BC Regional Socio-Economic Profiles & Indices	For more information contact Karen Kirby (250) 356-7870

Important Note:

Because of revised population estimates, comparisons to past editions are not possible.

Socio-Economic Profiles

The profiles consist of charts and tables for the 26 Regional Districts, 86 Local Health Areas, 16 Health Service Delivery Areas, 5 Health Authorities, 8 Development Regions, and 15 College Regions within the Province of British Columbia. Also included are the special geographies of the Georgia, Fraser, and Columbia Basins.

Each region contains the following information:

1. Map and communities
2. Demographic profile
3. Economic hardship
4. Labour market structure
5. Education concerns
6. Crime
7. Health problems
8. Children at risk
9. Youth at risk

The data is presented in a format that allows comparison to other regions in the province and to B.C. overall.

Socio-Economic Indices

The socio-economic indices summarize social and economic conditions over a wide variety of indicators into a single composite index for each region within the province. When viewed together, these indices provide a summary measure of the relative successes and challenges across all regions of the province. The indices are intended only to flag regions that may be experiencing higher levels of socio-economic stress relative to neighbouring areas. By themselves they don't tell us why a particular community or region is doing poorly or well, but rather form a necessary first step in determining the causal factors underlying the observed conditions.

The Indicators

Four basic indicators of regional hardship are presented, each a composite of a weighted combination of three or four variables. These four indicators are:

• Index of Human Economic Hardship
• Index of Crime
• Index of Health Problems
• Index of Education Concerns

Two additional indicators highlighting target groups are also presented:

• Children at Risk
• Youth at Risk

A final summary of the six indicators is presented as the:

• Overall Regional Socio-Economic Index

In addition to the data variables that compose the six indicators, supplementary data variables have been compiled for background information, but have not been directly included in the calculation of the index. Click here for a complete list of the data variables that make up the various indices.

For a report describing the methodology and data sources used in the calculation of the various indices click here.

For research papers, background, and external review, click here.

For a glossary of terms, click here.

Notes

New Edition: April 2009

Sponsors

The profiles and indices are produced by BC Stats with funding support from the:

• Ministry of Community Development,
• Ministry of Children and Family Development,
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development,
• the Office of the Provincial Health Officer,
• Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation,
• Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.