Wellesley Institute works in research and policy to improve health and health equity in the GTA through action on the social determinants of health.
Wellesley Institute’s New Normal is a vision of a better Canada, Ontario, and Greater Toronto Area where everyone thrives post-pandemic. In the lead-up to this provincial election we will examine issues raised in our New Normal blog series to see how the commitments of our leading political parties stack up. Do they seek to bring […]
Wellesley Institute’s New Normal is a vision of a better Canada, Ontario, and Greater Toronto Area where everyone thrives post-pandemic. In the lead-up to this provincial election we will examine issues raised in our New Normal series to see how the commitments of our leading political parties stack up. Do they seek to bring the […]
Wellesley Institute research has long demonstrated significant health disparities for low-income and racialized people. Like past crises, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified these disparities. Our pandemic response did not focus on equity – on helping the Ontarians who needed help the most. We must not make continue to make the same mistake. We need to ensure […]
Continue ReadingOntario budget 2022: A more equitable future, an equitable now
Our current approach to medication, dental care, and extended health coverage is leaving low-income, working-age Canadians behind – in particular racialized, immigrant, and female workers who face significant barriers to good jobs with benefits. With government programs (of varying levels of adequacy) targeted primarily at seniors, children from low-income families, and adults receiving social assistance, […]
COVID-19 vaccinations reduce our risk of infection, hospitalization, and death. It is heartening that 85 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and up (75 per cent of the population) have received their first dose. With rising case counts and the highly transmissible Delta variant gaining traction in Ontario, there is increased urgency to ensure as […]
Continue ReadingProof of vaccination in public settings: An equity lens
Canada has significant health inequities. Wellesley Institute research has shown that social factors such as housing, income, education, discrimination, and access to social supports, are vital for individual and community health as well as Canada’s economic growth. To build back better, to establish a new normal, inequities in the social determinants of health must be […]
Continue ReadingBudget submission 2022: Prioritizing health equity
Tooth decay is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases, rates of which disproportionately impact individuals with lower income, children and seniors. Tooth decay can result in pain, tooth loss, facial disfigurement, and impaired oral functioning. Several municipalities have stopped water fluoridation and others may be considering it. This will have adverse and inequitable health […]
Continue ReadingThe Real Cost Of Removing Water Fluoridation Download PublicationThe Real Cost Of Removing Water Fluoridation
Food insecurity – when people do not have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life at all time – is a problem for 7.7% of Canadian households. A new report by the Conference Board of Canada recommends that school-based meal programs need to be available in all Canadian schools […]
Continue ReadingSchool-Based Meal Programs To Counteract Food Insecurity?
What makes us sick is more than access to and quality of health care. The social determinants of health play a significant role. Today, the Canadian Medical Association released a report titled, Health Care in Canada: What Makes Us Sick?, based on its national dialogue gathered from a series of six public town halls across […]
Continue ReadingWhat Makes Us Sick? A Report By The Canadian Medical Association
A CBC article highlights the release of a new study revealing shocking rates of suicide in Nunavut, which, for the past four decades, has been ten times higher than the national average. On a global scale, suicide ranks among the top 20 causes of death, and a death caused by suicide occurs every 40 seconds. […]
Continue ReadingRates of Suicide 10x Higher in Nunavut than National Average
We wish to acknowledge this land on which the Wellesley Institute operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.
Revised by the Ceremonial Committee at the University of Toronto Office of Indigenous Initiatives in April 2021.