Thanks to our Partners and Sources

One Place, One Peace:
In it together
For Toronto, this was a record-breaking
year.
We hosted the Pan Am/Parapan Am
Games, a spectacular series of events
around the GTHA and beyond. The
Games were a big win for Canada: our
athletes won 385 medals. And a big win
for Toronto, too: a civic “aha!” moment
when we realized what can happen
when we work together toward a common goal.
The Games gave us a chance to see our
city through others’ eyes. Visitors and
international media gave us top marks
for our quality of life. At a time when the
environment is paramount, Toronto’s
green spaces got the nod. At 445 hectares
per 100,000 people, our parks, ravines,
backyards, and green roofs keep us 4
degrees cooler on average and remove
airborne particulate matter equivalent to
the output of one million cars.
For those tuned into global culture,
Toronto’s concerts and museums, galleries and festivals won ovations. And residents seconded that emotion in record
numbers. Attendance at City-funded or
-programmed events reached 19 million
and 71 per cent of us regularly attended
an arts- or cultural-related event, program, or place.
And the Games built on last year’s
tourism records. The Region drew
the highest-ever number of overnight
visitors. This city is also a beacon for
immigrants: just over half of Torontonians are foreign-born, with one-third
of Torontonians having arrived in the
last 25 years.
All of this international attention adds
up: Toronto’s economy continues to
grow. Overall employment was up 1.5
per cent from 2013 to 2014, with 20,850
new jobs and more than 5,000 new businesses. We’re building more high- and
mid-rise buildings than any other North
American city. On-location filming
hit a new high of $1.23 billion, and the
2014 World Pride Festival contributed
$313 million to Toronto’s GDP. Plus,
we continue to win accolades. For the
seventh year running, The Economist
has declared Toronto as the fourth most
liveable city in the world.
Yet, as gratifying as these numbers
are, they don’t tell the whole story. Almost twenty years after amalgamation,
Toronto remains tenaciously divided.
The gap between the richest and the rest
in our Region is the second largest in
Canada (next only to Calgary) and, after
25 years of steady growth, the income
inequality gap in our city is increasing
at twice the national average. We’re becoming more polarized geographically,
too, as illustrated by City Hall debates
on the Gardiner, “carding”, and subway-versus-LRT.
The question on everyone’s mind is
John Barford, Chair of the Board of Directors, left, and Rahul K. Bhardwaj, President & CEO, Toronto Foundation,
see Toronto poised to become a model for cities everywhere.
“’One place’
is a new way
of thinking,
working, and
living together.
As ‘One place’
we will devise
city-wide
solutions to
city-wide
problems.”
how do we transcend these destructive
divisions and move forward?
By wholeheartedly rejecting the divided city and embracing a new vision. By
seeing ourselves as one city. A city where
140 diverse neighbourhoods pull together as one. Where Toronto is the driver of
a thriving global city region.
We must become “One place.”
“One place” is a new way of thinking,
working, and living together. As “One
place” we will devise city-wide solutions
to city-wide problems.
Like traffic. The Region’s congestion
crisis continues, boasting the second
longest round-trip commute – 66 minutes – of any North American city.
Like affordable housing. Toronto’s
house purchase prices have tripled since
the 1970s. We are the 13th least affordable major housing market in the world.
And like our health. Just under half of
our young people are active and 50 per
cent of adults are overweight or obese.
And while most residents (70.5 per cent)
report very good or excellent mental
health, 262 people took their own lives
in 2013 (that’s more than four times the
number of homicides and quadruple the
incidence of auto accident deaths).
As “One place” we will deliver a more
effective response to those most at risk.
Like seniors. One in five Torontonians
55-plus lives alone; for those 85 and older,
it’s 44 per cent. And the numbers are rising:
today, 14.76 per cent of us are seniors; by
2036, one in four Canadians will be.
Like “the precariat.” Last year, 22.7 per
cent of us depended on temporary and
contract work. Two working parents
with two young children must each
earn at least $18.52 an hour to make
ends meet. The impact? Close to 80,000
on the active waiting list for affordable
housing. More than 890,000 visits to
food banks. Lowest-income men are
50 per cent more likely to die before
75 than those with the highest income,
while the poorest women are 85 per cent
more likely to have diabetes than their
wealthiest counterparts. And 29 per cent
of Toronto’s children live in poverty.
