Toronto's Vital Signs® Issue Area
Health & Wellness

Why it matters “Healthy citizens help to create strong and thriving communities. As health concerns compound with other problems, the social cost will be enormous.” - Karen Letofsky, Executive Director Distress Centres

• Only 9% of boys and 4% of girls are meeting the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, which state that children and youth should be moderately to vigorously active for at least an hour per day.
• Obesity levels have increased 20% in Toronto since 2003: 14.2% of Torontonians 18 years or older are obese. That’s twice the rate of Vancouver (7%).
• Toronto’s aging population puts pressure on the health care system: only 8.7% of the population aged 75 or over (180,470 in 2009) has access to long term care. That’s a 10% decline from 2005, as the supply of beds lags behind the growth in the elderly population.

Featured solutions from our Community Knowledge Centre
Our Community Knowledge Centre features solutions to the issues identified in Toronto's Vital Signs. Organizations who have received a grant from our Vital Toronto Fund are identified.

		Distress Centres Distress Centres provide telephone, face-to-face and group support for people experiencing emotional distress, marginalization, social isolation and who may require crisis intervention and suicide/family violence intervention services. For 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 600 highly trained volunteers, with the support of professional staff, counsel people with a diverse range of emotional needs and life circumstances. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2010 Learn more about Distress Centres »
		Toronto Lords Community Association Toronto Lords Community Association is a charitable organization whose mandate is to provide a subsidized basketball program and grant scholarships towards post-secondary education to graduates of its basketball program.  Among its founding principles, Toronto Lords believes that education and athletics should be available to all, regardless of their financial situation,  and that both education and athletics can be equally important to success in the future. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2010 Learn more about Toronto Lords Community Association »
		Hospice Toronto Hospice Toronto staff and trained volunteers provide and facilitate access to compassionate care for people with life threatening illnesses, offering them support options, honouring their choices and supporting their families and friends.  Their Creating Caring Communities program works in partnership with local community agencies and their affiliate networks to engage people living in Toronto's diverse, multicultural communities, through outreach and facilitated focus groups, to address complex healthcare issues relating to seniors living in the community. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2010 Learn more about DPNCHC »