Dynamic Societies and Social Change · 2005. 2. 4. · ED1 Education Levels ED2 Literacy Levels ED3...

QUALITY OF LIFE INCANADIAN COMMUNITIES

FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES

Dynamic Societies and

Social Change

T H E M E R E P O RT #2

FCM HAS LONG ARGUED THAT “partnership is the heartof the New Deal” and that a new intergovernmentalpartnership is essential to preserve and improve thequality of life in our communities.

This report from FCM’s Quality of Life ReportingSystem,“Dynamic Societies and Social Change,” supports that argument, finding that Canada’s municipalgovernments are facing a wave of dynamic and far-reaching social change and that many of the forcesaffecting urban communities are beyond their jurisdiction and capacities.

Among these forces are: a rapidly aging populationaccompanied by a rapidly growing population of children and youth; an expanding immigrant populationcontributing to growing cultural and linguistic diversity;a rapidly expanding population in prairie cities of youngAboriginal people; a shrinking labour force requiringever-increasing levels of education; and growing demandfor too few adequate and affordable childcare spaces.

Municipal governments, already struggling in the faceof shrinking resources and growing responsibilities, haveneither the means nor the jurisdiction to respond tothese changing conditions on their own. Federal andprovincial governments must adapt their policies andprograms that affect municipalities or risk damage toCanada’s quality of life.

This is why we say that a new intergovernmentalpartnership must be an essential part of the New Deal.Our hope is that, as governments sit down to make the New Deal a reality, the information in these reportswill help to inform the discussion and shape effectivepolicy action.

Our thanks go to the mayors and chairs of the 20 participating municipal governments for their support; to the FCM Standing Committee on SocialInfrastructure for its contribution; and to the membersof the Quality of Life Technical Team for their participa-tion in preparing the report.

Ann MacLeanPresident, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITIES and communities issupported by all orders of government workingtogether, with municipal governments playing a crucialrole. However, as this report shows, municipal govern-ments are faced with rapidly changing social and economic conditions that are frequently beyond theircapacities and outside their jurisdiction.

Many of the issues discussed in this report—labourmarkets, post-secondary education, immigration, healthcare,Aboriginal affairs—are not the direct responsibilityof municipal governments, but they do have a profoundimpact on community life.This impact then becomes aconcern of municipal governments.

One need only consider the impact of our rapidlygrowing urban populations of immigrants and youngAboriginals to see the intersection of federal, provincialand municipal government interests. Demographicforces, like those contributing to a rapidly aging population, although clearly beyond the control of anyorder of government, have a profound effect on ourcommunities and must be considered by policy makers.

However, jurisdictional issues frequently inhibit cooperation among orders of government, hinderingthem from achieving their objectives.The effects are feltmost immediately at street level by the people of ourcommunities, who look to their municipal governmentsfor assistance. Clearly, what’s needed is for governmentsto continue working together, but more effectively, andthat requires a new intergovernmental partnership.

This report clearly identifies the changing conditionsaffecting our communities. It also provides compellingevidence of the need for greater intergovernmentalcooperation, including significant and unsustainableinequities across Canada in the form of measurably different levels of unemployment, crime rates, educa-tional attainment, and access to childcare.

The purpose of the Quality of Life Research System(QOLRS) and this report is to provide citizens and policy makers with objective data on the quality of lifein our communities.We hope that this information willhelp persuade political leaders and policy makers in allorders of government of the urgent need to worktogether across jurisdictional lines to respond to a rapidly changing Canada.

My thanks to all those who assisted in the pre-paration of this report: FCM staff, the members of theQuality of Life Technical Team, and consultant MichelFrojmovic, Director of Acacia Consulting and Research.

Councillor Brenda HoggChair, Quality of Life Technical Team

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CHAIR’S MESSAGE

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FCM QOLRS INDICATORS

2 Figure 1 identifies the 72 indicators included in the Quality of Life Reporting System. Shaded cells refer to indicators falling under the theme of Dynamic Societies and Social Change.

FCM Quali ty o f Li fe Repor t ing Sys tem

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i

Summary and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii

Opportunities for the attainment of personal goals, hopes, and aspirations . . . . . . . . . . . . .iiiSupporting rich social interactions and the inclusion of all residents in community life . . . .ivImplications for municipal governments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iv

Part 1 | Demographic Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

An aging population accompanied by above-average growth in children and youth . . . . .2Immigration-led population growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Rapidly growing young urban Aboriginal population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Part 2 | The Changing Workforce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Declining unemployment and a shrinking labour force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Opportunities and challenges for the next generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7A narrowing gender divide in the labour force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Improved labour market inclusion for foreign-born Canadians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10An economically marginalized Aboriginal population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Part 3 | Trends in Civic Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Declining voter participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Participation of women in municipal politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Fewer volunteers providing more hours of service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Fewer charitable donors accounting for increased donations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Civic engagement and access to community space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Part 4 | Social Infrastructure for Children and Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Declining access to early childhood education and subsidized childcare . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Sustained investment in core elementary and secondary curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Continued declines in rates of functional illiteracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Evidence of decline in other areas of the public school systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Part 5 | Trends in Community Health, Stress and Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Improving indicators of health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Mixed improvements in community stress and mental health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Declining rates of crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

The following technical annexes are available in the Quality of Life Reporting System section of FCM’s Web site at http://www.fcm.ca:

Annex 1 Issues Report 2 Technical Sub-Team MembersAnnex 2 Glossary of TermsAnnex 3 Chart ReferencesAnnex 4 Data TablesAnnex 5 Guide to the QOLRS GeographyAnnex 6 The QOLRS Indicators

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The information provided in this report on quality of life in 20 Canadian communities builds on the findingsof the 2004 Highlights Report3. The Highlights Report presented selected indicators from the Quality of LifeReporting System (QOLRS) to show key changes from 1991 to 2001 in six factors of quality of life. Theanalysis relied on a framework defined by FCM, based on the understanding that quality of life is enhancedand reinforced in municipalities that:

1. develop and maintain a vibrant local economy;2. protect and enhance the natural and built environment;3. offer opportunities for the attainment of personal goals, hopes and aspirations;4. promote a fair and equitable sharing of common resources;5. enable residents to meet their basic needs; and6. support rich social interaction and the inclusion of all residents in community life.

Quality of life in any given municipality is influenced by interrelated issues related to the state of: affordable,appropriate housing; civic engagement; community and social infrastructure; education; employment; thelocal economy; the natural environment; personal and community health; personal financial security; and personal safety.4

Using this framework, the Highlights Report found that quality of life in the 20 communities was at risk andhad deteriorated for a significant number of people between 1991 and 2001. While general improvements inrates of post-secondary education, employment growth and home-ownership suggested a positive picture over-all, these improvements were offset by a growing income gap, changes to social programs, and increased strainon the urban environment. The Highlights Report also portrayed a roller-coaster period of severe economicdecline between 1991 and 1996, followed by a general recovery in levels of income, falling poverty rates andreduced housing affordability problems between 1996 and 2001. However, this recovery was only partial, andwas not shared equally by all households.

