Guelph Community Foundation releases 2023 Vital Signs Report

The Guelph Community Foundation and Toward Common Ground released their 2023 Vital Signs report.

The report provides key indicators on the well-being of Guelph and the surrounding area, and this year it looks at the community’s sense of resiliency, income levels, housing challenges and more.

In a news release on Tuesday, this year’s report provides a focus on conversations with residents, businesses, community organizations, post-secondary schools and government leaders to take action.

The key findings in the report include that less than half of the youth reported high positive mental health scores last year.

As of October 2021, nearly 300 people in Guelph experienced homelessness and the city and County of Wellington pick up nearly 78,000 tonnes of household waste each year, with only half diverted from landfill.

Executive director of the Guelph Community Foundation Chris Willard, said a lot has changed in the community since the last report was published in 2018.

“While the report assists the Foundation in establishing granting priorities, we hope it will also generate discussion, inspire collaboration to work towards collective impact, and ultimately result in a healthier community and a better quality of life for all,” Willard said.

The city released the report in 2018 as baseline research and to prompt conversation as it worked together with partners and citizens to come up with its community plan.

The foundation’s 2023 report is part of a global program that’s engaged more than 100 communities across the country and the world to move the power of community knowledge for greater local impact.

In addition, the report is also intended to be an invitation to have important conversations about the community and guide actions toward improving it.