In 2011, 81 per cent of Canadians lived in urban centres. Cities are the epicentres of arts and culture as well as hubs for business and economic growth, and as such they are important stakeholders in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Reporting on SDG indicators will ultimately happen at the national level, but it is the combined efforts of local level action that will allow us to monitor progress towards achieving the SDGs. The IISD data portal on indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provides a snapshot of the status of selected indicators in the Canadian context. The data has been compiled from several national and local Canadian data sources, and is being updated periodically as data becomes available.

The series Tracking the SDGs in Canadian Cities reviews data from 14 Canadian cities found on the IISD-SDG Indicator Portal. IISD has produced briefing notes for selected SDGs.

• The first brief in this series provides an overview of SDG 1—ending poverty in all its forms everywhere—across cities in Canada.

• The focus of the second brief is SDG 3, the health and well-being of all. While all Canadians are fortunate to have access to universal health care, cities still play an important role in ensuring equal access to health services and promoting health education and access to the essential services that improve the physical and mental well-being of all residents.

• The third brief focuses on SDG 8, which aims to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. The three primary components of this goal are to: improve employment and provide decent work and social protection for all; support green growth; and encourage sustainable tourism.