This report provides a greater level of detail for a narrower set of trends that occurred during the same 10-yearperiod and affected the workforce, community and social infrastructure, civic engagement, and communityhealth and safety in the 20 QOLRS communities. As in previous reports, the focus is on trends affecting allmunicipalities. However, the report also examines variations within the 20 QOLRS communities and differ-ences between trends in the QOLRS communities and those in the rest of Canada. A series of statistical chartsand local stories from QOLRS member municipalities is used to illustrate these broader trends.5

iTheme Repor t #2 • Dynamic Socie t ie s and Socia l Change

OVERVIEW

3 Federation of Canadian Municipalities. 2004. Quality of Life Reporting System. Highlights Report 2004. Ottawa.4 This definition was developed and endorsed by the QOLRS Technical Team, which includes representatives of FCM and each of the

20 QOLRS municipalities.5 A full set of tables and supplementary charts are located at (http://www.fcm.ca/). Some caution is required when using the QOLRS to compare the

20 communities. For example, largely urban communities like the City of Vancouver have very different characteristics than regional municipalitieswith more suburban and rural areas.

ii FCM Quali ty o f Li fe Repor t ing Sys tem

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

This report describes a number of dynamic trendsaffecting quality of life in the 20 QOLRS communi-ties. The report begins by describing two demo-graphic trends underlying and influencing many ofthese changes. The first is a rapidly aging population,accompanied by above average growth in childrenand youth populations. The second is the growingcultural, ethnic, racial and linguistic diversity of theurban population. This second trend involves sub-

stantial growth in the number of foreign-bornresidents, who are generally concentrated in

larger cities, and rapid increases in theAboriginal population, particularly

Aboriginal youth, concentrated inprairie cities.

The report links these demo-graphic trends to broadersocial changes taking placein the areas of the work-force, civic engagement,community and socialinfrastructure, and com-munity health, stress andsafety. The dynamic socialchange evident in the 20 QOLRS communitiesrelates specifically to two

of the six factors of qualityof life included in FCM’s

definition.

1. Opportunities for theAttainment of Personal Goals, Hopes,

and Aspirations (Factor 3). Building onthe general findings of the Highlights

Report, this report pays particular attentionto the full life cycle of education, from early

childhood education and childcare, through elemen-tary and secondary schooling and on to post-second-ary education. Changes in the workplace and incommunity health are related to opportunities forattaining income and employment goals.

2. Support for Rich Social Interactions and the Inclusionof All Residents in Community Life (Factor 6). Thereport makes reference to indicators of civic engage-ment, such as voting, volunteerism and donations,and pays particular attention to the social and economic inclusion of women, immigrants andAboriginals. Social inclusion is also addressed interms of crime levels and the accessibility of commu-nity and social infrastructure.

In addition to these two factors of quality of life, the report also touches on the vibrancy of localeconomies (Factor 1). While the theme of the economy will be addressed more fully in the nextreport (Growth, the Economy and the UrbanEnvironment), this report continues the discussionbegun in the Highlights Report concerning long-term declines in the size of the labour force.

Opportunities for the attainment ofpersonal goals, hopes and aspirationsPositive trends in the 20 QOLRS communitiesinclude a general decline in unemployment rates and a rise in long-term employment opportunities for young people and recent immigrants entering thelabour force. This is due to a combination of theaging labour force and a higher level of educationalachievement among young adults. Positive trends areevident in the area of education, measured in termsof class-size stability, modest increases in ratios ofteaching staff to school age children, and progres-sively lower rates of illiteracy.

These positive trends were reinforced by severalnotable improvements in community health andstress, including declining rates of premature mortal-ity and reduced birth rates among teens, as well aslower suicide rates for both women and men.

The report, however, notes high and rising unem-ployment and suicide rates in several communities.

While labour-force contraction affords some oppor-tunities, it also represents a long-term challenge forsustaining economic competitiveness. Furthermore,in order to take advantage of these opportunities,young people and recent immigrants are facinghigher tuition fees and mounting debts in order togain the education and specialization required toenter the labour force.

There is a growing need for licensed childcare.Demand for both subsidized and unsubsidized spacesis generally outpacing the available supply. The resultis growth in informal and unregulated care for youngchildren and barriers to labour-force participation forlow-income parents.

Individuals in the labour force experience growingpressure as a result of caring for both aging parentsand young children and the need to work at morethan one job. As a result, more work hours are lostdue to illness or disability.

Supporting rich social interaction and theinclusion of all residents in community lifeThe gender gap is closing in labour-force participa-tion. Women were better represented in municipaloffice than in Parliament, although still well belowparity. There was also some success in including foreign-born Canadians in the labour force, although a settlement period of at least five to 10 years is generally required.

In the area of civic engagement, there were consistentincreases in the levels of volunteer hours and charita-ble donations, although this was due to greater commitments being made by fewer numbers of individuals. Finally, the majority of QOLRS commu-nities experienced significantly lower crime rates.

These positive trends were counterbalanced by aseries of pronounced negative trends affecting the 20 QOLRS communities. These trends suggest thatcivic engagement, measured in terms of across-the-board declines in voter participation, volunteeringand charitable giving, is generally weakening. TheQOLRS data also point to ongoing challenges inproviding equal economic opportunities for recentimmigrants, with possible long-term effects on theirsense of identity with the broader community. Long-term solutions are also needed to address the deepen-ing marginalization of urban Aboriginal people,reflected in substantial barriers to employment.Finally, while crime rates were generally decreasing,several communities experienced significant increasesin rates of violent and property crimes.

iiiTheme Repor t #2 • Dynamic Socie t ie s and Socia l Change

iv

Implications for municipal governmentsMany of the services and programs discussed in thisreport are not the direct responsibility of municipalgovernment. For example, labour-market policies,post-secondary education, health care and Aboriginalaffairs fall under the jurisdiction of either the provin-cial or federal governments. Similarly, local publicschool boards operate independently of municipalgovernment. However, Canadian municipalities are

directly responsible for many of the day-to-dayservices critical to quality of life. These

responsibilities vary from province toprovince, but nearly always include

police services, recreation, libraries,public transit, roads, solid waste,

water and wastewater. In certainprovinces, municipalities arealso responsible for theadministration of childcare,ambulance services, publichealth, social housing, andsocial assistance, amongothers. In many cases,funding and delivery ofservices is shared betweenthe province, municipalgovernments and local vol-untary sector organizations.

As a result, municipal gov-ernments have an important

role to play in maintaining andenhancing quality of life. As a

starting point, most municipalitiescan anticipate a high and sustained

demand for investment in infrastructurefor expanding populations, such as in

Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area. Rapidly

expanding suburban municipalities are experiencingsocial challenges typically associated with older largecities. At the same time, other communities mustdevelop mechanisms for addressing populationdecline (the Quebec Metropolitan Community,Saskatoon, and Regina).

