Toronto's Vital Signs® Issue Area
Leadership, Civic Engagement & Belonging

Why it matters “Civic engagement means strong leadership and builds inclusive cities. Involved, connected and engaged residents from all walks of life make for creative communities and a stronger city.” - Kevin Lee, Executive Director Scadding Court Community Centre

• Two-thirds of Torontonians (65.7%) reported a strong sense of belonging to their local community in 2010, a 6.3% increase from 2009
• The 2010 municipal election drew out half of Toronto’s eligible voters (50.55%) compared to a much lower 39% in 2003 and 2006. 1 in 10 was a first-time vote.
• About 1 in 10 of the more than 80,000 registered charities in Canada is located in the Toronto Region. In mid-2011, 44% of charities were having difficulty fulfilling their mission (fewer than the 49% who were struggling in late 2010).

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.

		Scadding Court Community Centre Scadding Court’s mandate is: To support and foster the well-being of individuals, families, and community groups by providing and encouraging both local and international opportunities for recreation, education, athletics, community participation and inclusive social interaction. Their work is focused on making this community a better place to be and on collaborating with and supporting others who want to do the same. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2009 Learn more about Scadding Court Community Centre »
		Diaspora Dialogues Charitable Society Diaspora Dialogues supports the creation and presentation of new fiction, poetry and drama that reflect the complexity of the city through the eyes of its richly diverse writers. Publishing and mentoring activities, as well as a monthly multidisciplinary performance festival, help encourage the creation of a literature that is vibrant and inclusive, while bringing these works to a wide audience. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2009 Learn more about Diaspora Dialogues Charitable Society »
		FutureWatch FutureWatch's mission is to foster the creation of healthy and sustainable communities through the integration of participatory action learning methods. Their purpose is to engage individuals from diverse communities who are economically and socially disenfranchised, particularly youth, children, seniors and women. The objective is to support these individuals in an engagement process and to support them in taking on positive leadership roles in implementing their own solutions. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2005 Learn more about FutureWatch »