The Third Annual Healthy Cities Conference

About the Conference

As cities worldwide continue to expand, there is a pressing need for new perspectives and innovative solutions to address the complex problems that arise. Attendees of this conference will gain insights into today’s challenges and potential solutions for fostering healthier cities, where people can live, work, and play.

The Healthy Cities conference aims to bring together researchers, trainees, practitioners, and knowledge users with an interest in building healthy cities to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange. By facilitating discussions on current issues, research findings, and potential solutions, the conference aims to identify emerging priorities for healthy cities and opportunities for further research and training.

The conference program will feature sessions and posters covering a wide range of topics related to healthy cities. These may include implementation science, convergence-by-design, food and health, Indigenous issues, equity, transportation, and housing, as well as 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 be available to delegates during poster viewing periods.

Key Dates:

• April 29th, 2024 – Call for Abstracts opens, registration for conference opens.
• Abstracts will be reviewed as they are submitted, and notification of decisions will be provided within a week until June 1, 2024 (last day to submit abstract).

Abstract Submission overview:

The Conference Program Committee invites abstract submissions discussing solutions and interventions addressing the complex needs, challenges, opportunities of healthy cities that include 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.

• 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.

Download Abstract Template:

Travel Bursary

Travel bursaries to defray costs are available for trainees with an accepted abstract. Further details to be provided to trainees upon acceptance.