Like the next generation. In 2014,
youth unemployment was almost 22 per
cent in Toronto, and young people were
the fastest-growing homeless segment in
Canada. Is it any wonder young adults
don’t feel connected to their city or aren’t
politically engaged? Just 39 per cent of
18-to-24-year-olds voted in the 2011
federal election — a startling contrast to
the 80 per cent of their parents’ generation who did so at the same age.
How will we know when Toronto is
getting it right? When “One place” leads
to “One peace” for this city’s residents.
When we have the peace of mind that
comes from knowing our youth feel
optimistic about the future. The peace
that comes from knowing you can make
a good life for your family. And that you
can age with dignity.
MICHAEL SALEM
In fact, Toronto is already getting it
right in many ways, and the 2015 Games
are a case in point. They provided a
platform for people to come together to
do something good for the entire city.
The physical and social legacies created
will endure long after this summer.
Even better, we now have solid proof
of what we can achieve by thinking
and working together.
The need for cities to get it right has
never been greater. By the middle of this
century, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Toronto
is one of the fastest-growing regions in
Canada, so the challenges we face will
only intensify.
Toronto is uniquely positioned to
build the inclusive and sustainable city
of the future. A great place for people to
live. And a model for cities everywhere.
And who will build the “One place”
of the future that will offer “One peace”
to its residents? People like you.
From this day forward, you are
the “One.”
John Barford
Chair
Board of Directors
Rahul K. Bhardwaj
President
& CEO
Toronto’s Vital Signs® Report 2015
is available on Toronto Foundation’s
website: www.torontofoundation.ca
Thanks to our Partners and Sources
The Toronto’s Vital Signs® Report
is a collaborative effort led by Toronto
Foundation. We specially thank George
Brown College, our lead research
partner, and the 97 Vital Toronto Fund
donors who support this aspect of our
city building work. Our special thanks is
also extended to Community Foundations of Canada, which co-ordinates
the national and international replication
of Vital Signs.
In addition, Toronto Foundation
thanks the more than 300 individuals,
institutions and organizations who
provide information, statistics, and
advice for the Toronto’s Vital Signs®
Report, including:
* Advisory Group
Lyndsey Adams
Masooma Amarsi
Laurie Ashby
Lauren Baker
Kyle Baptista
Paul Bedford*
Vassiliki Bednar
Matt Bentley
Rahul Bhardwaj*
Gillian Booth
Erin Boudreau
Mike Brady
Rupen Brahmbhatt
Shauna Brail*
Marcy Burchfield
David Cameron
James Chan*
Margo Charlton
Steven Clow
Kara Collins
Isaac Coplan
Liz Corson
Charles H. Davis
Kim Dayman
Adrienne De Francesco
Blair Dimock*
Suzanne Dwyer (GBC Lead Researcher)*
Lisa Ferguson (Lead, Writing Team)*
Ben Freeman
Stephen Gaetz
Kelly Gallagher-Mackay
Nadien Godkewitsch*
Rick Goldsmith*
Ilja Green*
Jennifer Green
Joe Greenwood
Daniel Hamlin
Sally Han
Jane Hilderman
Kelly Hill
Leanne Holt
J. David Hulchanski
Roger Keil*
Gracia Dyer Jalea
Steve Johnston
Annie Kidder
Marianne Kingsley
Sara Krynitzki*
Julia Langer
Daniel Liadsky
Julia Lo
Beth Lorimer
Harvey Low
Robert Luke*
Richard Maaranen
Ellen MacLean
Romina Mari
Sean Marshall
Patricia McCarney*
Andrew McConnachie
Ken McGuffin
Nuala Meagher
James Meers
Tanzeel Merchant*
Jo Michaels
Alex Morosovskiy
Rosalyn Morrison (Chair)*
Keith Neuman*
Kim Nguyen
Christina Palassio
Christopher Pandolfi
James Patava
Mary Pickering
Ann Rosenfield
Michael Salem*
Jordan Scantlebury
Michael Shapcott
Konrad Skorupa
Jo Snyder
John Stapleton
Heather Steel
Andrew Stephen
Jacqui Strachan
Valerie Tarasuk
Lorne Turner (fondly remembered)
Lisa Wolf
Ted Wong
Nick Yeo
Linda Yuval
CBRE Canada
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Research on Inner City Health
Centre for Social Innovation
CERIS – The Ontario Metropolis Centre
Charlie’s Free Wheels
Child Development Institute
Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
Christie’s International Real Estate
CIBC
Citizens for Public Justice
City Lab
5 Gyres Institute
City of Toronto:
Access Alliance
Affordable Housing Office
