Thunder Bay Counts has released its first progress report to the community.
Over the last two years, hundreds of people have shared with us their concerns about local issues, as well as their hopes for the future of their city. The report provides a snapshot of where Thunder Bay is today within areas that impact some of the key social issues that face our city.
This report provides key statistics to help raise public awareness around local issues; they may challenge assumptions and hopefully start much needed conversations. This report is meant to inspire the community to take action by working together on these issues.
We all know there are urgent social issues requiring action in Thunder Bay.
Many groups are working on these issues, but there is a need to link groups together to achieve collective results.
Thunder Bay Counts is that linking mechanism. “The well-being of people cannot be determined by or assigned to any one organization or level of government,” says Sandra Albertson, Director of Community Impact, United Way of Thunder Bay. “We are all Thunder Bay Counts, and the whole community must share the responsibility to make our community all it can be”.
Thunder Bay Counts is also a tool for knowledge-building and action. It will measure, mobilize, monitor and communicate the progress of our community’s work over time.
Thunder Bay Counts has worked extensively with the community to create a Shared Agenda for Change that outlines agreed upon goals: a community free from effects of poverty; an inclusive connected community; a prosperous, vibrant economy. These goals are cross-cutting.
They matter to business leaders, to local politicians, to non-profit groups, to researchers, and to ordinary people. The progress report that we are launching today pulls together key statistics that give us a sense of how Thunder Bay is doing with respect to these three goals.
Thunder Bay Counts has also released full reports on their work: Thunder Bay Counts Shared Agenda for Change and Selecting Community Level Indicators for Thunder Bay: Technical Report. These reports are available on the Thunder Bay Counts website: www.thunderbaycounts.ca