Municipalities must also contend with competingpriorities. Despite pressures on quality of life linkeddirectly to inadequate social infrastructure, munici-palities will always be required to respond todemands for more investment in hard infrastructure,such as sewers and roads. There is also an emergingneed for careful planning for new and expanded services to accommodate the needs of both the agingpopulation and children and youth.

Simply increasing levels of investment is one chal-lenge; however, municipalities must also considerhow to redesign programs to reflect the cultural andethnic diversity of growing foreign-born populations.Expanding urban Aboriginal populations also requireservices and programs to meet their specific needs.


vTheme Repor t #2 • Dynamic Socie t ie s and Socia l Change

Table 1—FCM QOLRS Members

6 While the 20 participants in the Quality of Life Reporting System are referred to throughout the report as either “municipalities” or “communities,”they have different legal statuses. As described in Table 1, they include 13 cities, six regional municipalities, and one metropolitan community. A Guideto the QOLRS Geography providing a more detailed description of these terms and associated issues is available at http://www.fcm.ca.

Municipality6 Short Name used in Province Population (2001)QOLRS Tables and Charts

Vancouver (City) Vancouver British Columbia 545,670

Calgary (City) Calgary Alberta 878,870

Edmonton (City) Edmonton Alberta 666,105

Saskatoon (City) Saskatoon Saskatchewan 196,810

Regina (City) Regina Saskatchewan 178,225

Winnipeg (City) Winnipeg Manitoba 619,545

Windsor (City) Windsor Ontario 208,405

London (City) London Ontario 336,540

Sudbury (City of Greater) Sudbury Ontario 155,220

Waterloo (Regional Municipality) Waterloo Ontario 438,515

Hamilton (City) Hamilton Ontario 490,265

Halton (Regional Municipality) Halton Ontario 375,230

Peel (Regional Municipality) Peel Ontario 988,945

York (Regional Municipality) York Ontario 729,255

Toronto (City) Toronto Ontario 2,481,495

Niagara (Regional Municipality) Niagara Ontario 410,575

Kingston (City) Kingston Ontario 114,195

Ottawa (City) Ottawa Ontario 774,405

Quebec (Metropolitan Community) CMQ Quebec 674,075

Halifax (Regional Municipality) Halifax Nova Scotia 359,185

vi

In the area of civic engagement, municipalities must take on the challenge of increasing citizen participation in local democracy, which may includeattracting a greater diversity of candidates intomunicipal politics. Municipalities may also need toform partnerships in order to rebuild or sustain aspirit of community volunteerism and charity. Whilecrime rates have generally been declining, there is aneed to translate these improvements into a strong

perception of safety.

One strong message emerges from thisreport: national and provincial policies

and programs must better reflect andrespond to the dynamic social

changes sweeping acrossCanadian municipalities gener-ally and in large and medium-size cities in particular.Clearly, one policy or pro-gram will not fit all localsituations. This will requirethe active involvement ofmunicipalities themselvesin defining problems andseeking out appropriateand relevant responses. Tri-partite agreements in

Vancouver and Winnipeginvolving federal, provincial

and municipal governmentsoffer precedents on which to

model similar mechanisms.

Finally, there are certain actions that will be beyondthe capability of individual municipalities. The trendspresented in this report make it clear that there aresignificant and unsustainable inequities acrossCanada, including measurably different levels ofunemployment, crime rates, educational attainment,and access to affordable and adequate childcare.


QOLRS Demographic Background Informationincludes population characteristics, population growth,cultural diversity, household income, and other variablesproviding a basis for monitoring long-term demographicchanges. While these statistics do not provide a measurement of quality of life directly, they do provideimportant background information underlying many of the trends presented in the QOLRS.

The Highlights Report described overall populationgrowth in the 20 QOLRS communities that was well above the national average but distributedunequally. This report focuses on two related demographic trends that contribute to significantchange and diversity in the populations of theQOLRS communities.

The first trend is a rapidly aging population, accom-panied by a population of children (under 15) andyouth (15-24) that is expanding more rapidly than inthe rest of Canada. A second trend relates to thegrowing cultural and racial diversity of the popula-tion, which is driven by immigration to larger cities,and urban Aboriginal population growth, which isconcentrated in prairie cities.

The remainder of the report addresses the ways inwhich these demographic dynamics are underlyingand influencing broader changes to quality of life inthe 20 QOLRS communities, including changes inthe workforce, civic engagement, the role of socialinfrastructure and community health, stress andsafety. Failure to anticipate and respond to thesedemographic changes will adversely affect overallquality of life, including inadequate levels of service

1Theme Repor t #2 • Dynamic Socie t ie s and Socia l Change

PART 1 | DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGESPo

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QOLRS Municipalities

Chart 1 Population ChangeOlder Adults and Seniors (35-44, 45-64, 65+), QOLRS Municipalities – 1991-2001

Source: Statistics Canada, 1991, 2001 Census

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2

and infrastructure for expanding populations, andinappropriately designed services for segments of the population with unique and evolving needs (See Box 1).

An aging population accompanied by above-average growth in children and youthA widely discussed demographic trend is the rapidlyaging population. Chart 1 illustrates how thestrongest population growth, by far, occurred amongolder adults (45-64) and seniors (65+). On average,the populations of these two age groups expanded by 25 to 30 per cent in the 20 QOLRS communi-ties. By comparison, the growth of the under-35 population was stagnant, with the number ofyoung adults (25-34) actually decreasing in 17 of 20 QOLRS communities. (not shown in the chart)

The impact of an aging population will be far-reach-ing: a diminishing proportion of citizens will rely onemployment as their primary source of income, andtheir demands for recreational, transportation, hous-ing and health services will be distinct from those ofthe rest of the population. At the same time, themajority of the older population is in good health;earns adequate income from a combination ofemployment, pensions and investments; and con-tributes actively to family and community life.

A second demographic trend occurring in more thanhalf of the QOLRS municipalities, and presented inChart 2, relates to positive growth in the populationaged 25 and under. While population growth amongchildren and youth in the QOLRS communities wasgenerally lower than for older age groups included inChart 1, it was much higher than growth among the25-34 age group. It was also far higher than thegrowth of children and youth occurring in the rest ofCanada, where the number of children fell between1991 and 2001. Municipalities experiencing signifi-cant population growth among both young familiesand seniors (such as Calgary, Peel and York) will haveto manage competing demands for services and com-munity facilities catering to both of these very differ-ent groups.


The results of FCM’s 2003 Survey of SocialInfrastructure Issues in QOLRS Municipalities indicatethat demand for human services is becoming com-plex and not defined merely by an increase in thesize of the population. Aging baby-boomers (40-59 years old) pose significant challenges forlong-term care and in-home supports. Seniors todayare more active than previous generations anddemand more opportunities in recreation and thearts. Physical inactivity and obesity among childrenand youth has long-term implications for publichealth programs. Increasing ethnic diversity alsopresents many challenges. One example cited byrespondents was that libraries in cities with largenumbers of immigrants must maintain collectionsand materials in many different languages.

