Canadian Index of Wellbeing
University of Waterloo
Toby Jenkins Applied Health Research Building, 340 Hagey Blvd, TJB 2203, Waterloo, ON N2L 6R6
The CIW draws from almost 200 reliable data sources,
primarily from Statistics Canada.
Click on a domain to view its indicators and data sources:
- Community Vitality
- Democratic Engagement
- Education
- Environment
- Healthy Populations
- Leisure and Culture
- Living Standards
- Time Use
| Domain and indicator | Source of data | Years covered |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of population reporting unpaid, formal volunteering for groups or organizations | Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating / GSS, Social Engagement | 1997, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2013 |
| Percentage with 5 or more close friends | GSS, Social Engagement, Cycles 11, 17, 22 | 1996, 2003, 2008, 2013 |
| Crime Severity Index | Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (Stats Can, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics) | 1993 to present |
| Percentage experiencing discrimination in past 5 years based on ethno-cultural characteristics | Ethnic Diversity Survey; GSS Victimisation, Cycles 18 and 23 | 2002, 2004, 2009, 2014 |
| Percentage of population that feels safe walking alone after dark | GSS, Victimisation, Cycles 8, 11, 18, 23 | 1993, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 |
| Percentage of population that believe that most or many people can be trusted | GSS, Social Engagement, Cycles 17, 22, 27; GSS, Time Use, Cycle 19 | 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013 |
| Percentage of population that provides unpaid help to others on their own | Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating / GSS, Cycle 27, Social Engagement | 1997, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 |
| Percentage of population that reports very or somewhat strong sense of belonging to community | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 to 2013 |
| Democratic Engagement | ||
| Percentage of voter turnout at federal elections | Elections Canada | Each federal election year |
| Percentage of population that volunteers for a law, advocacy or political group | Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating | 1997, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2013 |
| Gap in percentage turnout between older and younger voters | Elections Canada | Each federal election year |
| Percentage of population that is very or fairly satisfies with way democracy works in Canada | Canada Election Study (Pre-Election Survey) | 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011 |
| Percentage of population with a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in Federal Parliament | GSS, Social Support/Engagement Cycles | 2003, 2008, 2013 |
| Ratio of registered to eligible voters | Elections Canada | Each federal election year |
| Percentage of women in Federal Parliament | Elections Canada | Each federal election year |
| Percentage of Members of Parliament's office budget devoted to sending communications to constituents | Members’ Expenditures Reports, Board of Internal Economy, Parliament of Canada | 2001 to 2014 |
| Education | ||
| Percentage of children aged 0 to 5 years for whom there is a regulated centre-based child care space | Childcare Canada (Childcare Resource and Research Unit) | 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014 |
| Amount of time spent in talk-based activities with children aged 0 to 14 years | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Ratio of students to educators in public schools | Centre for Education, Statistics Canada | 1997 to 2010 |
| Average expenditure per public school student ($2013) | Elementary-Secondary Education Survey; Survey of Uniform Financial System – School Boards | 1997/1998 to 2013/2014 |
| Percentage of population aged 25 and older participating in education-related activities | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Tuition and Living Accommodation Costs Survey | 1994/95 to 2014/2015 | |
| Percentage of Canadians 20 to 24 years of age in labour force completing high school | Labour Force Survey | 1994 to 2014 (annual) |
| Percentage of 25 to 64 year olds in population with a university degree | Labour Force Survey | 1994 to 2014 (annual) |
| Environment | ||
| Ground level ozone (population weighted in parts per billion) | Environment Canada – Environmental Indicators | 1994 to 2012 |
| Absolute greenhouse gas emissions (megatonnes of CO2 per year) | Environment Canada – Environmental Indicators | 1994 to 2013 |
| Primary energy production (petajoules) | Statistics Canada – Energy Statistics | 1995 to 2014 |
| Residential energy use | Statistics Canada – Energy Statistics; Census of Canada | 1995 to 2014 |
| Total farm land (hectares) | Census of Agriculture | 1991 to 2011 |
