Media Advisory - 28 communities across Canada launch quality-of-life reports on October 7

OTTAWA, Sept. 30, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Community foundations in 28 communities across Canada are releasing their Vital Signs 2014 reports on Tuesday, October 7. Vital Signs is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that provides a comprehensive look at how our communities are faring in key quality-of-life areas.

"Vital Signs builds and shares knowledge so that our communities are better prepared to act on local priorities and opportunities," says Ian Bird, President of Community Foundations of Canada.

A total of 49 community foundations are involved in the Vital Signs program – either producing a report or acting on the findings of previous reports.  The communities releasing Vital Signs reports in 2014 are:

• British Columbia: Abbotsford, Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve Region, Cranbrook*, Golden*, Nanaimo*, Phoenix (Grand Forks), Shuswap*, Squamish, Sunshine Coast, Surrey*, Victoria
• Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta, Southeastern Alberta
• Saskatchewan: Regina*
• Manitoba: Winnipeg*
• Ontario: Huronia* (Simcoe County), Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Peterborough, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor
• Maritimes: Fredericton, Newfoundland and Labrador*, Nova Scotia

* Denotes the first time a community has published a Vital Signs report

Vital Signs partnerships extend program's reach
Community foundations from coast to coast are building partnerships to expand the reach and impact of Vital Signs at the local level.

• Victoria is working with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing and the Capital Regional District on a Community Wellbeing Survey to better understand quality of life in their community.
• Newfoundland and Labrador's first Vital Signs program is the result of a new collaboration with The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development at Memorial University.

Mobilizing community knowledge leading up to CKX Summit
Vital Signs is just one of the many collaborative activities taking place as part of the Community Knowledge Exchange (CKX), a new innovative approach to building and sharing community knowledge.

The Community Knowledge Exchange is bringing together partners from all sectors to explore how individuals, organizations and communities can use data, research and stories to spark social change leading to the inaugural CKX Summit in Toronto, November 19-21.

About Vital Signs
Vital Signs is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada. Vital Signs measures the vitality of communities in key areas, providing critical information that can help set priorities and identify opportunities for action.  Learn more at www.vitalsignscanada.ca.

Community Foundations of Canada is the national network for Canada's 191 community foundations, which help Canadians invest in building strong and resilient places to live, work, and play. Find out more at www.communityfoundations.ca.

SOURCE: Community Foundations of Canada

David Venn, Communications Manager, 613-236-2664 x 302, [email protected]