B OX 1–D I V E R S I T Y O FD E M A N D F O R S O C I A L

I N F R A S T RU C T U R E

Immigration-led population growth Over half of total population growth in the 20QOLRS communities between 1991 and 2001 wasthe result of immigration (See Table 2). As a result,immigrants accounted for 29 per cent of the popula-tion in all QOLRS communities in 2001, almostthree times the rate prevailing in the rest of Canada(11 per cent).

As with overall population growth, immigration isnot shared equally across municipalities. Chart 3reflects the high concentration of immigration in theCity of Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area.Close to 50 per cent of Toronto’s population was for-eign born in 2001, with Vancouver, York and Peel inthe 40 per cent range. An additional 11 municipali-ties had immigrant populations accounting for


Pop

ula

tio

n C

han

ge


Chart 2 Population ChangeChange in population – Children, Youth and Young Adults (0-14; 15-24; 25-34), QOLRS municipalities, 1991-2001


0-14

15-24

25-34

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0%

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4 FCM Quali ty o f Li fe Repor t ing Sys tem

Municipality Foreign-born Population Total Population Immigrant PopulationGrowth 1991-2001 Growth 1991-2001 Growth as % Total

Population Growth1991-2001

Rest of Canada 355,825 1,331,120 26.7%

All QOLRS 749,775 1,379,110 54.4%

Toronto 257,260 205,720 125.1%

Vancouver 55,805 73,825 75.6%

Windsor 10,760 16,970 63.4%

Peel 160,615 256,150 62.7%

York 122,775 224,275 54.7%

Ottawa 44,665 95,930 46.6%

Sudbury -2,185 -5,990 36.5%

Hamilton 11,090 38,600 28.7%

Calgary 42,935 168,195 25.5%

Waterloo 15,025 60,755 24.7%

London 8,130 33,375 24.4%

Edmonton 10,845 49,365 22.0%

Halton 12,260 62,095 19.7%

Quebec 5,635 32,475 17.4%

Halifax 3,405 28,340 12.0%

Saskatoon -280 10,750 -2.6%

Kingston -485 9,840 -4.9%

Niagara -2,005 16,640 -12.0%

Winnipeg -4,505 2,755 -163.5%

Regina -1,970 -955 206.3%

Table 2–Immigrant Growth-Role of Immigration in Total Population Growth, 1991-2001


roughly 20 per cent of total population, twice theaverage of the rest of Canada. At the same time, fivecommunities—Saskatoon, Regina, Sudbury, Quebec(CMQ) and Halifax—were below the average forthe rest of Canada.

One implication of immigration discussed in theHighlights Report is growing cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity in Canadian cities. For example,visible minorities accounted for nearly one in fourresidents of the QOLRS communities in 2001 butonly one in 14 in the rest of Canada. Municipalitieswith the highest levels of immigration face significantsocial and economic pressures, placing new demandson municipal governments to change their approachto service delivery (See Box 2).


Fore

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To

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Chart 3 Foreign BornPopulation as a Percentage of the Total PTT opulation, QOLRS M, unicipalities – 1991, 2001,Chart 3 Foreign-BornPopulation as a Percentage of the Total Population, QOLRS Municipalities – 1991, 2001


1991

2001

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Understanding needs arising from the growth of theimmigrant population is necessary for designing cultur-ally appropriate and relevant services in areas such asinitial settlement, labour-force transition, schooling andsocial services. Over the past 10 years, the City ofVancouver has required the 100 or so non-profitagencies that receive community grant funding todemonstrate that they have made their programsaccessible and appropriate to their communities’diverse populations.To meet these new criteria, localagencies responded with a range of changes, from hir-ing staff with second-language capabilities, to ensuringthat their Boards reflected diverse populations, totranslating their printed materials, to holding culturalcelebrations throughout the year.

B OX 2–R E D E S I G N I N GS E RV I C E S TO R E S P ON D TO

P O P U LAT I ON D I V E R S I T Y

I N VA N CO U V E R

6

Rapidly growing population of young urban Aboriginals Chart 4 presents the population of Aboriginal chil-dren (under 15) as a percentage of non-Aboriginalchildren in 1996 and in 2001. Aboriginal populationgrowth, particularly among young people, signifi-cantly affects the diversity of the overall populationof Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, and theCity of Greater Sudbury.7 These cities are character-ized by a combination of rapidly growing populations

of young Aboriginals and shrinking populations ofnon-Aboriginal youth. By 2001, one in six childrenin Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg were Aboriginal,a dramatic increase from five years earlier.

This trend underlines the importance of addressingthe quality of life of the rapidly growing, non-reserve,urban Aboriginal population.


7 With the exception of Edmonton, each of these cities also had small or declining immigrant populations.

Ab

ori

gin

al 0

-14

/ To

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-14


Chart 4 Aboriginal PopulationAboriginal Children (aged 0-14) as a Percentage of All Children, QOLRS municipalities, 1996, 2001


1996

2001

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The QOLRS Employment Domain provides indicatorsof the short- and long-term availability and quality ofemployment. The employment indicators reflect the dis-tribution of opportunity and issues among different ageranges and by gender.

The QOLRS Education Domain presents a broad setof indicators related to education at different points inthe life cycle, including attainment levels, continuouslearning, the quality of education, and education-related expenditures.

A combination of demographic, economic and socialfactors is contributing to profound changes in theworkforce. These changes are evident in fallingunemployment rates and a more highly educatedpopulation, both of which are considered importantdeterminants of individual physical and social well-being and are linked to improved community healthand lower crime rates. These workforce trends generate improved opportunities for the attainmentof personal goals, hopes and aspirations (Quality ofLife Factor 3).

Workforce dynamics affected population groups dif-ferently, leading to mixed success in including all resi-dents in community life (Quality of Life Factor 6).Unemployment and labour force participation ratesare both indicators of the level of social inclusion,influencing people’s sense of belonging in the widercommunity. Measured in these terms, women madeclear gains between 1991 and 2001, benefiting fromfalling unemployment and a narrowing gender gap inlabour-force-participation rates. While recent immi-grants generally face significant challenges duringtheir first years in Canada, they make importantgains in later years. Unemployment rates for theAboriginal population, which are far higher than forthe rest of the population, increased.

Declining unemployment and a shrinking labour forceAs discussed in the Highlights Report and QOLTheme Report #1, there is a clear trend towards loweroverall rates of unemployment. This is due to a com-bination of economic growth and expanding employ-ment opportunities. However, these employmentgains are not shared equally. While employmentexpanded faster in the QOLRS communities than inmuch of the rest of Canada, eight of 20 QOLRScommunities had unemployment rates at or near 10 per cent in 2001.

Another factor explaining falling unemployment rateswas the continued decline in labour-force-participa-tion rates. While the labour force expanded in num-bers, it was doing so at a rate far slower than overallpopulation growth. Falling participation rates at atime of employment expansion, combined with weakgrowth in the population of young people, suggestthe possibility of long-term labour shortages. This isconsistent with the concept of the declining LabourForce Replacement Ratio discussed in the HighlightsReport8, and presents a risk to the sustainability oflocal economies.

