Quality of Life Ontario

CSLS Conference on the State of Living Standards and the Quality of Life in Canada
October 30 - 31, 1998 Chteau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario
Centre for the

Study of Living Standards
Centre d'tude des
niveaux de vie
A Quality of Life Index for Ontario
Malcolm Shookner
Ontario Social Development Council
Session 6A: Conceptual and Empirical Issues in the Measurement of Well-being

October 31 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Written by:
For presentation at:
Malcolm Shookner
Conference on the State of

Living Standards and the
Quality of Life in Canada
October, 1998
QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX

REPORT SUMMARY
Major changes are taking place in Ontario which are having dramatic effects on the health and
well-being of residents. They include:

economic re-structuring and high unemployment

government cuts in social programs
devolution of responsibilities to the provinces and municipalities
reduced roles of governments in economic and social development
increasing poverty, especially for young families
The Quality of Life Index was conceived in this environment as a community development
strategy to monitor the living and working conditions of Ontarians.
Quality of life is defined as:
The product of the interplay among social, health, economic and environmental
conditions which affect human and social development.
The purpose of the Quality of Life Index (QLI) is to provide a tool for community development
which can be used to monitor key indicators that encompass the social, health, environmental and
economic dimensions of the quality of life. The QLI can be used to comment frequently on key
issues that affect people and contribute to the public debate about how to improve the quality of
life in our communities and our province.
The following indicators are included in the Quality of Life Index:
SOCIAL: Children in care of Childrens Aid Societies; social assistance recipients; public
housing waiting lists.
HEALTH: Low birth weight babies; elderly waiting for placement in long term care
facilities; suicide rates.
ECONOMIC: Number of people unemployed; number of people working; bankruptcies.
ENVIRONMENTAL: Hours of poor air quality; environmental spills; tonnes diverted
from landfill to blue boxes.
The Quality of Life Index has been calculated for 1997 and was updated in the Spring of 1998.
Based on these calculations, the quality of life has declined in Ontario since 1990. A closer look
at the twelve indicators reveals progress in some areas and setbacks in others. Access to
information has raised a number of problems and issues which are discussed.
For more information, visit our website:

www.qli-ont.org
A QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX FOR ONTARIO

INTRODUCTION
Major changes are taking place in Ontario which are having dramatic effects on the health and
well-being of residents. They include:

economic re-structuring and high unemployment

government cuts in social programs
devolution of responsibilities to the provinces and municipalities
reduced roles of governments in economic and social development
increasing poverty, especially for young families
The impacts of these changes are felt primarily by vulnerable people: women, children, people
with disabilities, and people living in poverty. These population groups are also at higher risk for
poor health.
Social development councils (i.e. Social Planning Councils, Community Development Councils)
across Ontario have documented the impact of cutbacks on communities. Yet while the damage
reports were being compiled, the count of jobs lost and the closure of social programs, there was
also the determination to rebuild the capacity of their communities to cope with problems and
care for their people in these turbulent times. The Quality of Life Index was conceived in this
environment as a community development strategy to monitor the living and working conditions
of Ontarians.
DEFINING QUALITY OF LIFE

Quality of life can be defined as:
The product of the interplay among social, health, economic and environmental
conditions which affect human and social development.
Establishing consensus on how best to manage growth and change is the purpose of defining and
measuring local quality of life. Each community that seeks to define and measure quality of life
will have to build consensus on what is considered important and worth preserving, enhancing or
striving for. It should become a regular component of community planning processes.

Q U A L IT Y O F L IF E IN D E X
S O C IA L
H EA LTH
HUM AN
Q U A L IT Y O F L IF E
IN C O M M U N IT IE S
E C O N O M IC
& SO C IA L
D EV ELO PM EN T
E N V IR O N S
O nta rio S ocia l D evelopm ent C o uncil an d S ocia l P lanning N etw o rk of O nta rio , 1997
QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

As social development organizations, our goal is to improve the quality of life in our
communities by promoting optimal conditions for human and social development and sustaining
them for future generations. The purpose of the Quality of Life Index (QLI) is to provide a tool
for community development which can be used to monitor key indicators that encompass the
social, health, environmental and economic dimensions of the quality of life in our communities.
The QLI can be used to comment frequently on key issues that affect people and contribute to the
public debate about how to improve the quality of life in our communities and our province. It is
intended to monitor conditions which affect the living and working conditions of people and
focus community action on ways to improve health.
QUALITY OF LIFE AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
The Quality of Life framework we are using is consistent with the determinants of health
framework being used by Health Canada to guide its Population Health Program. The following
key determinants of health have been identified:

