Measuring Poverty with a Material Deprivation Index (MDI): An Updated Index for Canada
Measuring Poverty with a Material Deprivation Index (MDI): An Updated Index for Canada This Food Banks Canada report shows that assessing poverty goes beyond income. Utilizing Canadian data, the report introduces a Material Deprivation Index (MDI), a poverty metric that [...]
National School Food Policy
National School Food Policy The Vison of the federal government’s 2024 National School Food Policy is: all children and youth in Canada have access to nutritious food at school, in an inclusive, non-stigmatizing environment that fosters healthy practices, while strengthening [...]
Psychosocial and Economic Impacts of Intergenerational Volunteering: Lessons Learned from the Snow Buddies Program in the Niagara Region
Psychosocial and Economic Impacts of Intergenerational Volunteering: Lessons Learned from the Snow Buddies Program in the Niagara Region Snow Buddies give students and adult volunteers the opportunity to be matched with a senior, helping keep their driveway/pathway clear of snow [...]
Canada in a Changing Climate: Regional Perspectives Report – Ontario
Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action is the national assessment of how and why Canada’s climate is changing; the impacts of those changes on our communities, environment, economy, and how we are adapting. The 2022 Regional [...]
Niagara Community Foundation 2023 Annual Report – Turning Intent into Impact
Niagara Community Foundation 2023 Annual Report – Turning Intent into Impact In 2023, the Niagara Community Foundation (NCF) provided nearly $3.5 million in grants, bringing the foundation’s historical grants tally to over $27.5 million to Niagara’s charitable sector since the [...]
Food Banks Canada Poverty Report Card
The 2024 Poverty Report Card for provinces/territories is provided by Food Banks Canada. The Ontario report card can be compared to those of other provinces. For 2024, Ontario’s report card grade is D-, compared to C+ for Quebec. The grades [...]
United Way Niagara 2023 Impact Report
This report highlights United Way Niagara (UWN) 2023 investment in solutions to local social challenges. It also extends thanks to the generous supporters who made it possible for UWN to raise $5,289,000 in 2023. With ongoing support of donors, and [...]
Addressing the Early Childhood Educators Labour Shortage in Canada: Challenges, Solutions, Challenges and Impacts
This report cites a lack of qualified Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) needed to staff additional spaces as a key reason that the Canada-wide early learning and child care program may not successfully provide the additional 250,000 child care spaces by [...]
A Focus on Adolescent Peer Violence and Bullying In Europe, Central Asia and Canada
This WHO (World Health Organization) report shows that since 2018, many traditional forms of adolescent violence are going down, and it cautions about an uptick in cyberbullying. The report focuses on adolescent peer violence and bullying, using the unique HBSC [...]
Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods Impact 2023
This infographic provides highlights of the 2023 impact of Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods (SFEN). SFEN is a community-based, volunteer-driven charitable non-profit organization. Its mission is: “Strengthening the fabric of our community through connection and support.” 2023 Impact highlights for the [...]
Using Interpreters in Health Care Settings
Understanding the social and cultural factors that influence one’s health beliefs and behaviours is important for professionals working with newcomers to Canada. The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) provides this resource for health professionals working with immigrant and refugee children and [...]
Municipal collaboration in regional event hosting processes: The case of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games
This policy brief examines how local area municipalities collaborated once Niagara Region was awarded the hosting rights to the 2021 Canada Summer Games (which then became the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, after being delayed one year due to the [...]
Sustaining Food Security in Niagara – Niagara Community Observatory Policy Brief #58
This policy brief outlines the extent of the problem of food security at a national, provincial, and local level. It provides context that addresses the question of why there is an increasing reliance on food banks by more residents in [...]
Niagara Region 2024-2028 Poverty Reduction Strategy
Working together to prevent and end poverty, and increase well-being in Niagara is the goal of this strategy. It includes 8 areas of focus: Indigenous well-being Food security Housing Income Early child development Employment Mental health and addiction Transportation To [...]
Social Prescribing for Children and Youth in Canada
This video offers a glimpse of Canada's first social prescribing pilot for children and youth, which took place at the Vanier Community Services Centre between 2023/2024 thanks to the Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund from the Public Health Agency of [...]
Impact of the Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan, – and the Way Forward to ‘A Community for All Ages’
When the Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan (NASAP) was published in 2015, it noted that, in 2014, 20.5% of the population in Niagara was 65+. That percentage has grown.
Living in Niagara-2023 report
The Living in Niagara-2023 report presents a snapshot of quality of life in the Niagara region of Ontario, in 2023. The report spans eleven Living in Niagara socio economic sectors, which align with the Social Determinants of Health. This is [...]
Situation Table – A Risk Intervention Model for Community Safety and Well-being in the Niagara Region
In 2018, Port Cares and the Niagara Regional Police Service, along with several community agencies, launched the first Situation Table in the Niagara region. In January, 2024, the model was expanded to cover the entire region. Situation Tables bring together [...]
Population Change in Niagara, 1971–2021: Total population patterns
This working paper describes Niagara’s trend for its total population, focused on the 11 census years between 1971 and 2021. The paper is meant to thoroughly identify patterns through multiple, similar, graphs. The graphs show both absolute and relative changes. [...]
2023 Calls to 211 in Niagara: Needs & Unmet Needs
211 Ontario provides a Business Intelligence Dashboard, to help improve access and quality of care for all Ontarians. When an individual contacts 211, anonymized data is collected, about where they are located and what their needs are, service availability gaps [...]
