Wellesley Institute

Wellesley Institute works in research and policy to improve health and health equity in the GTA through action on the social determinants of health.

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Federal Pre-Budget 2025 Submission: Time for vision and leadership on health equity

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Canadian flag waving with Parliament Buildings hill and Library in the background

Wellesley Institute submitted the following recommendations last week for Federal Budget 2025. Recommendation 1: Expand on previous funding targeting homelessness and provide a clear vision and public targets to end chronic homelessness within 10 years. Recommendation 2: Expand and reform existing income security programs, including Employment Insurance, Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. […]

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Pride Month highlights need to address 2SLGBTQ+ homelessness

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Young woman in the city with short hair

Pride Month is not only a time to celebrate 2SLGBTQ+ communities, but a call for more equitable policies across all sectors, from health to housing. Access to safe, stable and affordable housing is critical for good health. Recent government action on housing has largely focused on increasing housing affordability, while little is being done to […]

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Federal Budget 2024: Positive steps, but still no targets

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Tents in a park with a sign that says "Permanent solutions"

This year’s proposed federal budget takes some important steps forward on issues that are crucial to population health and health equity. In particular, we acknowledge that the government proposes to increase its investments in affordable housing and ending homelessness and is introducing funding for the Canada Disability Benefit, which will provide assistance to low-income persons […]

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Our response to Ontario Budget 2024

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Tents along University Avenue in Toronto

In our recommendations to the province on the 2024 Ontario Budget, Wellesley Institute called for a focus on homelessness. We urged the province to: put in place a plan to end homelessness in 10 years, make sure their general housing targets will lead to affordability and to lifting Ontarians out of homelessness, invest in enough […]

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City of Toronto Budget 2024: Our input

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Nathan Phillips Square with Toronto City Hall in the background at dusk

Although the City of Toronto 2024 budget takes bold steps toward supporting residents and advancing equity in key areas, there is much more work that needs to be done to build a city that is resilient, mentally healthy and equitable for all.

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Ontario Budget 2024: Urgent need to address homelessness

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Ontario flag on a flagpole against a blue sky

Wellesley Institute’s submission in advance of the provincial budget Wellesley Institute works in research and policy to improve health and health equity through action on the social determinants of health. We urge the government of Ontario to deliberately address and report upon many of the social determinants of health that are so costly in terms of […]

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Winter plan for people sheltering outdoors falls short

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A homeless man lying on a Toronto street in a sleeping bag while a street care passes by.

Cold weather can have a devastating impact on people who are homeless, leading to hypothermia, frostbite and even death. Adequate shelter spaces and a safe and dignified outdoor outreach strategy are critical to supporting people living outdoors.   The City of Toronto’s 2023 Winter Services Plan outlined steps to support those who are sheltering outdoors this […]

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Federal budget 2024: COVID highlights need for health equity

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Wellesley Institute’s Pre-Budget Written Submission Canada has significant inequities in the social determinants of health, including housing, income, education, discrimination and access to health and social care. We also continue to see these inequities played out through the ongoing disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and long COVID on Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities, low-income […]

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Removing language barriers for older adults in social housing: Turning research into action

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In Canada, 31 per cent of older adults are immigrants, and up to 50 percent are not fluent in either official language. For those with limited English proficiency, language is frequently a barrier when seeking or accessing health and community support services. This includes housing supports, where a lack of translation and interpretation supports could […]

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Toronto mayoral election series: Housing

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Photograph of a Toronto City flag blowing in the wind in front of city hall while the sun sets behind it.

Wellesley Institute is publishing a series examining how mayoral candidates can show leadership and deliver Toronto the Bold—a city that takes wellness, health and equity seriously to build a better future for every Torontonian, and that takes the lead on doing so. First, we examine housing, an issue we expect candidates will spend a great […]

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Acknowledgement of Traditional Land

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.