Sense of meaning and purpose

Proportion of the population by level of feeling as if the things they do in life are worthwhile.

This indicator is measured in the Canadian Social Survey (CSS), the Survey Series on People and their Communities (SSPC) and the Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit (SSFNPMI). Survey respondents are asked:

Using a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 means "Not at all" and 10 means "Completely", to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?

Data on sense of meaning and purpose were collected at Statistics Canada for the first time in 2021 in order to fill a data gap identified by the Quality of Life Framework for Canada.

• Canadian Social Survey (CSS)
  • Table 13-10-0845-01 – Sense of meaning and purpose by gender and province
  • Table 13-10-0846-01 – Sense of meaning and purpose by gender and other selected sociodemographic characteristics
• Survey Series on People and their Communities (SSPC)
• Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit (SSFNPMI)

• Selected indicators of quality of life in Canada (Statistics Canada – Data Visualization Products)
• Sense of meaning and purpose in Canada (Statistics Canada – Infographics, March 30, 2022)

• Chinese New Year and quality of life among Chinese in Canada (StatsCAN Plus, January 24, 2023)
• Sense of meaning and purpose in Canada, October to December 2021 (The Daily, March 30, 2022)