ACCES Employment
Children’s Services
Action Canada
City Clerk’s Office
Alliance Against Modern Slavery
City Manager’s Office
Alliance for a Poverty-Free Toronto
Community Development and AMNewYork
Recreation Committee
ARCADIS
Corporate Finance
ArtReach
Cultural Services
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic Economic Development and Culture
BeautifulCity
Election Services
BlogTO
Film and Television Office
BOOST for Kids
Finance & Administration
Business Wire
Communications
Campaign 2000
Medical Officer of Health
Canada Mortgage and Housing Parks and Environment Committee
Corporation
Parks, Forestry and Recreation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Pedestrian and Cycling
Canadian Centre for Economic Planning Division
Analysis (CANCEA)
Shelter, Support and Housing Canadian Centre for
Administration
Policy Alternatives
Social Development, Finance and Canadian Council on Social
Administration
Development
Solid Waste Management Services
Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Strategic and Corporate Policy
Research Institute
Toronto Food Policy Council
Canadian Homeless Research Network Toronto Public Health
Canadian Index of Wellbeing
Toronto Water
Canadian International Television Traffic Safety Unit
Festival
Transportation Services
Canadian Roots Exchange
Urban Forestry Services
Canadian Screen Awards
Waterfront Toronto
Canadian Training Institute
Wellbeing Toronto
Canadian Urban Institute
CivicAction
Canadian Urban Transit Association
Clean Air Partnership
CareerBuilder.ca
Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change
Community Food Centres of Canada
Community Foundations of Canada
Covenant House
Crisis Link
CTV News
Cushman & Wakefield
Cycle Toronto
Daily Bread Food Bank
David Suzuki Foundation
Deloitte
Democracy Watch
Demographia
Diabetes Care
East Scarborough Storefront
Egale Canada Human Rights Trust
Elections Canada
Emporis
Environmental Defence
FarmStart
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Fitch Ratings
FoodShare Toronto
Fraser Institute
Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
Friends of the Pan Am Path
George Brown College
(Lead Research Partner)
Institute Without Boundaries
Global News
GO Transit
Government of Canada:
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Parks Canada
Statistics Canada
Government of Ontario:
Office of the Chief Coroner
Local Health Integration Networks
Ministry of Children and Youth Services
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health and Long
Term Care
Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Housing
Ministry of the Environment
and Climate Change
Newsroom
Greenest City
Green Thumbs Growing Kids
Grosvenor
Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan
Hill Strategies Research
Homes First
Housing Connections
Huffington Post
Imagine Canada
Inside Out LGBT Film Festival
InsideToronto.com
Institute for Canadian Citizenship
Institute for Research on Public Policy
International Institute for Sustainable Development (National Research Partner)
International Standards Organization
Ipsos Reid
John Howard Society of Toronto
KPMG
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
Leger
LGBT Youthline
MABELLEarts
Maclean’s Magazine
MaRS Discovery District
Maytree
McConnell Foundation
McMaster University
Metcalf Foundation
Metro News
Metrolinx
Moneris
Mowat Centre
National Crime Prevention Centre
Neptis Foundation
Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto
New Leaf Yoga Foundation
NOW Magazine
Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators
Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Service for Seniors
Ontario Campaign 2000
Ontario Long Term Care Association
Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association
Ontario Physician Human Resource Data Centre
Open Streets TO
OPENCities
Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD)
Ottawa Citizen
Park People
Parkdale Activity – Recreation Centre (PARC)
ParticipACTION
Pathways to Education
Pembina Institute
People for Education
PinkNews.co.uk
Playing for Keeps
Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario (PEPSO)
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Pride Toronto
Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT)
Realosophy Realty Inc.
