Find out the latest news from the Happiness Index Partnership

A new report on the health of people living in the Capital Region highlights those factors that contribute to good health and how they relate to overall well-being. The report shows that income is the most important determinant of health, and that health is an important determining factor of well-being or life satisfaction. However, some people report high levels of life satisfaction despite poor health.  Read the Health Contributor report now.   

Background
As a result of Victoria's Vital Signs, the Foundation came to host and facilitate a Community Indicator Network made up of organizations that are collecting and/or reporting indicators on Greater Victoria. As a result of this network, eight organizations agreed to partner together to establish the Greater Victoria Happiness Index Partnership. Members of the Partnership include: the Capital Regional District, City of Victoria, Community Council, BC Ministry of Healthy Living, United Way, University of Victoria, Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Victoria Foundation. Our first endeavour as a group was to carry out a well-being survey in the region to determine a Happiness Index for Victoria. Read the report here.

What’s a Happiness Index?
The well-being survey, which was a random-sample statistically valid survey of residents of the Capital Region, measured a series of well-being and life satisfaction factors that came together to provide a Happiness Index.
 
Why was it carried out?
The results of this survey will provide guidance to local organizations interested in improving the level of well-being people experience here in the Capital Region. This study is the first of its kind in Canada and joins a growing trend around the world to view wellness as a critical component to successful, vibrant communities where the aspirations of individuals are valued, their needs addressed and their engagement in community affairs encouraged and facilitated.

Why get involved?
We all got involved in this study because it is an important, first step in helping like-minded organizations work together to improve the wellness of our region.

Will it be annual?
We hope to repeat this survey in future years allowing us to monitor the progress our community is making in enhancing wellbeing.

Who got the survey?
A random sampling of 10,000 Capital Region residents were invited to participate in the survey in the fall of 2008.

Who's compiling the results?
The results were entered into a computer by staff at BC Stats. The initial data analysis was carried out by the Public and Population Health Observatory at VIHA and research staff at the Community Council.

When will the results be announced?
A news release was issued on February 25, 2009 as HIP released the official results of the well-being survey. All individual responses shall remain anonymous and no individual level data will ever be distributed in any way. The results indicated that the citizens of the region rate highly on an international scale used to measure happiness.

A number of agencies and organizations are expected to use these results in setting priorities in the years ahead. Future surveys will inform us about the progress that we are making in improving our sense of wellbeing.

Take the online version of the well-being survey now! 

Read the Happiness Booklet which was created to stimulate discussion and questions around happiness. Find out more information about the sources and references included in the booklet.

Please note all requests for the use of any or all data from the well-being survey are to be sent  via email to info@victoriafoundation.bc.ca with Data Use Request in the subject line.