The Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) can be used to understand inequities in health and other social problems related to health among either population groups or geographic areas across Ontario. ON-Marg is multifaceted, allowing researchers and policy and program analysts to explore multiple dimensions of marginalization in urban and rural Ontario. ON-Marg combines a wide range of area-level census indicators into four distinct dimensions of marginalization in Ontario.
For the 2021 Index, community consultations were undertaken to update the four dimension names, which were changed to avoid deficit-based language and more closely reflect the census measures associated with each dimension. The names have changed as follows:
- Material Resources (previously called ‘Material Deprivation’): Includes indicators such as % unemployment and % without a high school degree.
- Households and Dwellings (previously called 'Residential Instability’): Includes indicators such as % living alone and % dwellings not owned.
- Age and Labour Force (previously called ‘Dependency’): Includes indicators such as % seniors and % not participating in the labour force.
- Racialized and Newcomer Populations (previously called ‘Ethnic Concentration’): Includes indicators such as % recent immigrants (last 5 yrs).
| Timeline of ON-Marg Data Creation | ON-Marg | ON-Marg Neighbourhoods |
Maps |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 2021 Ontario Marginalization Index was created jointly by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital and Public Health Ontario. | 2021 | 2021* | Maps |
| The 2016 and 2011 Ontario Marginalization Indices were created jointly by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital Public Health Ontario. | 2016, 2011 | ||
| The 2016 Ontario Marginalization Index for Central LHIN Neighbourhoods was created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital. | 2016 * | Maps | |
| The 2016 and 2011 Ontario Marginalization Indices for Toronto Neighbourhoods were created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital. | 2016 *, 2011 * | Maps | |
| The 2006 Marginalization Index was created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital and McMaster University. | 2006 | 2006 * | Maps |
| The 2001 Marginalization Index was created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital and McMaster University. | 2001 | ||
| * Asterisk indicates there are maps available for this content | |||
Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) — 2021 update is now available!USER GUIDE AND DATA
The Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) — 2021
User Guide:
ON-Marg User Guide 2021
(Outlines everything you need to know about using ON-Marg to complete your own analyses.)
Download the ON-Marg data 2021:
Download 2021 ON-Marg
Citation:
Matheson FI (Unity Health Toronto), Moloney G (Unity Health Toronto), van Ingen T (Public Health Ontario). 2021 Ontario marginalization index: user guide. Toronto, ON: St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto); 2023. Joint publication with Public Health Ontario.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) — 2016 and 2011 update is now available!INTRODUCTION
The Ontario Marginalization Index
How can researchers, community agencies and policy-makers find out more about the relationship between our neighbourhoods and our health?
The Ontario Marginalization Index allows you to explore how factors like residential instability and material deprivation are concentrated at local level and how this is affecting health outcomes.
The 2016 and 2011 Ontario Marginalization Indices were created jointly by researchers researchers MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital andat Public Health Ontario.Public Health Ontario and MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital.
The 2016 update to ON-Marg exclusively uses data from Statistics Canada's 2016 Census of Population to determine the dimensions of marginalization and to calculate the factor scores and quintiles.
The 2011 update to ON-Marg combines data from several sources including: Statistics Canada Taxfiler data, Municipal Property Assessment Corporation data, the Registered Persons Database, and the Immigration Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Permanent Resident Database.
Data is available at the local and neighbourhood-level as well as larger geographies such as Public Health Units and Local Health Integration Networks.
The 2011 and 2016 iterations of the Ontario Marginalization Index: updates, consistency and a cross-sectional study of health outcome associations.
USER GUIDE and DATA
The Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) — 2016
User Guide:
ON-Marg User Guide 2016
(Outlines everything you need to know about using ON-Marg to complete your own analyses.)
Download the ON-Marg data 2016:
Download 2016 ON-Marg
Citation:
Matheson FI, van Ingen T. 2016 Ontario marginalization index. Toronto, ON: St. Michael’s Hospital; 2018. Joint publication with Public Health Ontario.
Matheson et al. "Development of the Canadian Marginalization Index: a new tool for the study of inequality." Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2012;103(Suppl. 2):S12-S16. English, Français
User Guide:
ON-Marg User Guide 2011
(Outlines everything you need to know about using ON-Marg to complete your own analyses.)
