Since the 1940s, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been the primary measure for how economies are performing. The trouble is that GDP is a blunt instrument. GDP is a composite index that tells us only how much an economy is producing – it is concerned only with growth and not the differences between good and […]
Economic inequality
Tiny financial savings from cutting Toronto community grants comes with big potential cost
While the financial savings to taxpayers from cutting any or all of the City of Toronto’s grants to community groups is very small, the impact of the loss of that funding would be widespread. Recent research from the Wellesley Institute shows that strong and resilient community networks have a positive impact on individual and population […]
Toronto’s cost-cutting proposals will have serious impact on the health of vulnerable people, warns Medical Officer of Health
In his in his review of the potential health impacts of Toronto’s Core Service Review, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David McKeown, has cautioned that some City of Toronto cost-cutting proposals will have a serious health impact on the city’s most vulnerable populations. In his report, Dr. McKeown warns that implementing a number of the ‘opportunities’ […]
Wellesley Election Guides 2011: What are you going to ask candidates when they ask you for your vote?
The Ontario election is quickly approaching and candidates are pounding the pavement asking for your vote. But what are you going to ask them? From affordable housing investment to creating good jobs, the provincial government makes decisions that have serious implications for the health and well-being of Ontarians. As you head to the ballot box […]
Talking About Jobs: vote ontario
This year Labour Day coincides with the official start of the Ontario provincial election campaign. September 5th, union members will be celebrating labour history and their hopes for the future of our working lives. It’s a time for all of us in Ontario to think about what kind of labour market we should build. And, […]
The Toronto 300 speak out on city’s Core Services Review
The Wellesley Institute joined about 300 other organizations and individuals who offered expert views on the implications to the City of Toronto of significant cuts to municipal programs and services as identified by the Core Services Review. Scores of video-deputations from the marathon meeting of the city’s executive committee meeting on July 28 and 29 […]
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"All Cuts Aren’t Created Equal": Wellesley Weighs In On the Core Service Review with an Editorial in The Toronto Star
In an editorial in The Toronto Star online, Wellesley Institute’s Rick Blickstead looks at the health implications of the proposed service cuts at the City of Toronto and advises readers that cuts come with a price that must be considered. As we build the future of the city, Torontonians need to think about the kind […]
Rushed Policy Process Leaves No Opportunity For Due Diligence
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While we understand the City’s fiscal pressures, the Wellesley Institute has concerns about the compressed nature of this year’s budget cycle. Typically, the City budget process continues at least through the fall, allowing the City to more effectively dovetail its budget deliberations with those of the federal and provincial levels of government. This new timeframe […]
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Poverty is major health risk: Primary health care providers need to take action
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Primary health care providers should take “significant action on poverty as a health risk, while simultaneously working toward higher level systemic changes to reduce the impact of poverty on health” – that’s one of the conclusions of a new qualitative study on poverty and health in the latest edition of the peer-reviewed BMC Family Practice […]
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City Building at Whose Expense? Planning for equity
City planning is a complex and multi faceted undertaking that requires much collaboration between public and private stakeholders – it is an opportunity for policy makers to shape a space that fosters community, health, and equality. To this end, crafting cityscapes is a task that requires dialogue, careful planning, and dedicated consideration of local priorities.
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