Canadian Index of Wellbeing
University of Waterloo
Faculty of Health Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA
What this measures
Dimension: Social support
This indicator represents the percentage of the population who report having 5 or more close friends. A close friend is not a relative, but someone whom a person feels at ease with, that he or she can talk to about personal matters, and who can be called upon for help.
Why this matters
People with a larger number of strong friendships are better able to cope with stress, are more resilient to illness and disease, and report greater satisfaction with life.
Data source
Statistics Canada, General Social Survey (GSS)
Further information: Statistics Canada