Wellesley Institute works in research and policy to improve health and health equity in the GTA through action on the social determinants of health.
What does it cost to live a healthy and thriving life in the GTA? If you’re a single, working-age adult, it ranges between $61,654 and $83,680, depending on whether you live in Toronto or the suburbs. This is far above what a minimum-wage and even a living-wage worker could earn. In order to thrive, single, […]
Continue ReadingThriving in the City: Single, working-age adults Download PublicationThriving in the City: Single, working-age adults
La pandemia del COVID-19 ha tenido un profundo impacto en las comunidades de toda el área metropolitana de Toronto (GTA), exacerbando las desigualdades existentes en servicios de salud, sociales y factores económicos. Entre los más afectados se encuentran las poblaciones históricamente marginadas, incluyendo comunidades racializadas, inmigrantes, refugiadas y personas recién llegadas. Los Latinoamericanos en Toronto, en particular, […]
Continue ReadingEl impacto de la pandemia del COVID-19 en la salud de la población latinoamericana de habla hispana en Toronto: Un análisis de desigualdades Download PublicationEl impacto de la pandemia del COVID-19 en la salud de la población latinoamericana de habla hispana en Toronto: Un análisis de desigualdades
This report presents the results of a needs assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on Spanish-speaking Latin Americans residing in the Greater Toronto Area. The need for this research was first identified by members of the Toronto Latin American COVID-19 Task Force in 2021 while advocating for the needs of communities most affected by the […]
Continue ReadingUnderstanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Toronto’s Spanish-speaking Latin American population Download PublicationAssessing Health Inequities: Understanding the Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Toronto’s Spanish-Speaking Latin American Population
A previous paper by Wellesley Institute on the healthcare experiences of people with long COVID in the Greater Toronto raised the importance of healthcare providers in supporting workers to access benefits, sick leave and income supports when needed. Reviews of qualitative research on long COVID have also identified financial hardship as a challenge for many […]
Continue ReadingWork experiences of people with long COVID in the GTA Download PublicationWork experiences of people with long covid in the GTA
The Black Health Plan was developed jointly by Ontario Health, the Wellesley Institute and the Black Health Alliance as a call to action to reduce disparities and advance equity in Ontario. It provides a template to inform planning and action for other populations facing systemic disadvantages. The plan is built along three pillars: the development […]
Continue ReadingA Black Health Plan for Ontario Download PublicationA Black Health Plan for Ontario
Globally, as many as 200 million individuals have experienced long-term health consequences of COVID-19. A recent study estimated that 1.4 million Canadian adults (14.8 per cent of those infected with COVID) would satisfy criteria for long COVID. Long COVID has many symptoms—including fatigue, memory problems, shortness of breath and pain—and is linked to reduced quality […]
Continue ReadingHealthcare experiences of people with long COVID in the GTA Download PublicationThe-Healthcare-Experiences-of-People-with-Long-COVID-in-the-GTA
The hotel and accommodations sector is one of the hardest-hit industries by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hotels have continued to provide frontline, labour-intensive services to the public throughout the pandemic while also experiencing historically low occupancy levels resulting in mass layoffs. This raises occupational health and safety concerns for workers still on the job as well […]
Continue ReadingMapping the impacts of COVID-19 on hotel workers in the GTA Download PublicationMapping the Impacts of COVID-19 on hotel workers
Evictions are a key source of housing instability for low-income older renters. This community is particularly vulnerable to evictions due to a complex interplay of financial, social, and health factors that place housing at-risk. While research suggests social housing may offer some protection against evictions, older adults may still be at risk, particularly for non-payment […]
Continue ReadingEnhancing eviction prevention supports for older adults in social housing Download PublicationEnhancing-eviction-prevention-supports-for-older-adults-in-social-housing
A previous Wellesley Institute study on formal eviction applications in Toronto found that areas with higher proportions of low-income households had 2.5 times higher eviction filing rates. Independent of this association, areas where more Black renters lived had rates that were two times higher. Building on previous work, this latest report explores how local service […]
Continue Reading“Fighting to keep your home in a community”: Understanding evictions through service provider and community leader perspectives in North York communities Download PublicationUnderstanding evictions through service provider and community leader persepctive in North York communities
This report focuses on older adult tenants with limited English proficiency who live in Toronto’s social housing. Many expressed challenges understanding tenant-related documents and announcements as they were often communicated in English. This made it difficult for tenants to engage with housing staff and participate in their community. For older tenants with limited English proficiency […]
Continue Reading“Can you send someone who speaks my language?” Language barriers among older adults living in Toronto’s social housing Download PublicationLanguage-barriers-among-older-adults-living-in-Torontos-social-housing
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.