Income and social status

Social support networks
Employment and working conditions
Social environments
Physical environments
Healthy child development

These conditions have a measurable impact on the health status of people. It follows that many
factors which affect health fall outside of the health care system. It is these social, economic and
environmental factors which play a critical role in determining the health of the population.
These determinants are consistent with the social development model in their attention to income
and social status, employment and working conditions, and physical environment, while adding
new dimensions to our understanding of human health. Indicators selected for inclusion in the
QLI will provide a way of monitoring the improvement or deterioration of conditions in the
community which are known to have an impact on health status.
DEVELOPING THE QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX
This project has been developed by the Ontario Social Development Council (OSDC), working
in partnership with the Social Planning Network of Ontario (SPNO) and in association with the
Centre for Health Promotion at the University of Toronto (HP/UT), the Ontario Healthy
Communities Coalition, and the Centre for Applied Sustainability at York University. (See
Appendix 1: Partners and Associates)
As social development organizations across Ontario, we have worked with these models, tested
them against our own mandates, and found them to be compatible. It is in this spirit that the QLI
was conceived and designed to include social, health, environmental and economic indicators in
a cross-sectoral framework. We chose to call it the Quality of Life Index as an integrating
concept that could be readily understood by the public. We also decided to use a composite index
to focus attention on a single, all-inclusive issue - our community quality of life.
A preliminary set of indicators was identified by a working group of Social Planning Councils
and the Ontario Social Development Council, organizations with experience and expertise in
social research. These indicators, reflecting the social, health, environmental and economic
dimensions of the quality of life in our communities, form the composite index that is the QLI.
The following criteria were used for choosing the indicators to be tested:
d
d
d
d
relevant to quality of life

time sensitive
available on a regular basis (monthly or quarterly)
from credible sources
Following field trials to collect data for each of these indicators, twelve were ultimately selected
for inclusion in the Quality of Life Index. The partners in this project are all using the same set
of core indicators to calculate the Quality of Life Index provincially and in local communities.
In this way, we can compare our progress at the provincial and local levels across Ontario.


LITERATURE REVIEW
An extensive literature review was conducted to learn from the knowledge and experience of
others. The Quality of Life Index (QLI) is using a cross-sectoral model encompassing social,
health, economic and environmental measures. Consequently, our review of the literature has
spanned quality of life, human and social development, social indicators, health promotion,
determinants of health, population health, and sustainable development. We have integrated
these concepts into our own model, the Quality of Life Index.
Lessons learned from the literature:
* The overall level of health attained by Canadians is an important measure of the
success of our society. Good health enables individuals to lead productive and fulfilling
lives. For the country as a whole, a high level of health contributes to increased prosperity
and overall social stability.
* Our overall high standard of health is not shared equally by all sectors in Canadian
society. There are differences in health status by age, sex, level of income, education, and
geographic area. The rich are healthier than the middle class, who are in turn healthier
than the poor. The well-educated are healthier than the less educated, and the employed
are healthier than the unemployed (Health Canada, 1996).
* Quality of life provides a conceptual framework, consistent with sustainable human
development and determinants of health, for the interdependence of social, health,
economic and environmental conditions in communities.
* A composite index including key indicators of social, health, economic and
environmental conditions can contribute to progress toward improving our quality of life
and becoming a more sustainable society.
* The QLI should have the capability to be future oriented and predict the direction of
trends.
* Local development allows us to create the conditions that will enable citizens to gain
more control over their quality of life.
* If the QLI is to have broad public credibility, it must be careful to include both positive
and negative measures to provide a balanced perspective on quality of life.
* By creating a summary "quality of life" index, some type of standardization would
emerge that would enable people to compare local outcomes across the country.
* A core set of indicators is needed for comparative reporting by municipalities.
* Criteria for selecting a final set of indicators must be clearly stated.

* Communities must be involved in the selection and analysis of indicators.

* A quality of life/sustainability report should evaluate whether the indicator results are
showing progress towards or away from desirable goals. It should also suggest how or
whether the indicators could be improved, and may contain recommendations about the
kinds of policies or programs that are needed to make progress towards the community's
goals.
* Assessment of indicator performance should be carried out periodically.
The complete literature review is contained in a companion document, Quality of Life Index
Project: Literature Review available from the Ontario Social Development Council.

