What is Waterloo Region's Vital Signs?

Waterloo Region's Vital Signs is an annual checkup through which The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation measure the vitality of our Region, identify significant trends, and invite community supporters to assign grades in the following 11 key areas critical to Waterloo Region's quality of life: The Gap Between the Rich and Poor, Safety, Health and Wellness, Learning, Housing, Getting Started in Our Community, Arts and Culture, The Environment, Work, Belonging and Leadership, as well as Getting Around. There is also an economic context provided within the report.

The report card data is a compilation of many trusted research sources, much of them local.  The report assists the community in making connections between issues and trends in different areas. It encourages dialogue, encourages connections and inspires action. The findings are presented in a reader-friendly format to make them as accessible as possible.

An expanded, in-depth report is available online, complete with links to the original research at www.wrvitalsigns.ca.

Waterloo Region's Vital Signs also has national implications.  It is part of a national initiative led by community foundations across Canada and its findings are part of a national Vital Signs report issued annually by Community Foundations of Canada.

Which indicators are measured?

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation have consulted with a wide range of community experts and groups to ensure our indicators capture Waterloo Region's unique issues and attributes.

Each year there will be a core indicator in each of the areas such as:

• Violent Crime Rate
• Employment Rate
• Recycling Rate

Why have you launched this program?

Because community foundations work with a wide range of community groups, we get a comprehensive view of local issues.

Measuring our community's vitality in critical areas will:

• Increase community awareness about issues and opportunities in our community.
• Spark discussion about key areas of importance to our overall Region's quality of life.
• Provide important data that is accessible and usable to our community.
• Identify significant trends and provide insight into issues that matter.
• Provide year-on-year trending.
• Make an impact on the effectiveness of our grantmaking.
• Inform our donors about the issues and opportunities in our community to assist them in making informed decisions about their philanthropy.
• Assist us in making connections between individuals and groups to address the issues and opportunities.
• Inspire action.

Did you work with other organizations in the community?

We consulted with a number of community organizations and leaders, including the Region of Waterloo, Social Planning Councils, Canada's Technology Triangle, Local Health Integration Network etc. and gathered valuable research information from numerous other sources in the community. Over the last few years an expert resource panel of community leaders has provided insight into the data and indicators chosen for the report.

How did you collect the data used in the report?

Data was collected from various trusted and respected sources including Statistics Canada, Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI), Municipal Performance Measurement Program (MPMP), Environment Canada, Region of Waterloo, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Elections Canada, Crime Severity Index, Ontario Education Quality and Accountability, and Industry Canada.

Where did the idea for Waterloo Region's Vital Signs come from?

Waterloo Region's Vital Signs is based on a project of the Toronto Community Foundation and is coordinated nationally by Community Foundations of Canada.

Each community chooses its own indicators, but there are common themes and core indicators on which Community Foundations of Canada will issue a national report.  To find out more about Vital Signs reports published across Canada, visit www.vitalsignscanada.ca.

How is Waterloo Region's Vital Signs different from other indicator initiatives?

Different indicator initiatives exist across Canada. Some track specific issues at a local level, such as police services monitoring crime levels. Others analyze national data from a particular perspective, such as sustainability. All play an important role in helping us better understand our communities.

Waterloo Region's Vital Signs builds on existing initiatives in four valuable ways:

Collate a broad range of data:  This report provides a broad picture of the community, using relevant national and provincial data and identifies local research, on a wide range of subject areas.

Engage the community:  Waterloo Region's Vital Signs reflects the community because it involves the community at every level, from determining the report's indicators and exploring research sources, to assigning grades. It sparks dialogue, encourages connections, and inspires action.

Create a national report:  Community foundations across Canada are sharing their Vital Signs results to track local trends at a national level.

Publish research you can read!  We are committed to publishing a reader-friendly document that appeals to a wide range of readers looking for a snapshot of quality of life and community vitality.

How will Waterloo Region's Vital Signs add value to current research?

Another benefit of Waterloo Region's Vital Signs is its ability to draw public attention to the terrific indicator work already taking place in our community.

By consolidating new and existing data, Waterloo Region's Vital Signs makes a wide range of information easier to access.

Individuals and organizations interested in detailed analysis of particular areas will be able to use the Waterloo Region's Vital Signs website links to find the in-depth reports they need. 

When will you produce the Waterloo Region's Vital Signs report?

Waterloo Region's Vital Signs will be published on an annual basis, usually in October.

For more information contact:

Tracy Van Kalsbeek,
Manager, Marketing & Communications
The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation
The Marsland Centre, 20 Erb Street West, 11^th Floor
Waterloo, ON N2L 1T2
519-725-1806 ext. 6 or tracy@kwcf.ca