Overview of the System of Community Accounts

Up To and Beyond Stiglitz

Doug MayAlton HollettRobert Reid

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*Memorial University** Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Analytical Framework of the Community Accounts

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Well-Being Accounts in SCA

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Well-Being

Consumption/Income Relationships

Environment

Health

CommunityWork

Education Society Time

Demographics

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Production Economy

Income, Consumption,

Leisure

Social Relationships

Health

Community Safety & Social

Vitality

Society Culture, Politics and Justice

Employment

Capital Stock

Knowledge R&D

Engineering Infrastructure

Services

Materials

Plant & Buildings

Machinery

Natural Resources

Eco-System

Education

Demographics

Human Capital

From The

Well-Being

To

Eco-System

An integrated set of social and economic baseline data and indicators for:

– 400 communities

– 215 NL neighborhood areas

– Many other geographies

What Are the Community Accounts?

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Use of Community Accounts is Changing – from “Sharing Numbers to Sharing Knowledge”

Use of Community Accounts is Changing – from “Sharing Numbers to Sharing Knowledge”

Production Accounts - Relating Production Processes in an Economy to People & Their Lives – Going Beyond GDP

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Identifying Differences is Key to Understanding our Communities & How They Work

Identifying Differences is Key to Understanding our Communities & How They Work

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Google Mapping – “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”Google Mapping – “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”

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Are rural communities independent of each other?

Sub-Provincial Labour Market Areas

Are rural communities independent of each other?

Sub-Provincial Labour Market Areas

• The Newfoundland and Labrador Market Basket Measure (NLMBM) of Low Income is an adaptation of a national measure to better reflect our province and increase reliability.

• Reflects variation in the cost of the market basket between communities.

• Income data is derived from the tax file not a survey. • uses entire population (i.e., no issues of sampling error/reliability)

• Enables us to provide data and indicators for all geographies.• province, regions, communities, neighbourhoods• family, gender, age

• Supports policy development such as;• Poverty Reduction Strategy• Social Housing Development Strategy• Labrador Northern Strategic Plan• City of St. John’s Public Transit Study

NL Market Basket Measure of Low Income - Data to Inform What is Happening Within Communities

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The Pictures Take our Users “Beyond Numbers”The Pictures Take our Users “Beyond Numbers”

Q: What is the impact of an increase in income on the quality of life?

Answer : Increase in income results in improvements to quality of life.

Measuring How Factors Contribute to Well-Being General Model of the Determinants of Quality of Life

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How we support our users• On-line data analysis tools• Graphics to inform and help interpret data• Feedback line through contact us• Training

– One on One training sessions in all parts of the Province– On-Line training modules/U-tube videos

• Latest releases information – users can join the e-mail distribution

• Custom data requests and mapping work utilizing data domains

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• Newer measures of low incomes such as the MBM and the use of Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke measure of the poverty incidence, gap and severity.

• Estimating indicators for communities that currently only exist at a more aggregate level (developing small area estimation algorithms).

• Gapminder “Motion Charts” to show relationships and dynamics.

• User determined aggregation weights to determine well-being.

New Work in Progress

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Examples of Uses of Community Accounts for Policy Decisions

Community Accounts population and infrastructure data was utilized in a location allocation project to determine the optimal location in the province for Motor Vehicle and Library Services

Latest H1N1 immunizations, we mapped the immunization rates by community based on the population data in the Community Accounts and the data collected by the health regions. The information was key to determining the opening and closing of new and existing clinics.

The Kids Eat Smart Program used the Community Accounts to access community data to assess community needs. This allowed them to determine their funding allocations to each community.

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• Seniors Well-Being groups use CA data as baseline community level info on seniors

• Ministers and Premiers briefing on communities

• Supports pre-Budget Consultations

• To develop indicators of need for Make Work projects. Development of a Labour Market Attractiveness Index for the province

• Tom Axtell, Project Coordinator National Aboriginal Health Organization – utilized Community Accounts in a session in Nain to gage the reaction to data and indicators by individuals from the community (Naasautit: Inuit Health Statistics, Inuit Tuttarvingat).

• Used by mayors, leaders and residents of communities for many purposes

• Is the “gold standard” for data in NL Government

• Seniors Well-Being groups use CA data as baseline community level info on seniors

• Ministers and Premiers briefing on communities

• Supports pre-Budget Consultations

• To develop indicators of need for Make Work projects. Development of a Labour Market Attractiveness Index for the province

• Tom Axtell, Project Coordinator National Aboriginal Health Organization – utilized Community Accounts in a session in Nain to gage the reaction to data and indicators by individuals from the community (Naasautit: Inuit Health Statistics, Inuit Tuttarvingat).

• Used by mayors, leaders and residents of communities for many purposes

• Is the “gold standard” for data in NL Government

Other Examples of Uses of CA Data

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• By using the Community Accounts, the Business Resource Centre in St. John’s is able to provide individuals and businesses with better information for those looking at starting a business

• Regional school boards use CA demographic information to make decisions regarding school amalgamation as populations of 5 to 18 year olds declined.

• Worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to include their districts so we can supply them with social and economic data for the regions they police.

• The St. John’s Boys and Girls Club use the neighbourhood data in the Community accounts to assess where to offer their programs in the city.

• By using the Community Accounts, the Business Resource Centre in St. John’s is able to provide individuals and businesses with better information for those looking at starting a business

• Regional school boards use CA demographic information to make decisions regarding school amalgamation as populations of 5 to 18 year olds declined.

• Worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to include their districts so we can supply them with social and economic data for the regions they police.

• The St. John’s Boys and Girls Club use the neighbourhood data in the Community accounts to assess where to offer their programs in the city.

Other Examples of Uses of CA Data

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• People will use more data when the Well-Being approach is used

• You can build a better mouse trap but you may still have to lead the mice to the trap

• As people become better informed needs change

• You have to provide support over the long term

• If you are not committed to the long term you may not see success

• People will use more data when the Well-Being approach is used

• You can build a better mouse trap but you may still have to lead the mice to the trap

• As people become better informed needs change

• You have to provide support over the long term

• If you are not committed to the long term you may not see success

Key Lessons Learned

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Thank You

For more information please visit:

www.communityaccounts.ca

For more information please visit:

www.communityaccounts.ca

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