Opportunities and challenges for the next generationAt one level, these labour force dynamics suggestopportunities for career advancement for youngadults who have recently entered the labour force andlong-term employment opportunities for recentimmigrants and young people. However, success inthe labour market is increasingly tied to levels of edu-cation and specialization. As a result, the anticipatedlong-term decline in the size of the labour force willbecome a problem for economic growth if the nextgeneration is not equipped with adequate levels oftraining. Similarly, increased immigration will notadequately address labour market needs withoutmore rapid recognition of newcomers’ credentials and experience.


PART 2 | THE CHANGINGWORKFORCE

8 This variable measures the ratio of people entering the workforce (ages 0–14) to the number of people expected to leave the workforce over the next 15 years (aged 50–64).

8

Chart 5 depicts the distribution of educationalattainment levels among 25-34 year olds in 2001. Asdiscussed in the Highlights Report, the rate of achiev-ing post-secondary education in the QOLRS com-munities was well above the national average between1991 and 2001. As a result, more than 30 per cent ofyoung adults living in the 20 QOLRS communitiesheld a university degree or trade certificate in 2001, afigure 50 per cent higher than in the rest of Canada.Similarly, close to 80 per cent of this group had sometype of post-secondary education.

While young adults in these urban areas are clearlymore educated than before, Chart 5 also shows thatonly a minority holds a university degree or trade cer-tificate. These proportions varied dramatically acrossmunicipalities: close to 50 per cent of young adultsin Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver had completed a

university degree or trade certificate. That figure was 25 per cent or less in Sudbury, Niagara andHamilton.

Rising university fees is another challenge facing youngpeople and others requiring specialized education.While the impact on enrolment levels is less clear, oneoutcome is an increase in the personal debt load ofuniversity graduates. The demands of the labour forcerequire that young people delay entry into the work-force until at least their mid-twenties, where they thenface a lower disposable income in the years followinggraduation due to debt load. This situation poses par-ticular difficulties for young people from low-incomefamilies and recent immigrants, who must invest inuniversity training to gain employment.


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Edu

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Chart 5 Education LevelsPopulation Aged 25-34, by Education Type, QOLRS Municipalities – 2001

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001

High School or Less

Some Post-Secondary (no degree)

Trade Certificate or Diploma

University Degree

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Chart 6 also illustrates that both the level and direc-tion of university tuition fees varied substantiallyacross provinces, with fees lowest and falling inManitoba and Quebec. This suggests that barriers toeducation vary substantially across municipalities.


An

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n F

ees

($)

Province

Chart 6 Post-Secondary TuitionAnnual University Tuition (average for all full-time undergraduate programs), by Province, Nominal Dollars – 1999/2000, 2002/2003

Source: Canadian Federation of Students, Full-time University Fees, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003

1999-2000

2002-2003

BritishColumbia

Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Quebec Nova Scotia0

2,000

4,000

6,000

10

A narrowing gender divide in the labour forceWhile participation rates in QOLRS communitieswere falling for both males and females, the declineswere greater and more consistent among males (from78 to 74 per cent) than among females (from 63.4 to62.8 per cent). Chart 7 shows how male participationrates fell in all 20 QOLRS communities, whilewomen’s participation rates increased in eight. As aresult, the overall gap in participation rates betweenmen and women fell from close to 15 percentagepoints in 1991 to just over 11 by 2001. These figuresdo not address the issue of the wage gap betweenmen and women, but they do suggest progresstoward equalization of employment opportunities.

As will be discussed in subsequent sections, genderequalization poses burdens on working women facingcompeting responsibilities for the care of childrenand aging parents. For example, as discussed inSection 3, women with children under 12 were enter-ing the labour force faster than other women, despitethe limited availability of childcare spaces.

Improved labour market inclusion for foreign-born CanadiansRecent immigrants face far higher levels of unem-ployment than the rest of the population, reflected inhigher levels of poverty and low real incomes. At


Ch

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Rat

e 19

91-2

001


Chart 7 Labour Force ParticipationPercentage Point Change in Labour Force Participation Rates, by sex, QOLRS municipalities, 1991-2001

Source : Statistics Canada, 1991, 2001 Census

Male

Female

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the same time, Chart 8 illustrates the rapid fall inunemployment rates of foreign-born residents whohave spent 10 years or more in the country. Anotherpositive factor was that unemployment rates forrecent immigrants living in the QOLRS communi-ties were generally lower than those in the rest ofCanada, and fell substantially in all 20 QOLRS com-munities. Overall, unemployment rates for all immi-grants, recent and settled, were comparable to orlower than those for non-immigrants in about half ofthe QOLRS communities.

While this suggests some real success in the labour-market and social inclusion of immigrants, the gapbetween mmigrant and non-immigrant unemploy-ment rates was highest in the cities with the greatestnumber of immigrants. Furthermore, as many newimmigrants and foreign-born Canadians face thechallenge of underemployment, access to employ-ment does not always translate into adequate incomes(See Box 3).


Un

emp

loym

ent

Rat

e


Chart 8 UnemploymentUnemployment rates of Foreign-Born, and Non-Immigrant population, QOLRS Municipalities, 2001

Source: Statistics Canada, 1991, 2001 Census – Custom Tabulation

Recent Immigrant

All Foreign-Born (recent and settled)

Non-Immigrants

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12

An economically marginalized Aboriginal populationChart 9 highlights one dimension of the tremendouschallenge involved in providing the urban Aboriginalpopulation with the same economic and social oppor-tunities available to non-Aboriginals. While the differ-ence was even greater in the rest of Canada, Aboriginalsin the 20 QOLRS communities were unemployed attwice the rate of non-Aboriginals. In no case wereAboriginal unemployment rates lower than for those ofthe non-Aboriginal population. Furthermore, QOLIssues Report #1 showed that the differential betweenAboriginal and non-Aboriginal unemployment rateshad widened between 1991 and 2001. This gap waswidest in the cities with the largest Aboriginal populations, notably Saskatoon and Regina.


Un

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loym

ent

Rat

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Chart 9 UnemploymentUnemployment Rate for Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginals, QOLRS Municipalities – 2001

Source: Statistics Canada, 1991, 2001 Census – Custom Tabulation

Aboriginal

Non-Aboriginals

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The Highlights Report described how well-educatedrecent immigrants are often unable to secureemployment appropriate to their education.Thisfinding was confirmed in a recent Statistics Canadastudy that found that, between 1991 and 2001, atleast one in four recent immigrants with a universi-ty education was employed in a job requiring nomore than a high-school education.This was twicethe number of under-employed, university-educatedCanadians who were not immigrants.The reportcited a lack of professional and social networks,limited language ability, non-recognition of foreigncredentials and experience, and discrimination.Source:“Immigrants: Settling for less?” June 2004 onlineedition of Perspectives on labour and income,Vol. 5, No. 6.http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/040623/d040623c.htm

B OX 3–I M M I G R A N TU N D E R E M P LOY M E N T

The QOLRS Civic Engagement Domain includes a series of indicators measuring involvement in the civic and political life of the community: voter partici-pation; women in municipal government; daily andcommunity newspaper circulation; volunteering; andcharitable giving.