Regent Park Focus
Region of Peel
Royal Bank of Canada
Ryerson University
City Building Institute
Samara Canada
Skyscraperpage.com
Social Planning Toronto
Social Progress Imperative
Solid Waste and Recycling Magazine
Spacing Magazine
Springboard
St. Michael’s Hospital
Centre for Research on Inner
City Health
TakePart.com
TD Economics
The Canadian Press
The Economist
The Globe and Mail
The Guardian
The Homeless Hub
The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids)
The Independent
TheScore.com
TIFF
Times Higher Education
TomTom
Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan
Am Games
Toronto Arts Council
Toronto Arts Foundation
Toronto Centre for Active
Transportation
Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Toronto Cycling Think & Do Tank
Toronto District School Board
Toronto Environmental Alliance
Toronto Life
Toronto Police Service
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Raptors
Toronto Real Estate Board
Toronto Region Board of Trade
Toronto Star
Toronto Sun
Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto.com
Torontoist.ca
Tourism Toronto
United Nations
Economic and Social Affairs
UNICEF
World Health Organization
United Way Toronto and
York Region
University of British Columbia
University of Toronto:
Institute on Municipal Finance
and Governance
Neighbourhood Change Research Partnership
Martin Prosperity Institute
UofT News
University of Waterloo
Walk Score
West End Food Co-op
Wheels.ca
Wildlands League
WoodGreen Community Services
World Council on City Data
Yahoo News
Yonge Street Media
YouthfulCities
THE REPORT
TORONTO ON THE WORLD STAGE
DEMOGRAPHICS
Toronto Foundation
Established in 1981, Toronto Foundation is one of
191 Community Foundations in Canada. We are
a leading independent charitable foundation that
connects philanthropy to community needs and
opportunities. Our individual and family Fundholders support causes they care about in Toronto and
across Canada, through grants to any registered
Canadian charity. We currently have more than
500 active Funds, including endowments and assets under administration of more than $400 million. A growing number of Torontonians support the
Vital Toronto Fund, our community fund that helps
mobilize people and resources to tackle community
challenges in innovative and inspiring ways. To find
out more, please visit www.torontofoundation.ca.
Community Knowledge Centre (CKC)
At www.ckc.torontofoundation.ca you will find an
online showcase of more than 260 organizations
working on solutions to the issues identified in this
Partner. This data spread is a specially designed
condensed version of the Report. You can
access the Full Report with complete citations
at www.torontosvitalsigns.ca.
Your guide for discussion and action
As you read through this Report,
consider the Vital Questions posed
throughout. We have lots to be proud
of, but there are also things we need to
think about in order to shift some troubling trends.
The city of Toronto (population 2,808,507*) refers to the former
Metropolitan Toronto, which consisted of the former municipalities
of Toronto, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, York and the
Borough of East York.
The Toronto Region (population 6,055,724*) refers
to the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA),
an area slightly smaller than the Greater Toronto
Area (GTA), and the largest metropolitan area in Canada.
Almost half the population of the Toronto Region
resides in the city of Toronto.
Ask yourself:
> What issues do I care about?
> What data surprises me?
> How can I get involved to make a difference?
The Greater Toronto Area or GTA
(population 6,546,519**) refers to the area
covered by the city of Toronto and the Regions
of Halton, Peel, York, and Durham. The GTHA
refers the GTA plus Hamilton.
Report. Through video and prose, it presents stories
of innovations taking place in our city and provides
you with an opportunity to get involved. See examples of groups on the CKC in each issue area below.
> Almost 1 in 5 (18.1%) Canadians live in the GTA.
> 42.9% of the Region’s population lives in Toronto.
> Toronto Region’s proportion of seniors increased
24.8% between 2001 and 2014.
> 14.76% of the Toronto population is seniors.
> The number of seniors will grow from 1 in 7
Canadians now to about 1 in 4 by 2036.
>22% of Torontonians 55 and older live alone,
and 44% of those 85 and older live alone.
> 1 of every 6 immigrants to Canada in the 5 years
before the last census settled in Toronto.
> 51% of Toronto residents were born outside
of Canada.
> Although immigration has been one of the
main sources of Toronto’s growth, its share
as a source of population growth declined
19% between 2011 and 2013.
Community Foundations
Community Foundations are independent public
foundations that strengthen their communities
by partnering with donors to build permanent
endowments and other funds, supporting community projects, and providing leadership on issues of
broad community concern.
Vital Signs is a national program led by Community Foundations and
coordinated by Community Foundations of Canada that leverages
local knowledge to measure the vitality of our communities and
supports action towards improving our quality of life. Started by the
Toronto Foundation in 2001, today 75 communities across Canada
and around the world use Vital Signs to mobilize the power of community knowledge for greater local impact.
