On November 27, communities from across Canada came together in Toronto for a full day dedicated to youth wellbeing, collaboration, and the practical use of data to strengthen protective environments for children. The Planet Youth Toronto Conference followed a simple idea: when communities work together and use good information, young people grow up safer, healthier, and more connected.

The day opened as the room filled with partners, practitioners, and community leaders arriving from across the country. Morning coffee set the tone — warm conversations, familiar faces, and a shared purpose.

The conference began with thoughtful opening words from:

• Dr. Páll Ríkharðsson, CEO of Planet Youth

• Hon. Hlynur Guðjónsson, Iceland’s Ambassador to Canada

• The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health

• Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

Their messages grounded the day in collaboration, public commitment, and the importance of long-term prevention guided by reliable data.

The morning continued with Melanie Cormier, who delivered an engaging walkthrough of the Planet Youth foundations and the structured approach that helps communities turn data into coordinated action. Her session highlighted how protective factors grow stronger when families, schools, services, and local leaders align their work around young people.

The next segment explored the national context and the growing focus on upstream prevention across the country.

• Rosamund Dunkley, Public Health Agency of Canada, shared perspectives on federal prevention priorities and the role of data in shaping healthier environments for youth.

• Mari Alice Jolin from the KDE Hub presented insights on community support structures and the importance of long-term coordination in prevention work.

The afternoon sessions highlighted real-world examples from communities that are actively implementing the Planet Youth guidance program. These stories provided honesty, clarity, and inspiration, with each speaker offering local lessons that can help communities across the country.

• Jessica Austin, Southwestern Health – Getting started and initiating the process

• Trevor Denhartogh – Building coalitions and strengthening collaboration, including a featured video from Hope Network

• David Somppi, Lanark County – Turning survey results into practical action plans

• Jackie Balleny – Implementing in Indigenous contexts with respect, partnership, and local insight

• Desiree Green – Developing partnerships and aligning community stakeholders, supported by a video message from Brûlé

The final block of the day continued the focus on practice, partnership, and youth voice.

• ACHIEVE Youth Advisory Board (Lanark County) shared how young people can meaningfully shape implementation and inform decision-making.

• Dr. Páll Ríkharðsson returned to address global challenges to youth wellbeing and how communities can respond with structured, data-guided prevention efforts.

The day closed with a Q&A session, giving participants space to reflect, ask questions, and connect the sessions to their local realities.
Dr. Páll then offered closing words as the final slide appeared: Thank you.

Throughout the conference, one message came through clearly: prevention is possible. When communities have good data, strong collaboration, and long-term structure, children grow up with more support, more opportunities, and more belonging.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to every speaker, participant, and partner who joined us in Toronto. Your commitment is what makes this work real. Together, we are creating the conditions for better futures, one community at a time.