The ability to thrive involves more than just physical health. Social and economic needs are important facets of health and well-being that are often overlooked in current policy approaches. Connecting with ones’ community and family, investing in education and employment, and building financial security are essential for achieving good health across the life course.
The collective responsibility for creating a thriving city is therefore shared: individuals, communities, employers, and public services each play a role in creating a social environment that allows people to live full, healthy lives.
This paper aims to define the costs of thriving in the GTA building on the Thriving in the City: A Framework for Income and Health work. The cost of thriving provides a way to understand the gap between the current environment and one that allows everyone to thrive, and can be a starting point for a broader conversation about what is really needed to improve health and health equity in the GTA.