VITAL SIGNS BRINGS COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE TO LIFE IN ONE LOCATION
The Sunshine Coast’s Vital Signs 2024 report mobilizes the power of community knowledge for greater local impact. It is the Foundation’s first full Vital Signs report in a decade, and it’s also our first report to the community since the COVID-19 pandemic and, in several ways, the first look at how the pandemic impacted the people of the Sunshine Coast.
The goal of our Vital Signs report is to highlight important issues and build community capacity by giving the public and decision-makers a sense of the Sunshine Coast’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as providing insight into aspects of life on the Coast they might not otherwise have known.
The information in this year’s Vital Signs report offers a launch pad for conversations among residents, businesses, community organizations, educational institutions, and government leaders to act and direct resources where they will have the greatest impact.
This year’s report has taken a deep dive into several key areas, including Economic Health, Environment, Housing, Low Income, Safety, Health and Wellness, Arts and Culture, and Learning.
Some key findings from the Vital Signs 2024 report are:
- The median age of Sunshine Coast residents is 56 (BC’s median age is 43).
- 1,303 jobs are supported by the tourism sector with an economic impact of $305.1 million.
- 32 wildfires reported on the Sunshine Coast and Powell River in 2023.
- 80% of the Sunshine Coast’s current housing stock is single detached homes.
- 639 households used the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society’s food bank in 2023.
- Local business break and enters up 81% over 2022.
- An estimated 7,000 community members are without a family doctor.
- Sechelt ranks 3rd across Canadian municipalities in the proportion of people making a living in the arts.
- The number of SD46 classes with an EA has increased from 138 to 383 in the last 10 years.
METHODOLOGY
This report was prepared by the Foundation’s Vital Signs team. The team determined the general areas to cover in the report, reviewed indicators that had been included in past reports that might be available to be updated, and considered possible new indicators which would help illustrate life on the Coast.
Team members consulted over 40 community experts in a wide variety of fields to gain insight into local achievements, issues and challenges and to canvas what local data might be available for inclusion in the report. They then researched and collected data from national, provincial and local sources, finalized the indicators and prepared the report.
Unless otherwise noted, SCRD (Sunshine Coast Regional District) refers to the entire Sunshine Coast including Gibsons, Sechelt and the shíshálh swiya.
DATA & SOURCES
Expanded indicators’ data tables, complete with data sources, are available using the links below:
- Our Community
- Housing
- Environment
- Economic Health
- Health & Wellness
- Safety
- Learning
- Low Income
- Arts & Culture
All previous Vital Signs publications produced by the Sunshine Coast Foundation are available here.
VITAL PEOPLE/VITAL CAUSES
Drawing on key data and themes from the Sunshine Coast’s Vital Signs 2024 report, we will share a Vital Person and Vital Cause with you on the first Friday of every month. Find the Vital People/Vital Causes features here:
July 2024: Mary Caros & Seniors
August 2024: Jane Davidson & Financial Stability for Charities
September 2024: David Stiles and Michelle Evelyn & Environment and Climate Change
October 2024: Volunteers in Marine Search and Rescue & Volunteering for the Safety of Others
November 2024: Robert (Bob) and Ellen Smith & Our Vulnerable Communities
December 2024: Bill Longman and Trudene Norman & Quality of life on the Coast
OUR VITAL SIGNS PARTNERS
We are grateful to the following funders for their support in bringing the Vital Signs 2024 report to fruition.