CALCULATING THE QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX

The following indicators are included in the Quality of Life Index:
SOCIAL:
Children in care of Childrens Aid Societies

Social assistance recipients
Public housing waiting lists
HEALTH:
Low birth weight babies

Elderly waiting for placement in long term care facilities
Suicide rates
ECONOMIC:
Number of people unemployed

Number of people working
Bankruptcies (individual and business)
ENVIRONMENTAL:
Hours of poor air quality

Environmental spills
Tonnes diverted from landfill to blue boxes
We have collected data from provincial sources for each of these indicators, using the base year
of 1990 and the most currently available statistics, though there are variations for some indicators
in the availability of data for these years. The Summary of QLI Indicators report provides more
details.
Calculating the Index
In order to calculate one number - the Quality of Life Index - out of a number of indicators, we
developed a method of calculation which is described here and illustrated in the following table:

The QLI is pegged at 100 in the base year.
Twelve indicators are included in the Index, each assigned a value of 8.33 for the base
year.
Each indicator is considered of equal value in the QLI. No weighting factors are used at
this time.
We took into account the growth in population since 1990 by converting the data for each
indicator into a rate per 10,000 population.
Changes in indicators are calculated based on % increase or decrease from the rate in the
base year.
The impact of changes has either a positive or negative impact on the quality of life. This
is factored into the calculation of the index.

The value of the QLI is calculated for 1990 (base year), September, 1997 and May, 1998.
CALCULATING THE QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX
INDICATORS
BASE
BASE QLI CURRENT
QLI SEPT. '97 QLI CURRENT
%
CHANGE
RATE/10,000 VALUE RATE/10,000
IMPACT
VALUE
QLI VALUE
Social Indicators:
1: Social Assistance Beneficiaries
2: Child Welfare Admissions To Care
3: Public Housing Waiting Lists
780
8.3
951
22%+
Neg.
5.8
6.5
8.4
8.3
9.6
14.3%+
Neg.
7.8
7.1
40
8.3
64
60%+
Neg.
4.8
3.3
5,053
8.3
4840
4.2%-
Neg.
7.8
339
8.3
375
10.6%+
Neg.
5.5
7.4
19
8.3
32.6
71.6%+
Neg.
3.1
2.4
0.95
8.3
0.92
3.2%-
Pos.
8.6
8.6
13
8.3
16
23%-
Neg.
7.7
6.4
7.4
8.3
8.8
18.9%+
Neg.
6.7
6.7
16.2
8.3
10.5
35.2%-
Pos.
10
11.2
5.5
8.3
3.8
30.9%-
Pos.
9.1
10.9
340
8.3
476
40%+
Pos.
10.3
11.6
87.2
90.1
Economic Indicators:
4: Labour Force-# Working
5: Labour Force-# Unemployed
6: # of Bankruptcies Reported
Health Indicators:
7: # Suicide Deaths
8: Elderly Long Term Care Waiting List
9: # Low Birth Weight Babies
Environmental Indicators:
10: # Hours Moderate/Poor Air Quality
11: # Spills
12: Tonnes Diverted to Blue Boxes
QLI COMPOSITE INDEX
100
Establishing the Base Year

We've chosen 100 as the value of the QLI in the base year because it would be easy for the
public to understand. The data for each indicator was collected for 1990. Where data was not
available for that year, the first year in which data was collected becomes the base year. Changes
in indicators are calculated based on the percentage increase or decrease from this base.

10
THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ONTARIO

Using data we have collected for each indicator from 1990 to the most current year available, we
have calculated the Quality of Life Index from 1990 to Spring, 1998. Based on these
calculations, the quality of life has declined steadily in Ontario since 1990, as illustrated in the
following chart. The economic and social indicators have led the decline, with the economic
recession/depression in 1991-92, rising social problems, and a badly frayed social safety net.
The recent upturn in the QLI since 1997 is driven by a strong showing by the environmental
indicators and improvements in labour force participation. More people are working and fewer
are unemployed. However, the social indicators bring mixed messages. We have fewer social
assistance beneficiaries, but longer waiting lists for public housing and long term care, as well as
children admitted to care by child welfare authorities.

11
It is also important to consider how each indicator has changed since 1990. In order to look at
the trends for each indicator in the QLI, we take the % change from the chart and put it onto a
graph for easy reading. This allows us to make more detailed comparisons about the performance
of each indicator. This will shed more light on areas where we are making progress and highlight
those where we are experiencing setbacks. The following chart illustrates the percentage of
change for each indicator. Closer examination of these changes indicates progress in some areas
but setbacks in others. The Summary of Indicators Report discusses the limitations of each
indicator and identifies some of the complex issues involved.

