In March 2017, McMaster University, with the approval of the University Senate and Board of Governors, signed the Okanagan Charter. The University’s governing bodies approved the following McMaster specific commitments to the Charter:

1. McMaster commits to support the inclusion of health and well-being in the University’s strategic planning processes and to seek to embed considerations of health, wellness and sustainability in our institutional policies and decision-making processes.
2. McMaster strives to nurture and support our students, faculty and staff to be as healthy as they can be and to create an inclusive, supportive and healthy educational environment and workplace.
3. McMaster commits to support a thriving community, both within and beyond the borders of our campus, and strives to engage with and be a proactive, responsive and collaborative partner in our local and broader communities.
4. McMaster commits to support the integration of educational initiatives and opportunities related to health and well-being across multiple disciplines, to foster an understanding of and commitment to health and wellness throughout the community.
5. McMaster strives to advance research, education and training to promote and support health and well-being on a global scale, and commits to nurturing partnerships and collaborations, locally, nationally and internationally, to develop and mobilize such knowledge in support of a healthier planet.

McMaster University is one of several Canadian Institutions who have signed the Okanagan Charter. As one of the earliest adopters and one of the first in Ontario, McMaster has committed to integrating health and well-being into all aspects of campus life. The Okanagan Charter provides an opportunity to further health and well-being and ultimately creating a Brighter World for all.

The purpose of the Charter is to provide guidance and inspiration by providing a framework to promote the importance of health and well-being on higher education institutions. Additionally, the Charter strives to create an open dialogue between institutions locally and globally, thus continuing the development of health and well-being in institutions and within communities.

The Okanagan Charter

The Okanagan Charter is the outcome of the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges held in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Charter was developed in collaboration with researchers, practitioners, administrators, students and policy makers from 45 countries representing both educational and health organizations. These included the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Charter inspires universities to take action in embedding well-being into their everyday operations, business practices and academic mandates.

The Charter has two calls to action for higher education institutions:

1. Embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations and academic mandates.
2. Lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally

McMaster Okanagan Committee

Following McMaster’s signing of the Charter, the McMaster Okanagan Working Group was struck and tasked with providing leadership, coordination and oversight of initiatives related to the Calls to Action and McMaster’s commitments to the Charter. The goal was to create an appropriate institutional “home” for the initiative. The committee, chaired by Dr. Paul O’Byrne, met for the first time in March 2018.

The Committee continued to evolve, and in September 2019, the Committee was renamed the McMaster Okanagan Committee (MOC) and official Terms of Reference were adopted. At that time the McMaster Okanagan Committee also adopted the following:

Tagline: Prioritizing optimal health and well-being at McMaster.

Mission Statement: To promote inclusive and equitable initiatives that enhance the health and well-being of students, staff and faculty across McMaster campuses and our community.