While overall violent crime is
declining, reported sexual
assaults and stabbings are
going up:
> The rate of violent crime declined
3% in the Region and 1.8% in the
city between 2013 and 2014 (from
1,005 to 987 violent crimes per
100,000 persons in the city).
> There were 57 homicides last
year (the same rate as in 2013).
> Reported sexual assaults increased in Toronto in 2014, to 66.8
per 100,000 persons, up 12.5% over
2013, and higher than the provincial
(55.7) and national (58.5) averages.
> Incidents of stabbings in Toronto
jumped dramatically in 2014.
There were 815 stabbings, a
36% increase from the 599 the
previous year.
The Region’s youth crime rate
continues to decrease:
> The youth crime rate decreased
44.9% between 2004 and 2013.
> It stands at 1,496 per 100,000
youth charged; that rate is 48%
lower than the national average
(2,447) and 24.4% lower than the
provincial average (1,912).
How safe are members of minority
and vulnerable populations?
The police practice of “carding”
is under review:
> “Carding” is the police practice
of stopping people arbitrarily and
questioning them, recording personal information, and entering it into
an investigative database.
> An investigation into race, policing, and crime found that 25% of
those carded in 2013 were black
(while fewer than 10% of Torontonians are black). A black person was
17 times more likely than a white
person to be carded in the downtown core.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
What are our biggest health
challenges?
Most Torontonians report very
good or excellent physical health,
but obesity and diabetes rates are
growing:
> 70.5% of all Torontonians report
very good or excellent physical health.
> Less than half (46.1%) of Torontonians 12 and over report being at
least moderately active during their
leisure time.
> 50.7% of adults report being
overweight or obese, up from 46.2%
in 2013.
> The youth (12-17 yrs. old) obesity
rate is greater in Toronto (27.0%)
than nationally (23.1%) and
provincially (23.3%).
> Self-reported diabetes rates
have increased by almost 43%
since 2003.
> 7% of Toronto’s population 12 yrs.
old and over has been diagnosed
with diabetes (up from 4.9%
in 2003).
Most Torontonians believe their
mental health is good, but almost
a quarter of the population
experiences high levels of stress:
> 7 in 10 Torontonians say they are in
very good or excellent mental health.
> 70.9% of youth (12-19 yrs. old)
perceive their mental health as being
very good or excellent, a decrease
from 77.3% in 2003 and lower than
national (73.9%) and provincial
(72.3%) averages.
> 22.8% of the population 15 yrs. old
and over report that most days are
quite a bit or extremely stressful.
> 262 people took their own lives in
2013 in Toronto. That’s more than
4 times the number of homicides,
and 4 times the number of road user
fatalities.
On any given night, approximately
2,000 homeless youth in
Toronto are vulnerable to being
trafficked:
> Toronto is a known “principle
destination” or “transit point” for
human trafficking in Canada.
> People under 24 comprise about
a third of Canada’s homeless
(about 65,000 individuals), and
are the fastest-growing segment
of the homeless population.
How do inequities impact health
and wellbeing?
Lower-income Torontonians have
poorer health:
> Health status indicators show significant inequities. When the health
status of the lowest-income group is
compared to that of the highest-income group:
• m
en are 50% more likely to die
before age 75,
• w
omen are 85% more likely to
have diabetes,
• b
abies are 40% more likely to be
born at a low weight.
Get involved
Get involved
BOOST for Kids – eliminating
abuse and violence towards
children and youth
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative
Clinic – offering legal representation
and counselling to women who
have experienced violence
New Leaf Yoga Foundation –
supporting the wellbeing of youth
by making mindfulness and yoga
accessible
LGBT Youthline – providing anonymous peer support for youth in a
queer-positive context
Mono
Georgina
East
Gwillimbury
Tecumseth
Newmarket
King
Uxbridge
Aurora WhitchurchStouffville
Caledon
Vaughan
Richmond
Hill
Markham
Brampton
Halton
Hills
Toronto is the “best place to live”:
> The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cities
Index included an “index of indexes” compiled
from 6 other Economist rankings — Safe Cities,
Liveability, Cost of Living, Business Environment, Democracy, and Global Food Security —
to determine the best cities in the world to live.
Toronto came out on top overall among 25 best
performing global cities.