12
PROGRESS AND SETBACKS

Social Assistance Beneficiaries - The data shows recent improvements, since the number of
social assistance beneficiaries is declining. This is partly the result of major changes in social
assistance, including restrictions in eligibility which have forced many off of welfare. Some have
found low-wage jobs in an improved economic climate. Others have been forced into shelters or
onto the street. Though fewer people living in poverty are collecting social assistance benefits,
there are a growing number of working poor.
Child Welfare Admissions to Care - More children are being admitted to the care of child
welfare authorities, often due in part to economic hardship endured by their families. During the
same period, funds for childrens aid societies have been cut by millions of dollars over the past
several years.
Public Housing Waiting Lists - More and more people are on waiting lists for public housing.
They are driven by rising market rents, stagnant pay cheques and lower welfare cheques. Social
housing stock has been frozen since the election of the Harris government in 1995. Much of the
stock of public housing is in need of improvement. With the downloading of responsibility for
public housing to municipalities, and a sizable cut in grants from the province, the further decline
in public housing stock is anticipated. There is no new public housing being built to cope with
rising demand.
Labour Force # Working - There is some good news on the economic front. Ontarios economy
is growing at a healthy rate of 3.8%, which is booming by media standards. There are more
people entering the labour force, after a major drop in 1992, and a slow recovery. While there are
more jobs, many are low-wage, with no benefits, and often part-time. This is the labour force
which people are entering from the social assistance system.
Labour Force # Unemployed - The number of unemployed people is on the decline, after
peaking in March, 1997. This is good news for people who have been looking for work. Some
will find low wage jobs which offer little hope of elevating them out of poverty.
Bankruptcies - The number of personal and business bankruptcies has receded from record
levels in 1996. But there has been a steep rise compared with the pre-recession year 1990. This is
a volatile indicator which reflects the economic conditions in the 1990s.
Elderly Waiting for Long Term Care - There are more elderly people waiting for placements
in long term care facilities than there were in 1997. This is a growing problem, driven by cuts to
health care and social housing. The commitment of the Ontario government for this sector in its
new budget is a recognition of the problem. But the amount of money committed, and the 8 year
timespan, are not likely to keep up with rising demand.
Hours of Moderate to Poor Air Quality - There has been significant improvement in air quality
since, 1990, a trend which continues to 1996. The 1997 data has not yet been released by the
Ministry of Environment and Energy. Recent reports from the Ontario Medical Associations
express concerns about a crisis in air quality.
13
Spills - There has been a steady decline in the number of spills reported to the provincial
government from 1990 to 1997. This is a good news story. There is concern that cutbacks in the
public sector may weaken the capacity of the government to monitor and regulate environmental
spills.
Tonnes Diverted to Blue Box Recycling - There has been a steady increase in the diversion of
materials to the Blue Box recycling program during the 1990s. This is reflected in a positive
impact on the Quality of Life Index. However, there have been major changes in the roles of
municipal governments, with the downloading of responsibilities for recycling and the loss of
provincial grants. The future of the Blue Box program is currently being debated by
municipalities looking at major budget pressures while facing a broader range of responsibilities
for our living conditions.
Observations
We make several observations about the trends revealed by the Quality of Life Index:
> There are powerful links between economic and social conditions which must be
recognized and addressed together. Will recent improvement in the economy in 1997
transfer to social gains?
> The number of people working has increased marginally over the period, after a steep
drop in the early 90s. But the growth in the labour market has not kept pace with
population growth. Many of the new jobs created are part-time, low wage jobs with no
benefits, which have replaced better jobs lost due to the economic recession and
government downsizing.
> Health and social indicators provide warning signs that there are problems of both an
immediate and long term nature which are worsening and require attention.
> Though we can celebrate some progress on environmental issues, we cannot be

