A spokesperson for Southern Health says this is now considered one of the healthiest regions in Manitoba. Ales Morga says each regional health authority today released its Community Health Assessment, and the results show this region has among the highest life expectancies and the lowest mortality rates in the province. Morga says men in Southern Health live on average to 79 years of age and women to 84. In both cases, that is one year longer than the provincial average.

The Community Health Assessment is a 387-page document. According to Morga, it paints a picture of the health of residents living in the region.

The report shows this region is well above average on several health outcomes, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, potentially avoidable deaths, and total respiratory morbidity. A major finding around end-stage kidney disease suggests Southern Health will experience the highest provincial increase for renal therapies by 2024.

According to Morga, within Southern Health there is a wide income gap between the highest and lowest districts. She points to the area around Portage as being one of the poorest districts with a median household income of $42,000. Compare to that the area around the Rural Municipality of McDonald, where the median household income is $94,000. And, according to the report, income is the most important social determinant of health.

"What we've noticed is that within our region the areas that have the poorer health outcomes are also the areas that have the lowest income," says Morga. "While the eastern area, so Steinbach surrounding areas has some of the best outcomes and also the highest incomes."

The median household income for the entire region is about $60,000, which is similar to the provincial average.

When it comes to population, the Community Health Assessment offers the following statistics:

204,274 residents lived in the region in 2018. The population is expected to grow to 250,000 by 2030. Southern Health has a slightly younger population than the provincial average. The largest population growth is in districts surrounding Winnipeg and the cities of Morden and Winkler.

In terms of demographics:

13 percent of residents are identified as Indigenous.4 percent identify themselves as a visible minority.11 percent of the population knows French well enough to conduct a conversation. German is the leading non-official language spoken most often at home. The leading countries where immigrants were born are 1) Mexico, 2) Germany, 3) the Philippines, 4) Russian Federation and 5) the United States.

Other facts:

15 percent of households live in low income. Southern Health has the lowest unemployment rate in the province. Teen pregnancy rates are lower than the provincial average and dropping. 58 percent consider themselves regular drinkers. Southern Health has the lowest percentage of smokers in the province. 51 percent consider themselves physically active. 6 percent of residents report food insecurity.