Traditional indicators of the participation of individ-uals in community life show patterns of general andpronounced disengagement from activities, such asvoting, volunteering and charitable giving. With veryfew exceptions, these trends occur consistently acrossthe QOLRS communities and suggest a weakeningof support for social interactions and the inclusion ofall residents in community life (Factor 6).

The deterioration of civic engagement threatens acommunity’s capacity to reduce vulnerability andsocial isolation, bridge the gap between have andhave-not members of the community, and overcomedivisions among cultural, religious, ethnic and

linguistic communities. Disengagement from thebroader community also imposes increasing demandson existing community-based networks andresources. One outcome of this disengagement,described in QOL Theme Report #1, is homelessness,reflecting a decline in a community’s capacity to carefor its most vulnerable members.

While voter participation in federal elections is on asteady and consistent decline, one positive indicatoris the participation of women in municipal politics.Though still well below 50 per cent, the proportionof female municipal councillors is higher than theproportion of female federal members of Parliament.

Another positive indicator is that numbers of volun-teer hours and levels of charitable donations continueto rise, despite decreases in the proportion of thepopulation volunteering and donating.


PART 3 | TRENDS IN CIVICENGAGEMENT

Vote

r Par

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pat

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Chart 10 Civic EngagementVoter Participation in Federal Elections, QOLRS Municipalities – 1993, 1997, 2000

Source: Elections Canada, 1993, 1997, and 2000

1993

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2000

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14

Declining voter participationVoter participation–measured as the proportion of regis-tered voters who vote–is usually an indicator of the com-munity’s concern about issues affecting the community atlarge, and the perception of individuals’ collective abilityto influence decisions. Levels of voter turnout in federalelections fell consistently during the past 10 years, fallingfrom 70 per cent of all Canadian voters in 1993 to 61 per cent in 2000. This trend continued with the 2004 federal election, with participation rates falling to60.5 per cent. Voter participation in the 20 QOLRScommunities has fallen consistently (from 67 per cent in1993 to 58 per cent in 20009) and, with few exceptions,was lower than in the rest of Canada.

This trend is of concern in part because of the diffi-culty explaining it. The demographic and labourforce trends described in Sections 1 and 2 should be

contributing to increased voter turnout. Studies offederal voter turnout suggest that youth, low-incomeor unemployed people, and those with limited formaleducation are less likely to vote. One might expectthat the aging population, falling unemployment andrising educational levels would moderate this situa-tion, but this does not seem to be the case.

Voter turnout at municipal elections is a key meansfor citizens to influence the delivery of local services,many of which have a direct and highly visible impacton quality of life. While available time-series data sug-gest that voter turnout in municipal elections is morevolatile than in federal elections, participation rates inmunicipal elections were significantly and consistentlylower than in federal elections. Chart 11 indicates thatrecent average voter participation was just over 30 percent in the 20 QOLRS communities.


Vote

r Par

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pat

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Chart 11 Voter TurnoutVoter Participation in Municipal Elections, QOLRS Municipalities – 2000-2002

Chart shows voter participation data for most recent election. Except where noted below, all elections occurred in 2000.

Calgary, Edmonton, CMQ election data for 2001

Vancouver and Winnipeg election data for 2002

Source: Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Municipal Survey Database, 2003

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9 Results for individual QOLRS communities were not available for the 2004 elections

Participation of women in municipal politicsElected bodies representative of the populations theyserve are in a stronger position to reach a wider cross-section of the population and better understandthe needs of that population. Where diversity incharacteristics like gender, age, ethnicity and culturalbackground is reflected among elected officials, it isalso more likely that the full population will engagein the decision-making process.

The QOLRS includes a one-year snapshot ofwomen’s participation as elected officials in municipalpolitics. Chart 12 shows that, on average, 25 per centof elected officials in the 20 QOLRS communitieswere women. There was a wide variation acrossmunicipalities, from under 10 per cent in Regina,Windsor and Sudbury to close to 60 per cent in Peel.

While women still account for well below 50 percent of elected municipal officials, they are better represented in municipal government than inParliament. Women have accounted for 21 per centof elected members of Parliament since 2000 (21.1 per cent in 2004).


0%

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50%

60%

Wo

men

Co

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All

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Chart 12 Women CouncilorsPercentage of Municipal Councilors Who are Women, QOLRS Municipalities – 2003

Source: FCM Municipal Survey Database, 2003

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16

Fewer volunteers providing more hours of serviceAccording to the 2000 National Survey of Giving,Volunteering and Participating, one Canadian in fourserved as a volunteer in 2000, down from almostone-third (31.4 per cent) in 1997 and lower than1987, when 27 per cent of the Canadian populationvolunteered.10 Chart 13 suggests that the rate of vol-unteering in the QOLRS communities was compara-ble to the national average and is falling at a similarrate. The percentage of the population volunteeringrose in only two cities: Calgary and Waterloo.

A second trend evident since 1987 is a concentrationof volunteer hours among a smaller number of vol-unteers. By 2000, 34 per cent of all volunteer hourswere contributed by five per cent of volunteers.11 Themost recent volunteering data from Statistics Canadasuggests that this trend is continuing, with fewer volunteers contributing more hours.12 In effect, individuals are rising to the challenge of the growingdemand for volunteers caused by decreased fundingfor social and community services, but this responseis being taken up by a progressively smaller propor-tion of the community.


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Chart 13 VolunteerismPer cent of Population Volunteering, QOLRS Municipalities – 1997, 2000

Source: National Survey of Giving Volunteering and Participating, 1997, 2000

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10 Volunteer Canada. http://www.volunteer.ca/volcan/eng/volincan/trendsinvol.php?display=2,0,911 Giving and Volunteering.ca. http://www.givingandvolunteering.ca/factsheets/1997_CA_trends_1987-1997.asp12 http://www.givingandvolunteering.ca/reports.asp

Indicators of workplace stress, discussed later in thisreport, suggest that people are taking on multiplejobs, working longer hours and devoting more timeto caring for aging parents and young children.Respondents to FCM’s 2003 Survey of SocialInfrastructure Issues in QOLRS Municipalities dis-cussed the impact of changing demographics on vol-unteerism in the provision of services. If retiringbaby boomers fail to volunteer in sufficient numbers,the volunteer base may shrink. While youth are volunteering as a requirement for graduation, the demands of school make getting them involved a challenge.

Echoing these concerns, a recent study by VolunteerCanada found that seniors had less time for volun-teering due to greater demands imposed by travel andother activities. Many organizations rely on volun-teers to deliver their core services and keep operatingcosts down, so these trends could affect the stabilityof local organizations.

