Vital Signs is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada. It measures the vitality of our cities, identifies significant trends, and assigns grades in areas critical to our quality of life. Vital Signs is coordinated nationally by Community Foundations of Canada.

How to Use it:

Start conversations. Take action. If you or your organization is moved or motivated by what you read, use this information as a starting point for positive action.

Pass it on. Share the information with your friends, colleagues, employees, students, a neighbour, library or community centre, or an elected official at any level.

Contact us. We know the issues and/or organizations in our community. If you are looking for ways to make a difference, we can help.

Find out more. Learn about the many organizations in our community working to make a difference, and see how you too can help.

Indicator Selection

Three factors determine the indicators that are published in Vital Signs each year:

1.    As part of a national initiative of 15 community foundations publishing Vital Signs reports this year, we all agree to publish one common indicator for cross-country comparison. This is generally the first indicator in each section.

2.    The results of an indicator survey that was publicly promoted and available in March of this year is the second factor that determines the indicators published. This represents what our community generally thinks is important to report on. Over 420 people responded to this on-line survey.

3.    The third factor is data availability – whether the data exists to report on the suggested indicator. Vital Signs uses existing data collected from a variety of national, provincial and local sources. The sources of indicators used in the 2008 Vital Signs are noted below each indicator on this site.

Principles of a Good Indicator

Once we know what data is available, the following principles are applied to final selection. The indicator:

•    Affects the well-being of the population;
•    Is of general relevance and interest to the population;
•    Is well defined, measurable and quantifiable;
•    Uses current data, preferably from one of the previous two years;
•    Has been used in previous Vital Signs, allowing us to show change;
•    Ranked in the top 10 in the indicator prioritization survey;
•    Provides contrast or a context that makes it easy to grade; and
•    Is easy to understand.

Our goal is to have as many of these principles as possible evident in the indicators published in Victoria’s Vital Signs.

Grading

The indicators used in Victoria’s Vital Signs have been graded using a 5-point scale. Grading was done through an on-line survey that was publicly promoted and available in July and August. Over 820 people responded to the survey. A profile of those people follows.

Grading Scale

Through an on-line survey available to the community, the following grades have been assigned to the indicators in this report.

In dire need of corrective action

Of concern, needs attention

Progress is being made

We’re doing well and headed in the right direction

Awesome! Victoria’s tops!

Grader Profile

Over 820 people participated in the on-line survey to grade Victoria’s Vital Signs. Of those who completed the grader profile:
•    73% were female;
•    49% were between the age of 35 and 54, 36% were over 55, and 15% were between 18 and 34;
•    39% have lived in Greater Victoria for more than 20 years and 10% have lived here for less than 3 years;
•    82% were new graders of Victoria’s Vital Signs.

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Where Victoria’s Vital Signs Graders Come From