Download the ON-Marg data 2011:
Download 2011 ON-Marg
Citation:
Matheson, FI; Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). 2011 Ontario marginalization index. Toronto, ON: St. Michael’s Hospital; 2017. Joint publication with Public Health Ontario.
Matheson et al. "Development of the Canadian Marginalization Index: a new tool for the study of inequality." Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2012;103(Suppl. 2):S12-S16. English, Français
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Technical DocumentBackground information on ON-Marg methodology, data sources and how the different dimensions were calculated.
ON-Marg FAQsReferences the most common questions asked to help you use ON-Marg.
Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) — 2006, 2001INTRODUCTION
The Ontario Marginalization Index
How can researchers, community agencies and policy-makers find out more about the relationship between our neighbourhoods and our health?
The Ontario Marginalization Index allows you to explore how factors like residential instability and material deprivation are concentrated at local level and how this is affecting health outcomes.
ON-Marg (2006 and 2001) was created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s and McMaster University.
Citation:
Matheson et al. "Development of the Canadian Marginalization Index: a new tool for the study of inequality." Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2012;103(Suppl. 2):S12-S16. English, Français
USER GUIDE and DATA
The Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) — 2006, 2001
User Guide:
ON-Marg User Guide 2006
Download the ON-Marg data and Geographic Crosswalk 2006, 2001:
DA & CT ON-Marg Data, 2006
DA & CT ON-Marg Data, 2001 Geographic Crosswalk, 2006
Geographic Crosswalk, 2001
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Additional Resources:
Overview of the Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg), 2012
Centre for Research on Inner City Health (CRICH). RESEARCH FLASH, 2012
Who’s using ON-Marg?
For more about the impact the Ontario Marginalization Index (On-Marg) is having on program design and policy development in Ontario, read case studies from:
Hospital for Sick Children
Peel Public Health
Public Health Ontario
Our Kids Network Toronto Catholic District School Board
City of Toronto Neighbourhoods Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) 2021, 2016, 2011, 2006OH Central Local Areas Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) 2021
Ontario Central LHIN Neighbourhoods Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) 2016
INTRODUCTION
The Ontario Marginalization Index
How can researchers, community agencies and policy-makers find out more about the relationship between our neighbourhoods and our health?
The Ontario Marginalization Index allows you to explore how factors like residential instability and material deprivation are concentrated at local level and how this is affecting health outcomes.
The Ontario Marginalization Index (2016, 2011, 2006) for Toronto Neighbouhoods was created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s.
The Ontario Marginalization Index (2016) for Central LHIN Neighbouhoods was created by researchers at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s.
Citation:
Matheson FI, van Ingen T. 2016 Ontario marginalization index. Toronto, ON: St. Michael’s Hospital; 2018. Joint publication with Public Health Ontario.
Matheson et al. "Development of the Canadian Marginalization Index: a new tool for the study of inequality." Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2012;103(Suppl. 2):S12-S16. English, Français
USER GUIDE, DATA and MAPS
The Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) for Neighbourhoods — 2021, 2016, 2011 and 2006
User Guides:
ON-Marg User Guide 2021
ON-Marg User Guide 2016
ON-Marg User Guide 2011
ON-Marg User Guide 2006Outlines everything you need to know about using ON-Marg to complete your own analyses.
Download the ON-Marg Toronto 2021, 2016, 2011 and 2006 data:
Toronto Neighbourhoods, ON-Marg Data, 2021 Toronto Neighbourhoods, ON-Marg Data, 2016 Toronto Neighbourhoods, ON-Marg Data, 2011 Toronto Neighbourhoods, ON-Marg Data, 2006City of Toronto ON-Marg maps:
ON-Marg Toronto Neighbourhoods Maps 2021 ON-Marg Toronto Neighbourhoods Maps 2016, 2011, 2006Download the ON-Marg OH Central 2021 data and maps:
OH Central, ON-Marg Data and maps, 2021Download the ON-Marg Central LHIN 2016 data:
Central LHIN Neighbourhoods, ON-Marg Data, 2016Central LHIN ON-Marg maps:
ON-Marg Central LHIN Neighbourhoods Maps 2016
CONTACT US
Contact for more information or Sign up for New Content alerts: HealthProfiles@smh.ca
How to cite this website:
Ontario Community Health Profiles Partnership; www.ontariohealthprofiles.ca; Accessed on: February 27, 2025