** New Date** Are we beyond a reliance on GDP? An overview of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing

GDP was never intended to measure our social progress yet it continues to be used to reflect how well we are doing as a nation. In this presentation, the development and evolution of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) is described, which provides Canadians with an alternative to GDP and argues that we should focus on the wellbeing of Canadians as a way of reducing inequities in quality of life. The Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) provides unique insights into the quality of life of Canadians and the communities in which they live both overall and in eight specific domains that matter to wellbeing: our standard of living, the quality of our environment, our health, our education, the way we use our time, the vitality of our communities, our participation in the democratic process, and in leisure and culture. By using two strategies of research to assess and track wellbeing over time – a social indicators approach and a subjective wellbeing approach using a community-based survey – the CIW embraces a collaborative process of engagement with organisations, communities, and citizens to facilitate the transition of research into action and social change. The results of these efforts have revealed the many systemic factors associated with our wellbeing that provide insights into potential strategies and policy directions for reducing wellbeing inequities. In this way, the CIW helps ensure all Canadians have equal access to opportunities and experiences that enrich and contribute to their and their communities’ quality of life, something that a reliance on GDP cannot do.