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 2025 Federal Election series laid out our recommendations for what federal parties can do to advance health equity in three key areas: thriving – policies that will help ensure everyone has what they need to live a healthy life, live in healthy housing and afford healthy food. Below, we examine the parties’ commitments on thriving […]
Continue Reading2025 Federal Election series: Analysis of party platforms on thriving
We are not all equal when it comes to climate change. The impacts are and will be disproportionately felt by poorer countries, poorer people, youth and marginalized groups such as those who are homeless, have chronic illnesses and Indigenous and Black populations. Focusing our climate change response efforts on these groups offers the best route […]
Continue ReadingLifting society in the face of the climate crisis
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.
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. Our first three in the series examined housing, transit, and mental health. Finally, we’re examining how candidates can improve health equity by […]
This study aims to add to the knowledge on evictions in Toronto in three ways. First, it describes the numbers and rates of formal eviction applications in Toronto 2010-2018. Second, it maps their geographic distribution. Third, it correlates formal eviction application filing rates with census tract sociodemographics of renter households from the 2016 Census to […]
Continue ReadingForced Out: Evictions, Race, and Poverty in Toronto Download PublicationForced Out- Evictions, Race, and Poverty in Toronto
Poverty Is A Health Issue: Wellesley Institute Submission On The Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy Living on a low income affects people’s lives in many ways. It can mean having fewer opportunities to fully participate in important day-to-day activities like work and education. But living on a low income can also contribute to having poorer health […]
Continue ReadingPoverty Is A Health Issue Download PublicationPoverty Is A Health Issue: Wellesley Institute Submission On The Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy
Last year the Metcalf Foundation released a report on working poverty in Toronto. It found that 113,000 people were living in working poverty in the Toronto region in 2005, a 42% increase from 2000. The report findings indicate that people living in working poverty most commonly work in sales and service occupations; work comparable number […]
Continue ReadingRising Inequality, Declining Health Download PublicationRising Inequality, Declining Health: Health Outcomes And The Working Poor
The Wellesley Institute has a long been committed to strengthening community-based research and, as part of this commitment, we fund a number of CBR initiatives by grass-roots organizations across the city of Toronto. One such initiative is Access Alliance’s income security, race and health research work out of which “Working Rough, Living Poor: Employment and […]
Continue ReadingWorking Rough, Living Poor Download PublicationWorking Rough, Living Poor: Employment And Income Insecurities Faced By Racialized Groups And Their Impacts On Health
This new research explores alternatives to shared housing as a transitional strategy for Toronto’s chronically homeless population, and exposes a fragmented and confusing system that lacks a focus in developing long term, sustainable strategies for integration into the community. Jacques Tremblay demonstrates homelessness as a health and housing problem, and calls for inter-agency cooperation and […]
Continue ReadingKeeping The Homeless Housed: An Exploratory Study Of Determinants Of Homelessness In The Toronto Community Download PublicationKeeping The Homeless Housed: An Exploratory Study Of Determinants Of Homelessness In The Toronto Community
The release of the Ontario government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy on December 4, 2008, marks a significant change from the terrible policies and practices of the past 15 years that have punished people who are poor for their poverty. The Wellesley Institute has released a detailed backgrounder that examines what’s in the latest announcement and sets out […]
Continue ReadingOntario’s New Poverty Reduction Plan Provides Solid Foundation Download PublicationOntario Starts To Attack Poverty, Instead Of The Poor Backgrounder
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.