Vancouver's Vital Signs
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Vancouver's Vital Signs
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Highlights of Vancouver's Vital Signs
Vancouver’s Vital Signs is a snapshot of the wellness and livability of both the city and the Lower Mainland region, as part of a national Vital Signs initiative of Community Foundations of Canada.
This report, and the more detailed online version
(www.vancouverfoundation.bc.ca), provide a
comprehensive picture of facts, perceptions and
opinions about Vancouver and what it is like to live here.
Research Findings
Vancouver and Lower Mainland residents can be proud of where they live. In this report, we have
examined 12 key areas that measure the livability
of Vancouver. Specific indicators in each of those areas speak for themselves: we have a growing and diverse cultural sector; we are good “recyclers”; our rates of volunteerism are high; we are healthier and more active than other Canadians.
But these strengths are not shared by all Vancouverites:
we have a dramatic increase in homelessness; the impacts of substance use and mental illness are
significant; there is a growing gap between rich and poor. Emissions into our air are increasing, and
newcomers face significant challenges in finding
employment and learning opportunities.
Grading and Priorities by Key Informants
Nearly 200 Vancouverites gave us their opinions
on how well Vancouver does in the 12 key areas
measured; in addition, they were asked to identify
two top priorities that need to be addressed within
each key area. (These opinions were provided to us before they saw the research described above).
These key informants gave Vancouver strong marks for diversity, being a "livable city," the overall employment/business environment, health and wellness, learning and education, arts and culture and the environment. Poor marks were given for housing, the gap between rich and poor, and the ease for newcomers in getting started in our community. Priorities for action ranged from the specific (such as increasing the minimum wage, providing more ESL programs, reducing car usage, addressing the lack of child care spaces), to broader issues (more funding for the arts, more affordable housing, addressing substance use and addiction issues, and so on).
“Quality of Life” Omnibus Survey
In partnership with Ipsos Reid, Vancouver’s Vital Signs asked a random sample of 240 Vancouverites about their perceptions of the quality of life in Vancouver.
Nearly all of those surveyed (97%) rate the quality of
life here as “good” or “very good.” Has it improved
over the past three years? It is an even split: 23%
said “yes”; 22% said “no”; and half (52%) say that it has stayed the same. What contributes to this good overall quality of life? The top two mentions were
“environment/natural setting” and “weather/mild
climate.” Of the most important issues to be
addressed to improve overall quality of life, 17%
of respondents said “poverty and homelessness.”
Other priority issues included transportation/traffic congestion (12%), and affordable housing (11%).
What We Have Learned
Overall, many of us have a good quality of life, and most of us believe our quality of life is very good. There is awareness of – and general agreement upon – some of the key challenges and problems that we face: homelessness, poverty and the need for affordable housing, to name a few.
Vancouver’s Vital Signs has been a valuable learning experience for Vancouver Foundation and will serve as an important reference point for our own work in the months and years to come.