With innovative thinking, we can build a healthier future for Nova Scotia.
The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project is a collaborative initiative dedicated to addressing chronic illness and related health challenges in childhood by funding innovative ideas proposed by business, academia, and community organizations.
The high cost of chronic disease in Nova Scotia
Compared to Canadians as a whole, Nova Scotians have especially high rates of chronic illness. About 68% of Nova Scotians over 12 have been diagnosed with a chronic condition such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, stroke, and high blood pressure. These conditions contribute to a lower quality of life for individuals, and a shorter lifespan.
A novel way to discover innovative solutions
The Lighthouse Project is dedicated to preventing youth chronic illness through what’s known as an innovation challenge framework—as inspired by the Danish Lighthouse partnership. The Lighthouse Project will release specific innovation challenges and invite organizations in Nova Scotia to propose actionable, evidence-based solutions. Those selected will receive seed funding to develop and implement their strategy. The project’s funding budget of $3 million comes in equal parts from the government of Nova Scotia and Novo Nordisk Canada.
The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Initiative is a joint effort of the following organizations.
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Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project Principles
Innovation
- Demonstrate new ideas and creativity to identify wellness-focused solutions.
- Encourage disruptive innovation that can create new markets and economic opportunities.
Economic Development
- Emphasize the potential for creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and attracting further investment to Nova Scotia.
- Acknowledge that economic development can manifest in various forms within complex systems and solutions.
Focus on Root Causes
- Address the socio-economic and environmental conditions that promote health and reduce risk factors for obesity, such as inactivity, unhealthy eating, poor sleep, and stress.
Mental Health Support
- Address the negative impacts of weight stigma and weight bias on the mental health and well-being of children and youth.
- Recognize that health is shaped by socio-economic and environmental conditions and that physical, mental, emotional, financial, social, and occupational health are all interconnected.
Equity
- Consider health equity, social determinants of health, and EDIRA (equity, diversity, inclusion, reconciliation, and accessibility) principles.
- Include people of diverse backgrounds in the design of solutions that affect them.
- Benefit all segments of the population, including the most vulnerable.
Evidence-informed
- Be guided by evidence or promising practices in ameliorating chronic disease.
- Leverage data and research to support the economic viability and market potential of proposed solutions.
Scalability
- Illustrate how a given solution could be scaled within Nova Scotia as well as Canada and internationally.
Empowerment
- Empower individuals, families, communities, and populations to improve their health by restoring health, promoting resilience, and preventing diseases across the lifespan.
Sustainability
- Design with long-term sustainability in mind to achieve lasting results.
Collaboration
- Demonstrate collaboration among diverse partners to address the complex issue of wellness.
- Demonstrate a willingness to stay agile and adaptable.
Working to improve lives, and our economy
It’s estimated that 40% of the chronic illness affecting our youth can be prevented. By fostering innovation in health and wellness, we can improve Nova Scotians’ quality of life, stimulate local economies, create jobs, and reduce the economic burden of chronic diseases on the healthcare system. This dual focus on health and economic development ensures that the partnership not only addresses immediate health issues but also contributes to the long-term prosperity of communities across Nova Scotia.