The Volunteer Canada study also identified positiveand countervailing trends that provide an indicationof possible long-term changes in volunteering. Theseinclude more young people volunteering to gainwork-related skills, and more recent immigrants vol-unteering to develop work experience and to practiselanguage skills.


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Chart 14 Charitable DonationsChange in Proportion of Donors and in Total Donations (1990$), QOLRS Municipalities – 1990-2000

Source: Statistics Canada, Small Area and Administrative Data, 1990, 2000

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13 These figures do not include donations made by corporations or institutions. In addition, individuals making charitable donations, but not reportingthem on their personal tax returns, are also not included.

18

Fewer charitable donors accounting for increased donationsAs with voting and volunteering, changes in the areaof charitable donations provide another indication ofthe level of concern towards the well-being of thebroader community. In fact, shifts in the giving pat-terns of Canadian households over nearly threedecades indicate that a progressively smaller propor-tion of households are making gifts and contribu-tions.14 This trend is reflected in the data for the 20 QOLRS communities summarized in Chart 14.

While fewer individuals are donating, the total valueof donations–even after adjusting for inflation–is rising, and rising substantially in many cases. This is consistent with volunteering trends, and may beexplained, in part, by the growing income gap discussed in the Highlights Report and QOL ThemeReport #1. The income gap showed that while thepersonal incomes of a majority of individuals andfamilies declined during the last decade, the wealthiest members of society experienced significantpercentage increases, suggesting a greater capacity to donate.

Chart 14 also shows that the greatest increases in thevalue of charitable donations occurred in Ontarioand Alberta, where province-wide reductions to socialservices, health and education expenditures weremost severe. This suggests a shift away from a social-services model, where priorities are set by public pol-icy, and a return to a private-charity model, wherepriorities are set by those providing the donations.

Civic engagement and access to community spaceOne finding of the 2003 Survey of SocialInfrastructure Issues in QOLRS Municipalities wasrelated to access to community facilities. Surveyrespondents considered access to community space tobe key to the success of any liveable neighbourhood,because it fosters social cohesion by allowing peopleto join together to share issues, experiences andopportunities, and work towards common goals.

Increasingly, agencies, residents, and communitygroups are facing a shortage of space for programs tomeet community needs (See Box 4). Space shortagesare being compounded by rising permits and userfees. Increased user fees for access to school facilitieshave forced many agencies and community groups tomove to less expensive, municipally operated cityparks, recreation facilities and libraries. However,child and youth-oriented programs relocating tothese city facilities may compete with existing adult programs.

The broader issue of access to social infrastructureand its impact on quality of life is addressed in thenext section of the report.


Changes made to Ontario’s education funding for-mula in the late 1990s forced the province’s schoolboards to increase the fees they charged for publicuse of school space dramatically.As a result, manygroups in Toronto were no longer able to afford theuse of schools for community meetings and culturaland recreational activities.At the same time, otherpublic space also became more difficult and costly toaccess. Boys and Girls Clubs, sports leagues, neigh-bourhood organizations and many other groupswere forced to relocate or suspend their programs.The reduced community access to space was widelyrecognized as a significant barrier to civic participa-tion and a setback to the city’s quality of life.

In 2004, the provincial government, recognizing theimportance of schools as the hubs of communityactivity, announced that it would contribute $20 million a year to school boards so they couldbegin to restore public access to schools.Theprovincial funding followed a pilot project begunearlier in the year by the Toronto District SchoolBoard to offer free access to community groups to schools in five high-need neighbourhoods.

B OX 4–ACC E S S TOCO M M U N I T Y S PAC E I N

T H E C I T Y O F TO R ON TO

14 Reed, Paul B. 1999. Generosity in Canada: Trends in Personal Gifts and Charitable Donations Over Three Decades, 1969 to 1997. Statistics Canadaand Carleton University. http://www.carleton.ca/socanth/casr/Generosity.pdf

The QOLRS Community and Social InfrastructureDomain includes a community’s social institutions, such as local government, social service organizations,and community human resources (e.g., organizationalskills, technical expertise, educational levels, and thesocial, ethnic, racial and arts/cultural qualities of the community).

The QOLRS Education Domain presents a broad setof indicators related to education at different points inthe lifecycle, including attainment levels, continuouslearning, the quality of education, and education-related expenditures.

This section describes trends in the delivery of socialinfrastructure and services meeting the developmentalneeds of children and youth. The availability andadequacy of childcare, primary and secondary school-ing, recreational facilities and libraries plays animportant role in offering opportunities for theattainment of personal goals, hopes, and aspirations(Factor 3) through educational attainment and suc-cessful entry into the labour force.15 Similarly, com-munity facilities and services are important forengaging and involving disadvantaged and marginal-ized members of society, thereby supporting richsocial interactions and the inclusion of all residents incommunity life (Factor 6).

Primary and secondary schools experienced smallincreases in student-teacher ratios and avoided anysignificant increases in class size, while illiteracy levelscontinued to fall. At the same time, there was evi-dence of deterioration in some areas of the publicschool system.

Access to adequate and affordable childcare remains agrowing concern in the majority of QOLRS commu-nities. Numbers of unsubsidized and subsidized spacesare insufficient to meet the needs of expanding num-bers of children with working parents. Furthermore,there was considerable variation in the level of accessto childcare across the QOLRS communities.

Declining access to early childhood educa-tion and subsidized childcareEarly childhood education has an important bearingon performance in elementary and secondary schooland long-term educational attainment levels. Accessto quality, affordable childcare can also mitigate long-term social and income inequalities. Similarly, lack ofchildcare directly affects community health andstress. Increasing costs and a shortage of licensedchildcare can lead lower-income parents to abandonthe workforce, reduce their hours of work, leaveschool, or be forced to place their children withunregulated care givers or leave them at home alone.

Several demographic and labour-market trendsdescribed earlier in this report and in previous QOLreports point to a growing and evolving demand forchildcare in the QOLRS communities. First, as indicated in Section 1, population growth amongchildren was far higher than in the rest of Canada,particularly in Vancouver, Calgary and larger urbancentres in Ontario. Adding to this are high and risinglabour force participation rates among women withchildren under 12. In contrast to the general declinesin labour force participation rates described inSection 2, Chart 15 shows that participation rates forwomen with young children rose in all but threeQOLRS municipalities between 1991 and 2001.


PART 4 | SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTUREFOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

15 A survey of the 20 QOLRS communities conducted by the City of Toronto in 2003 sought responses on issues facing municipalities in eight areas representing social supports required in the community: recreation, childcare, libraries, schools, social (public) housing, long-term care, arts and culture, and public health. The report of the survey summarized the issues facing municipalities in the delivery of these services and discussed theireffects on quality of life.

20

Similarly, while participation rates for all womendecreased between 1991 and 2001 to 63 per cent, 74per cent of women with young children were in thelabour force in 2001, an increase from 1991.

