The Community Wellbeing Survey results are in, and they’re shining a light on some of the social issues faced by residents of Orillia and surrounding townships.
Highlights of the Orillia and Area Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) final report were shared earlier this week at city hall.
The overall well-being for Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Ramara and Severn is 4.93 out of seven. That was the average when considering all eight “domains” used for the survey: community vitality (4.97), democratic engagement (4.33), education (4.78), environment (5.65), healthy populations (5.02), leisure and culture (5.00), living standards (4.87) and time use (4.79).
“On average, across the community, most people feel a sense of belonging here,” said Bryan Smale, a professor with the University of Waterloo and director of the CIW, who worked with Information Orillia to complete the project.
However, the survey results show women and younger residents, and those who are single or have never been married, have below-average well-being, while men, older residents and those who are a couple with no kids living at home tend to have above-average well-being.
“Get them out of your basement,” Smale said in response to empty-nesters feeling more satisfied.
Area residents indicated they were most satisfied with the environment and least satisfied with democratic engagement.
Those with below-average well-being as it relates to democratic engagement were more likely to attend local, municipal or neighbourhood meetings and were more likely to write a letter or email to a municipal official about a local issue.
Those who said they have above-average wellbeing were more likely to agree that programs and services of the local government have made the community better.
While the top five social issues varied among the municipalities surveyed, affordable housing was ranked No. 1 in all four of them.
The results of the survey, which were two years in the making, show women, local-income residents and younger adults “appear to be falling behind in their well-being,” Smale noted in his report.
His suggestion for addressing those concerns: "greater access to opportunities in community; strengthen connections to community; build trust in institutions, especially government; and ensure all voices are heard in policy development.”
Orillia Coun. Ted Emond is looking forward to using the “richness of information that we’ve never had before” to make positive change and policy decisions in Orillia.
“I’m hoping this will trigger us, as a community, to pull together groups that are passionate about their particular interests,” and work together for the common good, he said.
With affordable housing and mental health being prominent parts of the report, that information will be useful to an organization like the Lighthouse shelter, said its executive director, Linda Goodall.
‘Having data like this for the community will help us to create programs and collaborations that will benefit the community in Orillia and area,” she said.
Carmine Stumpo, president and CEO of Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, wasn’t surprised to see social isolation come up as a problem area.
“Social isolation is worse than any disease. We can manage disease,” he said of the hospital. “We can’t manage social isolation.”
The goal is for the data to be used to better inform policy decisions among government, but it could also help non-profit groups when they’re applying for funding.
“I hope it challenges you,” Smale told the audience. “I hope it challenges some assumptions you have about the community. I hope it confirms some assumptions you have about the community.”
The survey source report is expected to be posted to Information Orillia’s website within the next couple of days. A more detailed report will be given to the survey partners.
Almost 9,500 households from Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Ramara and Severn were invited to participate in the survey. The estimated response rate was 10.7 per cent — more than expected for a general-population survey. There were 856 “viable” respondents.
Highlights from the survey
LIVING STANDARDS
Below-average well-being
- Lower job security
- Work interferes with personal life
- Less likely to be able to pay bills on time
- Less likely to be able to pay mortgage or rent on time
- Less work flexibility
Above average well-being
- Better job fit and more opportunities for job promotion
- Have enough money to buy things they needed
- Have enough money to buy things they wanted
- More likely to have a regular weekday schedule
- Shorter commute times
HEALTHY POPULATIONS
Below-average well-being
- More likely to experience negative impacts due to mental health issues
- Eat healthy meals less often
- Participate less in vigorous exercise and participate less in light exercise
Above average well-being
- Better self-rated physical health
- Better self-rated mental health
- Perceive both quality and accessibility of the health-care services to be better
- More likely to get good quality exercise
TIME USE
Below-average well-being
More often feel rushed
Have longer commutes
Less time to:
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get enough sleep
-
prepare healthy meals
-
be with partner
-
be together with family
-
socialize
Work interferes more with personal life
Above average well-being
More likely to have flexible work schedules
More time to:
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keep in shape
-
nurture spiritual side
-
be with children
-
form/sustain relationships
-
participate in community
Higher work-life balance
More vacation days
EDUCATION
Below-average well-being
More likely to have taken courses to get started
Lower perceived availability of formal education opportunities
Courses seen as too expensive
Courses seen as offered at inconvenient times
Above-average well-being
More likely to have taken courses to improve skills or qualifications in current job
More likely to have taken courses for interest and to see them as more available
More schools nearby where they can upgrade their educational qualifications
ENVIRONMENT
Below-average well-being
Perceive traffic congestion as worse
Feel air and water quality are not as good
Less likely to participate in events to protect the natural environment
Less likely to conserve energy
Less likely to buy local foods
Above-average well-being
Perceive quality of natural environment as higher
See more opportunities to enjoy nature in community and in neighbourhood
Feel more responsibility to protect natural environment
More likely to reuse materials and to reduce and separate waste
COMMUNITY VITALITY
Below-average well-being
More socially isolated
Less likely to feel their needs are fulfilled by the community
More likely to be a member of a faith-based group
Experience discrimination more often
Feel less safe walking alone after dark
Above-average well-being
More likely to volunteer
Have more close friends and relatives
Strong sense of belonging to community
Stronger social bonds
Feel help is available if needed
Greater trust in others
More confidence in institutions
LEISURE AND CULTURE
Below-average well-being
Use parks, playgrounds, and trails less often
Watch television more regularly
Perceive recreation and culture facilities as less accessible:
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too costly
-
not convenient
-
no child care available
Above-average well-being
Use community recreation centres, libraries, and arts facilities more often
Socialize with friends more
Perceive better access to recreation and culture facilities:
-
easy to get to
-
facilities are welcoming
DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT
Below-average well-being
More likely to attend local, municipal, neighborhood, or meeting
More likely to participate in a local event in support of a charitable organization
More likely to write a letter/email/spoke to a municipal official about a local issue
Above-average well-being
More interest in federal, provincial, and local politics
More likely to agree programs/services of the local government have made community better off
Consider themselves better qualified to participate in politics
Feel well informed and have better understanding of issues facing the region
