The province is investing $500,000 to provide recreational helmets to disadvantaged children and to encourage their use as part of its Injury Prevention Strategy.
More than ten thousand kids from low income families will
now be able to play safe when participating in sport and
recreation activities requiring helmets, including:
biking, rollerblading and skateboarding.
The announcement is part of a larger $1.2 million investment, through which the Ministry of Health Promotion has partnered with the ThinkFirst Foundation of Canada to deliver the Ontario Safe Sport Helmet Initiative.
Over the next few months ThinkFirst in collaboration with participating public health units and local community partners across Ontario will be distributing $25 helmet coupons that will go towards the purchase of sport helmets for kids in low-income communities, so that more kids will have equal access to participate safely in the sports that require helmets.
Other components of this initiative include the youth-oriented "Buckle Your Bucket" public education campaign to enhance helmet safety awareness, and correct use and fitting of helmets; as well as a distribution of activity-specific helmets to community and recreation organizations for ongoing use in their programs.
