The results of the Guelph Community Foundation’s Vital Signs initiative were released this week – not just in Guelph/Wellington but in participating communities across Canada.
There is a lot to chew on in the report.
For me, the initiative is asking us what kind of community do we want to live in.
Even though we have less children living in poverty than the provincial average – 15.1 % versus 23.4 % – is that acceptable. Not according to Guelph and Wellington residents.
There were 1,370 households on the waiting list for social housing in Guelph and Wellington as of December 31, 2007. There was a 37.3% increase in the waiting list from 2006 to 2007. The average wait for housing is 3 to 9 years. Guelph and Wellington residents ranked this situation as “D” and needing attention.
With the release of Vital Signs across the country, we can also begin to have a discussion about what kind of country do we want to live in. While municipalities have shown the most interest in the results of Vital Signs there is much for our provincial and federal governments to learn from the results.
The full report can be found here.
Filed under: Making a Difference
