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Inventory of Community Data Sources
Criteria for Inclusion
To be included in this inventory, Canadian databases had to meet the following five criteria:
- The database must contain social data. The definition of social data which has been used here is the list of 10 indicator areas (plus demographic and background information) developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for their Quality of Life Reporting System. This framework has been evolving since 1999 and represents outcome measures for ongoing and emerging issues at the municipal level. The 10 indicator areas include:
- Affordable, Appropriate Housing;
- Civic Engagement/ Social Capital;
- Community and Social Infrastructure;
- Education;
- Employment;
- Local Economy;
- Natural Environment;
- Personal and Community Health;
- Personal Financial Security;
- Personal Safety.
- Data must be available at the sub-provincial level (e.g., CMA/CA/health region/community)
- The database must cover either all of Canada, or the 10 provinces, or a complete province.
- The database must be updated regularly. If it is a survey, it should be repeated at regular intervals.
- Mechanisms are in place to provide data either through regular publication of the data or through a service to respond to custom requests for information.
Dissemination models for regional/community/neighbourhood data have been developed in several other countries. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand have databases which can be searched for information from a variety of sources for specific (small) geographic areas. These models are worth examining to see which features would be most desirable in developing a model for Canada.
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