complacent that these gains will be sustained. How will the current economic cycle affect
the environment?
ISSUES ARISING FROM THE QLI
* Problems with data access and availability, resulting in lack of information about key
indicators.
Low birth weight babies - The data for low birth weight babies which we reported in 1997 was
not accurate due to problems with the information system used by the Bureau of Vital Statistics
in the Ontario Government. The result was that the number of low birth weight babies was
over-reported. The data that was available was only as recent as 1995. We are now involved in a
process to get the corrected data. But it is not available for this report. We also explored
alternative sources of the data, such as the Canadian Institute for Health Information, which has
14
current and accurate information reported directly from hospitals. However, a hefty fee is
required to access the data. Because low birth weight babies are a concern as a matter of public
health, the absence of current and accurate data is hard to understand.
Air quality - The number of sites for monitoring air quality has been reduced from over 34 to
only 27 in 1997, due to cuts in public sector funding. This leaves many communities out of range
of a monitoring site and without and information about their local air quality. The trend in the
sector to deregulation and voluntary compliance with environmental standards leaves the door
open for declining air quality and inadequate tools to measure it. Since there is no local data for
some communities, it raises the question of finding an alternative environmental indicator, such
as water quality for use in the QLI.
Labour force participation - Statistics Canada conducts a monthly survey of labour force
participation using a small sample of respondents in 25 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs)
across Canada. The results are assumed to represent the most current data for the number of
people who are employed and unemployed. The widely reported unemployment rate is based on
this survey. The problem arises when local groups want to know about employment in their
communities. There is no local data from these surveys. CMAs are defined by StatCan in a way
which lumps together many cities and regions, without provision for breaking out the data for
municipalities. The size of the local survey samples would be too small to be useable. Even large
cities like Toronto are lumped into an even larger CMA. Suburban regions like Peel and Halton
are included with neighbouring cities in CMAs. Consequently, there are serious limitations in the
availability of local data about labour force participation. Municipalities concerned with
economic development, do not know how many people are working and unemployed within their
jurisdictions. Unemployment is a critical indicator for which data is inadequate as the basis for
making social and economic policies at all levels of government.
Suicides - Data is not current - latest year available is 1995. The trend in suicides from 1990-95
is very stable, with no significant fluctuations. This is surprising, considering the economic
upheavals of the early 1990s. Local data is small, or even non-existent, making it an
unsatisfactory indicator for the QLI. There are problems with reporting that lead to speculation
that the unofficial rate of suicide deaths is higher than the reported rate. We plan to replace this
indicator in our next report in the Fall of 1998.
Child Welfare Admissions to Care - Data from the Ministry of Community and Social
Services (MCSS) is suspect because of inadequate reporting from local agencies through area
offices. Significant discrepancies have emerged in data collected directly from the local CASs by
the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (OACAS). Problems with information
systems for children's services are long standing. New initiatives have been announced to
develop an information system for child welfare which will produce accurate and timely
information. Recent announcements in the Ontario budget of an infusion of money into the sector
is good news. It is hoped that these funds will be used for new staff to cope with rising caseloads.
Public Housing Waiting Lists - The most current data available is for 1997. The downloading
of responsibility for all forms of social housing to municipalities has created major changes in
this field. It is expected that waiting lists for all forms of social housing (public, non-profit,
15
municipal, co-ops, rent-geared-to-income) will be integrated by next year. This will means that
more comprehensive information will be available about the need for social housing in many
communities.
* Quarterly updates have been very difficult.
We had planned quarterly updates, but have been unable to keep to this schedule. Data for some
indicators is not current. There is also a serious time lag before data is released. We'll have to
report twice a year.
* Costs of data
Fees for reports on air quality, low birth weight, blue box, and suicide could become barriers to
access as governments intent on cost recovery neglect public access to information. Information
systems are not designed to provide basic information in response to public requests. Electronic
access to information would make a big difference in access to information, by e-mail and
websites. It would eliminate the costs of printing, photocopying and mailing, traditional barriers
to
access. The tools of the information age should increase access to public information.
* Methodological problems affecting local access to data have arisen.
Labour force sample sizes and CMA boundaries are not coterminous or comprehensive. Air
quality monitoring has been reduced, leaving many areas of the province uncovered. Long term
care placement boundaries are based on "catchment areas" which do not correspond with real
geo-political boundaries, i.e. municipalities. This raises a major obstacle to coordination of
community-based health services involving two levels of government. Suicide data is too small
to be meaningful; problems with not reporting sudden deaths as suicides results in unreliable
data.
* Downloading is affecting indicators and reporting.
