, funded by CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. SMART aims to equip the next generation of researchers to implement successful, scalable, and enduring solutions to healthy city challenges facing growing urban centres of all sizes in Canada and globally.

Important information

• Presenters may submit original, or previously presented abstracts
• Authors of accepted abstracts are expected to attend the conference and to share a 3 min pre-recorded presentation of their poster, which will be played at the virtual conference within the program.

Key Dates

• September 15th, 2023 – Call for Abstracts opens, registration for conference opens.
• October 12th, 2023 – Abstract Submission Deadline. Abstract Submission now closed.
• October 18th, 2023 – Notification of Abstract Review/Acceptance and poster
• presentation instructions

Abstract Submission overview:

The Conference Program Committee invites abstract submissions for poster presentations. Abstracts discussing solutions and interventions addressing the complex needs, challenges, and opportunities of healthy cities that encompasses many themes such as but not limited to:

• Transportation, movement, aging, equity, indigenous, housing, urban planning, geography, policy, public health, gender, health, smart cities, big data, circularity of food.
• All disciplines reflective of tri-council are welcome.

Required Abstract Format:

Please note that abstracts that do not adhere to the required abstract format (as indicated below) may be subject to return to author and require resubmission (an additional fee).

• Abstracts must be submitted via email at [email protected]
• Abstract is being submitted by the presenting author.
• Presenting author is listed FIRST in the list of authors.
• Authors’ first and last names must be spelled out in full.
• Affiliation of co-authors is completed in full.
• In the abstract title, you have capitalized the first word only, other than proper nouns.
• Abstract does not exceed 350 words (excluding the title). This word limit includes any
• funding information.
• Abstract is written in English.
• Standard abbreviation is used; any special/unusual abbreviations are in parenthesis.
• after the full word when it appears the first time.
• Financial support should be indicated in brackets at the end of the abstract. Financial
• support information is included within your 350-word limit. No references nor
• acknowledgement sections are required.
• Abstract does not include sub-headings, charts, or tables.
• The abstract has been proof-read for errors.

Additional Information:

The second annual healthy cities conference is virtual. Upon receiving an accepted abstract notice, you may be selected for one of the following:

• Accepted to present live during a chosen conference session. Presentations will be a maximum of 10 minutes.
• Accepted to record a 3-minute presentation of your poster that will run in a designated recorded poster session on one of the three days.
• More details will be provided in the acceptance notice.