Activate Aurora calls on town to ban 'sugar dispensers' in town facilities

YorkRegion.com
Nov. 11, 2016
Teresa Latchford

Activate Aurora is calling on town council to ban “sugar dispensers”.

The movement to make Aurora the most active community in Canada is advocating for the removal of vending machines containing high-sugar drinks from town-owned facilities, saying the dispensers target children and send the wrong message to the community.

“The recommended daily sugar intake for the average Canadian is six grams per day, but the actual average intake is now about 22 grams per day,” Activate Aurora chair Ron Weese said at a recent council meeting. “This is a serious health issue and one that is contributing to the epidemic of Type-2 diabetes and obesity we are seeing. The health of our citizens should not be for sale.”

The municipality wouldn’t be the first to make the effort to decrease the convenience to sugary drinks as both York Region school boards have removed these same kinds of beverages from the vending machines in school halls and revamped school cafeteria menus to include healthier choices.

The full request to town council includes the installation of more water filling stations and fountains in each facility and on fields to promote healthy hydration with water, using refillable containers to help protect the environment, the removal of all vending machines that promote unhealthy choices and creating policy that discourages unhealthy choices.

Weese recommended the town accomplish this by reviewing existing contracts with vendors and cancelling the ones that provide high-sugar products or not renewing those contracts and creating policy on acceptable food and beverage in facilities that promotes healthy consumption.

“Nobody likes the ‘R’ word, but look at what regulation has given us: seat belts, quit smoking, recycling,” Weese added. “While regulation isn’t something we like to do, it is effective in certain areas.”

Councillor Sandra Humfryes was the first to praise the suggestion and agreed that it is the right direction to head for the town.

Councillor Wendy Gaertner suggested the snack bars at town facilities should be included as well.

Others suggested looking at best practices from other countries that have done the same.