The downloading of responsibilities to the municipalities from the province affects several QLI
indicators, including Blue Box recycling, social housing, and social assistance. This raises
serious questions about who will be collecting the data and what capacity municipalities will
have to maintain information systems for these purposes.
*Urban and rural variations
Differences in the availability of data have emerged in air quality and labour force participation,
raising questions about how flexible the QLI should be in adapting to local situations without
compromising the comparability of a common data set used by all communities.
* Context for QLI
While the QLI seems to be generally accurate in assessing overall quality of life, there are
16
limitations in describing the plight of disadvantaged people in our society. Reports of Ontario's
"booming economy" masks growing disparities, and people left out of the economic recovery.
Other indicators, such as real income, poverty rates, and income disparities provide important
information about our quality of life, but are reported much less frequently. We are planning to
add a section on the current context for our report in the Fall of 1998.
Access to Information
One of the findings of this project relates to the difficulty experienced in obtaining information
about QLI indicators from public institutions, governments and government-funded non-profit
organizations with provincial responsibilities for major program areas in health, social services,
the environment, the economy and housing. In a number of cases, there was perceived resistance
to providing the requested information.
In other instances, it is clear that the information is either not collected, is not collected uniformly
across the province, or is not coordinated or gathered together from local communities by
anyone. Lack of current data from health units, for example, in spite of their legislative mandates
to protect and promote health, suggests the erosion of the capacity of public institutions to fulfill
their roles and functions. Frequently, non-profit organizations are being asked to pay fees to
provincial ministries to provide required data.
It may be speculated that there are fewer resources and staff available in these organizations to
collect, organize, and distribute this information as a result of the significant reductions in
Ontarios public spending in the 1990s. The bottom line is that many publicly funded
organizations do not have the information technology or information systems necessary to give
them the capability of answering basic questions about the number of people served or the range
of services provided. This raises serious questions.
How can public institutions manage programs for which they are responsible and conduct
the essential planning and evaluation activities necessary to meet a minimal standard of
public accountability?
How can they conform to the Ontario governments oft-stated commitment to increase
efficiency and effectiveness through better business practices without the capability to
answer these most basic of questions about their activities?
How can policy makers, planners and involved citizens get information they need to
participate in democratic exercises such as monitoring the well-being of people and
communities and taking action to address social inequities?
Governments don't have current and accurate information about important public issues on
which to base policies or actions. As a result, they are always reacting to hot issues, rather than
looking ahead. Cutbacks in the public service have also reduced the capacity of governments to
measure and monitor key indicators. Where non-government organizations, such as provincial
associations, are collecting the data, cuts to social programs have also reduced their capacity to
17
collect key information. This also results in a reduced capacity to coordinate services, based on
current and accurate information.
HOW TO USE THE QLI IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES
The data which we have collected for the Quality of Life Index have come from provincial
sources. Our community partners are also collecting the same data from local sources in their
communities to calculate their own QLI. Any community can participate in this exercise by
calculating the QLI based on data from local sources. The Methodology Report provides
additional background information.
The provincial QLI provides a benchmark of comparison. As more and more communities
become involved in calculating and monitoring their own quality of life, we will build up a
province wide database based on a common set of indicators which we can all use to monitor our
quality of life.
REGULAR UPDATES
We intend to update the data for each indicator on a semi-annual basis and recalculate the QLI. In
this way we will be able to identify trends and maintain a current perspective on how our quality
of life continues to change in a very dynamic and uncertain environment. These updates will be
distributed to groups involved in the Quality of Life Index Project, as well as being posted on the
Internet for public access:
www.qli-ont.org
COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES
The key to the success of this project lies in the communications strategy. The research needed to
develop the QLI will only be as useful as the ability of OSDC and its partners to communicate to
the public about progress toward improving the quality of life for all people in Ontario. We
believe that quality of life is a unifying theme that will bring people from diverse backgrounds
and interests together into a united effort to improve the quality of life in their communities. It
will also contribute to the discourse about public policies to improve the quality of life for
Canadians.
The communications strategy will include distribution of the QLI report and its key messages
through the print, broadcast and electronic media. It will include community as well as
mainstream media. It will create the anticipation to receive updates and future reports which will
spur communities into action to address local problems as well as working toward desirable
goals.