| Viable Metal Reserves Index | Statistics Canada – Metal Reserves Statistics | 1994 to 2011 |
| Ecological footprint | Global Footprint Network | 1961 to 2011 |
| Annual water yield in Southern Canada (km3) | Canadian System of Environmental and Resource Accounts – Natural Resource Asset Accounts | 1994 to 2013 |
| Healthy Populations | ||
| Percentage of population that rates their overall health as very good or excellent | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 1994 to 1999 / 2001 to 2014 |
| Percentage of population with self-reported diabetes | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 1994 to 1999 / 2001 to 2014 |
| Life expectancy at birth in years | Vital Statistics Birth and Death Databases, Statistics Canada | 1992 to 2010 |
| Percentage of daily or occasional smokers among teens aged 12 to 19 years | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 1994 to 1999 / 2001 to 2014 |
| Percentage of population that rates their mental health as very good or excellent | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 1994 to 1999 / 2001 to 2014 |
| Percentage of Canadians with a regular medical doctor | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 2003 to 2014 |
| Percentage of population getting influenza immunization in past year | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 1994 to 1999 / 2001 to 2014 |
| Percentage of population with an absence of health or activity-based limitations | Canadian Community Health Survey | 2002 to 2014 |
| Leisure and Culture | ||
| Average percentage of time spent on the previous day in social leisure activities | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Average percentage of time spent on the previous day in arts and culture activities | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Average number of hours volunteering for culture and/or recreation organizations | Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating | 1997, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 |
| Average monthly frequency of participation in physical activity lasting over 15 minutes | NPHS / Canadian Community Health Survey | 1994 to 1999 / 2001 to 2012 |
| Average attendance per performance in past year at all performing arts performances | Survey of Service Industries, Performing Arts | 1998 to 2012 |
| Average visitation per site to all National Parks and National Historic Sites | Parks Canada visitation data (online) | 1995 to 2013 |
|
Average number of nights away on vacation trips to destinations at least 80km from home |
Travel Survey of Residents of Canada (Canadian Travel Survey pre-2006) | 1994 to 2013 |
| Expenditures on all culture and recreation as a percentage of total household expenditures | Survey of Household Spending | 1997 to 2014 |
| Living Standards | ||
| Gini coefficient (income gap) | Survey of Consumer Finances / Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics / Canadian Income Survey | 1994 to 2014 |
| After-tax median income economic family ($2013) | Survey of Consumer Finances / Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics / Canadian Income Survey | 1994 to 2013 |
| Percentage of persons in low income based on low income cut-off (LICO) | Survey of Consumer Finances / Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics / Canadian Income Survey | 1994 to 2013 |
| Percentage of households that are moderately or severely food insecure | Canadian Community Health Survey | 2004 to 2013 |
| Percentage of labour force in long-term unemployment | Labour Force Survey | 1994 to 2014 |
| Percentage of labour force employed | Labour Force Survey | 1994 to 2014 |
| CIBC index of employment quality (1994 QI=100) | CIBC Employment Quality Index | 1994 to 2014 |
| Housing affordability based on Shelter Consumption Affordability Ratio (SCAR) | Unpublished data – Centre for for Economic Analysis | 1994 to 2014 |
| Time Use | ||
| Percentage of Canadians 25 to 64 years of age working over 50 hours per week at main job | Labour Force Survey | 1994 to 2014 |
| Percentage of 15 to 64 years old reporting high levels of time pressure | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Average daily amount of time with friends (minutes per day) | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Percentage of labour force working under 30 hours per week, not by choice | Labour Force Survey | 1997 to 2014 |
| Percentage of Canadians who report 7 to 9 hours of good quality essential sleep | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Mean workday commute time for individuals working for pay | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Percentage of individuals working for pay with flexible work hours | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
| Percentage of labour force with regular, weekday work hours | GSS, Time Use, Cycles 7, 12, 19, 24 | 1992, 1998, 2005, 2010 |