An inquiry into community quality of life was carried out within a framework that recognizes the complex relationship between community structures and individual well-being. Through use of focus groups and key informant interviews, community members, service providers, and elected representatives in a Toronto community considered aspects of their community that affected quality of life. Community members identified strengths of access to amenities, caring and concerned people, community agencies, low-cost housing, and public transportation. Service providers and elected representatives recognized diversity, community agencies and resources, and presence of culturally relevant food stores and services as strengths. At one level, findings were consistent with emerging concepts of social capital. At another level, threats to the community were considered in relation to the hypothesized role neo-liberalism plays in weakening the welfare state.

Community members, service providers, and elected representatives in two Toronto communities were asked to identify community factors influencing the health of community members. Many of the identified barriers to health related to government policies and actions. Cutbacks in federal transfers to provinces and provincial cutbacks in funding for agencies, reductions in social assistance, ending of new social housing, and other policy changes were seen as negatively impacting the health of the community and its members. These perceptions were remarkably consistent with emerging findings concerning the determinants of health. Implications for public health practice were considered.

An approach that considers community quality of life is described. The approach draws upon recent developments in health promotion and quality of life, and applies these concepts within a community-based health promotion framework. The approach draws upon developments in the social indicators and urban quality areas, as well as contemporary Healthy Cities and population health work. It operates within the naturalistic or qualitative inquiry paradigm and strives to be community based through use of a participatory and collaborative methodology. Community members, service providers and elected representatives within Two Metropolitan Toronto communities were asked to consider community factors that affect community members' quality of life. Their statements and comments were analysed to identify themes. These findings were used to construct case studies of each community. The value of our methodology is considered, and initial findings presented.