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CONCLUSION
The quality of community life is changing dramatically as we approach the 21st century and
governments at all levels make major changes in public policies. The Quality of Life Index has
been developed and tested by social development organizations in Ontario with decades of
experience in social research and reporting. It is now being used to monitor and measure changes
in key aspects of our quality of life through the publication of a series of reports:
The Quality of Life in Ontario - 1997
(October, 1997)
The Quality of Life in Ontario - Spring 1998 (May, 1998)

The Quality of Life in Ontario - Fall 1998
(to be released in November, 1998)
The Quality of Life Index provides a good picture of changes in living conditions which affect
our health and well-being as a society. The value of the QLI as a tool for community
development will be increased with more involvement of different sectors in taking action on the
results. One of the challenges for OSDC and the SPNO will be to promote the involvement of
people from the social, health, economic and environmental sectors to work together to improve
the quality of life in our communities.
Report by:
Malcolm Shookner
October, 1998

19
APPENDIX 1 - PARTNERS AND ASSOCIATES - October, 1998
PROJECT WORKING GROUP

Angela Robertson/ Minetta Garcia
Community Social Planning Council of
Toronto
2 Carlton St. Ste 1001
Toronto, ON M5B 1J3
Tel. 416-351-0095 Fax. 416-351-0107
Net: [email protected]
Jackie Powell/Kathy Woodcock

Peterborough Social Planning Council
267 Stewart Street
Peterborough, ON K9J 3M8
Tel. 705-743-5915 Fax. 705-743-3318
(KW) [email protected]
Janet Comis/Sheila Almas

Kingston Social Planning Council
175 Rideau St.
Kingston, ON K7K 3H6
Tel. 613-542-7316 Fax. 613-542-1043
(SA) [email protected]
Brenda Reimer
Lakehead Social Planning Council
125 Syndicate Ave. S.
Victoria Mall
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6H8
Tel. 807-626-9650 Fax. 807-625-9427
[email protected]
Paula DeCoito/Dominic Storti

Peel Social Planning Council
977 Pantera Dr. Ste. 8
Mississauga, ON
L4W 2T4
Tel. 905-629-3044 Fax. 905-629-7773
Joey Edwardh/Ted Hildebrandt
Halton Social Planning Council
760 Brant Street Ste.406 B
Burlington, ON L7R 4B7
Tel. 905-632-1975 Fax. 905-632-0778
Don Jaffray/Mark Fraser
Hamilton-Wentworth Social Planning &
Research Council
255 West Avenue North
Hamilton, ON L8L 5C8
Tel. 905-522-1148 Fax. 905-522-9124
(MF) [email protected]

Scott Henderson/Roni Summers-Wickens

Community Development Council of Quinte
C4-344 Front Street
Belleville, ON K8N 5M4
Tel. 613-968-2466 Fax. 613-968-2251
[email protected]
Malcolm Shookner
2 Carlton St., Suite 1001
Toronto, ON M5B 1J3
Tel. 416-345-8561 Fax. 416-345-8904
[email protected]
Bruce Schwartzentruber
Community Pro Action
77 Geoffrey St.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: (416) 588-0103 Fax: (416)530-5911
20
COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS
LONDON
BRANTFORD/BRANT
Caroline Ball
Executive Director
Brant Community Social Planning Council
173 Colborne Street
Brantford, ON N3T 2G9
Tel. 519-754-1081 Fax. 519-759-0835
CAMBRIDGE/NORTH DUMFRIES
Gloria Desantis
Executive Director
Social Planning Council of Cambridge &
North Dumfries
30 Parkhill Rd. West
Cambridge, ON N1S 1C9
Tel. 519-623-1713 Fax. 519-621-2628
GUELPH/WELLINGTON
Shirley Hunt
United Way & Community Services of
Guelph/Wellington
161 Waterloo Ave.
Guelph, ON N1H 3H9
Tel. 519-821-0571
Fax. 519-821-7847
KITCHENER-WATERLOO
Arli Klassen
Manager
Social Planning Council of
Kitchener-Waterloo
25 Frederick St., Suite 120
Kitchener, ON N2H 6M8
Tel: 519-579-0220 Fax: 519-578-9185

Lorna Heidenheim
Social Planning Council of London
388 Dundas Street
London, ON N6B 1V7
Tel. 519-432-1801 Fax. 519-432-6299
NORTH BAY
Dawna Nighbor
North Bay Social Planning Council
269 Main St. West, Ste. 207
North Bay, ON P1B 2T8
Tel. 705-472-0200 Fax. 705-472-1659
NORTHUMBERLAND
Ben Burd
Northumberland Community Coalition
Box 102
Cobourg ON K9A 4K2
Tel. 905-372-5450 Fax. 905-372-7095
OTTAWA-CARLETON
Susan Learoyd
Ottawa-Carleton Social Planning Council
256 King Edward Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1N 7M1
Tel: 613-789-3658 Fax: 613-789-6680
21
SAULT STE. MARIE
WOOLWICH
Glenn Rampton/ Linda Gordon