QOL Theme Report #1 also described growing rates ofchild poverty in half of the QOLRS communities,notably Vancouver, most Ontario municipalities andHalifax. This trend is being driven by growing num-bers of low-income, two-parent families, as well as bya high proportion of low-income single mothers,recent immigrant families and Aboriginal families.16

The 2003 Survey of Social Infrastructure Issues inQOLRS Municipalities described several trendsinvolving childcare evident in many Canadianmunicipalities. Rising costs and funding shortfalls in the face of growing and changing needs are resulting in more people on waiting lists for bothsubsidized and unsubsidized childcare. Surveyrespondents described dramatic increases in the service-delivery costs of childcare due to inflation and rising operating and insurance costs, coupledwith little or no increase in the amount of subsidypaid. Respondents also emphasized that these costincreases have occurred at a time of slow growth indisposable income.


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Chart 15 Labour Force ParticipationPercentage Change in Labour Force Participation Rates – Women with Young Children (0-12), QOLRS Municipalities, 1991- 2001


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17 “Low-income” refers to individuals and families with incomes below a threshold defined by Statistics Canada and known as a Low-Income Cut-Off(LICO). A more detailed definition is available from the glossary of terms in the Technical Annex at http://www.fcm.ca.

Survey respondents also cited a reduction in provin-cial funding, particularly in Ontario and BritishColumbia, that resulted in the loss of hundreds of subsidized childcare spaces in recent years (See Box 5). In addition to rising costs and reduced fund-ing for subsidized spaces, there is a lack of provincialcapital programs to finance the building, refurbishingor renovation of childcare centres.

Finally, respondents pointed to inflexible programdesign. Changing lifestyle and workplace dynamicsare translating into a need for non-traditional child-care hours. However, the current licensed system isunable to respond to requests for weekend, part-time,evening, or overnight care.

These findings are reflected in Chart 16, which presents the ratio of children in low-income families(those with family incomes below the Low-IncomeCut-Off ) to the number of subsidized daycare spacesin 2001. A ratio greater than 1.0 indicates that thenumber of low-income children exceeds the numberof subsidized spaces. These data indicate clearly that there are not enough subsidized daycare spaces to accommodate the needs of low-incomeworking parents.

These results also suggest uneven access to childcareacross the country, reflected in the wide range ofratios—from a low of 1.0 in Quebec (CMQ) to ahigh of 7.4 in Peel. Quebec (CMQ) saw a combina-tion of declining numbers of children and a newprovincial subsidized childcare program. Peel Regionwas faced with the highest rate of population growthamong children in the QOLRS communities, as wellas an increase in the proportion of children living inpoverty (as described in QOL Theme Report #1).


While childcare funding and regulation is typically aprovincial responsibility, municipal governments oftenplay an important role in planning, designing anddelivering childcare services. In Vancouver, the city,school board and park board all play an essentialrole in implementing provincially regulated childcareby supporting the work of non-profit societies andassociations in delivering affordable, quality childcareeither within city-, park- or school-owned facilitiesand land.

Information provided by City of Vancouver staff indi-cates a total of 9,200 licensed childcare spaces, witha total capacity of about 12,000 spaces for childrenunder 12.The city has no way of knowing how manyof these spaces are subsidized. However, based onestimates of the number of children with workingparents,Vancouver is responding to only about 15 per cent of potential need.

Several factors explain this shortfall.As a startingpoint, each infant childcare space costs approxi-mately $1,500 per month to deliver, an amountbeyond the reach of the majority of families. Sincechildcare in the City of Vancouver is funded prima-rily by household fees, a combination of provincial,municipal and private sources are used to offsetthese costs. However, between 2000 and 2003, theprovincial government reduced childcare funding by$50 million and restricted eligibility for childcaresubsidies.This resulted in a decline in the numberand value of childcare subsidies to families, reducedfunding to childcare programs, and reduced wagesfor childcare staff.As a result, families withdrew theirchildren from licensed childcare, and preschoolsexperienced dramatic declines in numbers of subsi-dized children.At the same time, providers of out-of-school care reported revenue losses of 50 to 66per cent and experienced drops in enrolment andsignificant fee increases.

Ultimately, these changes may create two-tiers:system-licensed childcare for those who can pay,and unregulated care for those who cannot.

B OX 5–C H I L D C A R E I N T H EC I T Y O F VA N CO U V E R 17

17 Based on Reports to City Council from March 2004 and March 2003.

22

Sustained investment in core elementaryand secondary curriculumPrimary and secondary education contribute directlyto post-secondary educational attainment and areimportant determinants of long-term health andwell-being. Persons with lower education or literacylimitations are more likely to experience greater barriers to finding employment, low-paying jobs, and more frequent episodes of unemployment andreliance on social assistance. Publicly funded education in particular contributes to more equallong-term social and economic opportunities for children from diverse economic, cultural and racial backgrounds.

Most elementary and secondary schools in Canadaare run by local school boards operating underprovincial statutes. These boards are largely fundedby provincial governments or property taxes. In1998-99, Canadian governments spent an average of$7,382 for every student in the elementary and sec-ondary school system.18 As a result, public elementaryand secondary schooling is available at no cost to allCanadian citizens, landed immigrants and refugees.In addition, elementary and secondary schoolingremains overwhelmingly public, with only six percent of students enrolled in private schools nationallyduring the 1990s.19


18 Statistics Canada-Education Expenditures-http://142.206.72.67/02/02c/02c_001_e.htm19 Statistics Canada-Enrolment-http://142.206.72.67/02/02c/02c_002_e.htm

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Chart 16 Child CareRatio of Children aged 0-12 in Families with incomes below LICO to Subsidized Child Care Spaces, Select QOLRS Municipalities – 2001

Source: FCM Municipal Survey Database, 2003; Statistics Canada, 2001 Census

London and CMQ daycare space data are for 2002.

Edmonton data have been removed. The subsidized childcare spaces reported by Edmonton are for children 6-12.

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National data from Statistics Canada indicate thatenrolment numbers in elementary and secondaryschools remained largely unchanged during the lasthalf of the 1990s, although immigration contributedto an increasingly diverse school-age population inlarger immigrant-receiving communities. At the sametime, the number of teachers in Canadian schoolsincreased. As a result, national student-teacher ratiosdropped from 16.1 students for every teacher in1995-96 to 15.6 in 1999-00.20

QOLRS data based on national occupations statisticsindicate that ratios of kindergarten, elementary andhigh-school occupations to the number of school-agechildren in the QOLRS communities were slightlyhigher than the national average in 2001. However,

these ratios had improved more slowly in theQOLRS communities during the previous 10 years.21

This can be explained, in part, by the challenge of keeping up with higher-than-average growth in the population of school-age children in the QOLRS communities.

Chart 17 shows that the majority of municipalitiesexperienced community-wide improvements in theratio of primary and secondary-school occupations toschool-age children, with several municipalities wellabove the national average. At the same time, therewere wide discrepancies across the QOLRS commu-nities, with several municipalities exp

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