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Windsor-Essex’s 2021 Vital Signs Report Released

Windsor-Essex’s 2021 Vital Signs Report has been released to the community. While the report reflects a consistency in grades within most areas this year, it shows our community thinks “we are doing okay” when it comes to the quality of life in Windsor-Essex.

“This is the ninth Vital Signs Report that the WindsorEssex Community Foundation (WECF) has released to the community, enabling us to track trends overtime. Stated Lisa Kolody, Executive Director. “The Vital Signs® Report outlines where the needs and strengths are in Windsor-Essex, what the community priorities are, and it helps us determine where we can have the greatest impact locally. We hope the 2021 Vital Signs® Report informs and inspires dialogue and collaboration to further our collective efforts to build healthy communities.”

Lisa Kolody, Executive Director of the WECF

Some of the Top Priorities identified in Vital Signs 2021 Report include:

• Providing a living wage to employees;
• Improving access to mental health programs and services;
• Improving the affordability of housing;
• Expanding social programing for at-risk individuals; and
• Creating a regional transportation system connecting Windsor & Essex County

Under the What You Said section in the 2021 Vital Signs Report:

• 54% of survey respondents said that we’re on the right track/ we’re doing okay but could be doing better when asked if Windsor-Essex offers access to nutritious food at affordable prices.
• 56% of survey respondents said that we’re on the right track / we’re doing okay when it comes to people in Windsor-Essex actively volunteering and / or donating to charities.
• 47% of survey respondents said that we’re on the right track / we’re doing okay when it comes to both educational and employment opportunities for newcomers in Windsor-Essex.
• 68% of youth said that we’re on the right track / we’re doing okay when asked if arts and cultural events are accessible to youth in Windsor-Essex.
• 87% of respondents said that Lake Erie’s health is extremely important / moderately important.; and
• 87% of respondents said that in general I am happy always / most of the time.

Vital Signs is a community resource that builds knowledge, informs grant making, and identifies strategic priorities. Find out what makes Windsor-Essex a great place to live, work, play and grow. This is the ninth year the WindsorEssex Community Foundation has published a Vital Signs Report.

The report is available to read or download. Read it online today or print a copy!

Vital Signs is a national program led by community foundations and coordinated by Community Foundations of Canada that leverages local knowledge to measure the vitality of our communities and supports action towards improving our quality of life. Started by the Toronto Community Foundation in 2001, Communities across Canada and around the world use Vital Signs® to mobilize the power of community knowledge for local impact.

The WindsorEssex Community Foundation, originally founded in 1983 as Heritage Windsor, is a perpetual community trust for philanthropic purposes. It exists to manage donors’ legacy funds and make grants to support local community programs. Through grant making activities, the WECF is able to establish partnerships to assist a broad range of community organizations.