Algoma Social Planning Council
681 Pine St.
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6B 3G2
Tel: (705) 253-1700 (GR)
Fax: (705) 253-1777
Dr. Susan Wismer

Woolwich Sustainable Community Group
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1.
Anna Cosgrove
United Way Sault Ste. Marie
8 Albert St. East
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2H6
Tel: (705) 256-7476 [UW]
(705) 949-9207 [AC]
Fax: (705) 759-5899 [UW]
Joy Finney
Woolwich Community Health Centre
10 Parkside Dr.
St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0
Tel: (519) 664-3794 Fax: (519) 664-2182
SOUTH TEMISKAMING
Linda Charney
Healthy Communities South Temiskaming
c/o Temiskaming Hospital
421 Shepherdson Rd., Box 4040
New Liskeard, ON P0J 1P0
Tel: (705) 647-8121x284
Fax: (705) 647-5800
SUDBURY
Bev Bourget
Sudbury Social Planning Council
680 Kirkwood Dr. Bldg. 2
Sudbury , ON P3E 1X3
Tel. 705-675-9193x8355
Fax. 705-671-1901

22
PROVINCIAL PARTNERS
ONTARIO HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
COALITION
Lisa Caton
Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition
180 Dundas St. West, 19th Flr
Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8
Tel: (416) 408-4841 Fax: (416) 408-4843
1-800-766-3418
HEALTH CANADA
Heather Ramsay
Health Promotion & Programs Branch
Ontario Region
Health Canada
25 St. Clair Ave. East, 4th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4T 1M2
Tel: (416) 973-1805 Fax: (416) 973-0009
Net:[email protected]
CENTRE FOR HEALTH PROMOTION/

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
List:
Dennis Raphael
Quality of Life Research Unit
Centre for Health Promotion
Univeristy of Toronto
100 College Street, Suite 207
Toronto, ON M5G 1L5
Tel: (416) 978-7567 Fax: (416) 971-1365
Malcolm Shookner
October, 1998
CENTRE FOR APPLIED

SUSTAINABILITY/YORK UNIVERSITY
David Bell
Centre for Applied Sustainability
McLaughlin College
York University
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
Tel: (416) 736-5128 Fax: (416) 736-5436

23
APPENDIX 2 - Quality of Life Index - Papers and Website

The Quality of Life in Ontario - Spring 1998
The Quality of Life in Ontario - 1997
(disposibl en francais)
Methodology Report
(disposibl en francais)
Summary of Indicators
Literature Review
Reference List
Annotated Bibliography
Visit our website for more information:

www.qli-ont.org
Or contact:
2 Carlton Street, Suite 1001
Toronto, Ontario M5B 1J3
Canada
Tel: (416) 345-8561
Fax: (416) 345-8904

24

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CSLS Conference on the State of Living Standards and the Quality of Life in Canada

October 30 - 31, 1998 Chteau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario

Centre for the

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

Session 6A: Conceptual and Empirical Issues in the Measurement of Well-being

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

For presentation at:

Conference on the State of

QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX

economic re-structuring and high unemployment

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

A QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX FOR ONTARIO

economic re-structuring and high unemployment

DEFINING QUALITY OF LIFE

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Income and social status

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

relevant to quality of life

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

* Communities must be involved in the selection and analysis of indicators.

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

CALCULATING THE QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX

Children in care of Childrens Aid Societies

Low birth weight babies

Number of people unemployed

Hours of poor air quality

The QLI is pegged at 100 in the base year.

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

CALCULATING THE QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX

QLI COMPOSITE INDEX

Establishing the Base Year

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ONTARIO

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

PROGRESS AND SETBACKS

> Though we can celebrate some progress on environmental issues, we cannot be

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

The Quality of Life in Ontario - Spring 1998 (May, 1998)

(to be released in November, 1998)

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

APPENDIX 1 - PARTNERS AND ASSOCIATES - October, 1998

PROJECT WORKING GROUP

Jackie Powell/Kathy Woodcock

Janet Comis/Sheila Almas

Paula DeCoito/Dominic Storti

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

Scott Henderson/Roni Summers-Wickens

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

SAULT STE. MARIE

Glenn Rampton/ Linda Gordon

Dr. Susan Wismer

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario

CENTRE FOR HEALTH PROMOTION/

CENTRE FOR APPLIED

A Quality of Life Index for Ontario