Hamilton Community Foundation report underlines neighbourhood disparity

HAMILTON, ON - Hamilton is comparable to many other Ontario cities when it comes to quality of life, but profound disparities exist between its own neighbourhoods, says a new report from Hamilton Community Foundation.
Hamilton’s Vital Signs issued today shows, for example, that the percentage of 20-to-24 year-olds who have not completed high school ranges from zero in some neighbourhoods to over 65 percent in others. Poverty rates range by neighbourhood from less than three percent in some neighbourhoods to more than 40 percent in others. Child poverty rates range from zero to 55 percent depending on where you live.
“This Vital Signs report reaffirms that in many ways, Hamilton is virtually two cities that are worlds apart”, said Terry Cooke, President & CEO. “Low income, poor health, lower education levels and unemployment are concentrated in certain neighbourhoods.  They are also concentrated within certain groups:  single mothers, recent immigrants and Aboriginal people are twice as likely to live in poverty as other Hamiltonians.  It’s an inequity that segregates citizens and calls us all to work on solutions.”
The report from Hamilton Community Foundation offers a snapshot of the city in 10 aspects of community life, including arts, economy, education, health, safety, housing, environment and inclusiveness.  It is part of a national program that will see 15 Vital Signs reports released in cities across Canada today.
Hamilton’s Vital Signs shows progress in several areas including the environment, where waste reduction and water use have both improved considerably over the past decade. Violent crime and property crime is down, as is poverty among seniors. The number of employers, mostly small businesses, has increased and men’s emergency shelter usage has been reduced.  Employment in the city’s burgeoning arts and cultural industry is growing faster than the workforce overall.


Cooke says sharing knowledge is an important part of the foundation’s goal of engaging citizens.  “We hope Vital Signs will inspire conversations and action around local issues”, he says.  “Vital Signs shows clear evidence that change is possible   but to a make real and sustainable difference, we all need to do more.”
Other key findings in the report include:
•       Hamilton’s average house price is about three-and-a-half times average family income, lower than provincial and national averages.
•       Almost 60 percent of Hamilton adults are overweight or obese – an increase of almost 10 percentage points since 2001 and currently almost 10 percentage points higher than the provincial average.
•       Library use in Hamilton increased 28 percent between 2007 and 2009, and is higher than the average for large municipal libraries in Ontario. More Hamiltonians also owned a library card last year than their counterparts across the province.
•       Hamiltonians aged 25-64 are less likely to have completed post-secondary education than the provincial average.
•       Voter turnout in Hamilton is low, particularly in municipal elections, where only 38 percent voted in 2006, three percentage points below the provincial average.  Turnout also varies dramatically by neighbourhood, ranging from above 75 percent in some to below 25 percent in others in the 2008 federal election.

The report, and an extended version, including links to source data, is available at www.hamiltonvitalsigns.ca