Brock
Toronto
Scugog
Pickering
Whitby
Clarington
Mississauga
Milton
Oakville
Burlington
City of Toronto: 2.8 million
Toronto Region: 6.06 million
Greater Toronto Area (GTA): 6.55 million
*
*
**
Toronto’s economy continues to grow,
though slowly:
> Toronto’s GDP grew by 3.12% between 2013
and 2014.
> 5,030 business establishments were new
or new to Toronto in 2014.
> There were 21% fewer business bankruptcies
in the Region last year (368 vs. 466 in 2013).
Construction activity continues to be strong:
> Toronto has the most high- and mid-rise
buildings under construction of any North
American city, and is 2nd only to New York City
WORK
HOUSING
The Toronto Region’s congestion
crisis continues to impact our quality of life:
> Traffic in Toronto is the 8th most
congested in North America, and 2nd
most congested in Canada.
> The Region boasts the 2nd longest
round-trip commute – 66 minutes
– of any North American city. Only
New York City fares worse.
> Increasingly longer commute times
negatively affect health and intensify
the “time crunch” that 1 in 5 Ontarians feels (which means less time for
family, leisure, and community).
> The most congested mornings and
evenings are on Thursdays. Thursday
evening congestion nears 80%.
Toronto’s job numbers are
increasing, but almost 1 in 4
is part-time:
> The city’s overall employment
grew 1.5% in 2014 with 20,850
jobs added.
> Of Toronto’s total employment
(1,384,390 jobs counted),
76.8% were full-time and 23.2%
part-time (a 1.7% increase in
part-time work since the
previous year).
Toronto’s housing market is
“severely” unaffordable:
> Toronto’s house prices have tripled
since the 1970s.
> Toronto is the 13th least affordable
of 86 global cities with populations
over 1 million.
> Toronto’s median house price in
2014 was $482,900 and its median
household income $73,900.
> An annual income of $126,530 is
needed to afford the average home in
Toronto, which costs $630,858.
> Toronto is the most expensive
place to rent in Canada, and has the
fourth-lowest vacancy rate. An average two-bedroom apartment rents
for $1,264.
> Almost half of Toronto households
rent, and 43.5% of renter households
spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent (considered the cut-off
for affordability).
Who is working in Toronto
and who isn’t?
Tanja-Tiziana Burdi
ENVIRONMENT
How is Toronto faring with measures of environmental progress
and sustainability?
Toronto is the world’s 12th most
sustainable city:
> Ranking three pillars: People, Planet,
and Profit, Toronto came in at 12th
out of 50 global cities on overall
sustainability.
> Toronto ranked 9th on the Planet
pillar (including energy consumption,
renewable energy, recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, natural disaster
risks, and air and water qualities).
Half of Canada’s best farmland is in
Ontario, much of it near Toronto, yet
Ontario imports almost $20 billion
worth of food annually:
> Half of Canada’s “Class 1” farmland—good for producing a range of
field crops—is in southern Ontario,
much of it in “near-urban” areas such
as surrounding Toronto.
> Yet we import nearly double what
we export— Ontario food imports are
valued at $19.8 billion, and exports
$10.8 billion.
> At any one time ,Toronto has about
3 days’ worth of food available. A
border closure or key failure in US agriculture would leave our city unable
to adequately feed its population.
How do Toronto’s green spaces
contribute to residents’ wellbeing?
Toronto has 445.67 hectares of
publicly accessible green spaces per
100,000 people:
> Parks and green spaces are 4°C
cooler, on average, than other areas
of Toronto.
> The amount of airborne particulate matter removed annually by
Toronto’s urban forest (the trees,
shrubs, and plants that grow in parks,
ravines, lawns, and at the sides of
streets) is equivalent to the amount
released by over 1 million automobiles each year.
> People who live in neighbourhoods
with a higher density of trees report
better health conditions. Just 10
more trees per city block improves
health perception in ways that compare to being 7 years younger.
Get involved
Charlie’s FreeWheels – teaching
bicycle mechanics, safety and leadership skills to youth
Cycle Toronto – advocating for a
healthy, safe, and cycling friendly city
for all
for major buildings under construction.
The Region smashed 2 tourism records in 2014:
> We recorded the highest-ever number of
overnight visitors (14.3 million, including the
highest-ever number of overseas visitors)
and hotel room nights sold.
> Spending by overnight and same-day trip
visitors added $6.9 billion to the economy.
> Toronto is the most-visited Canadian city by
other Canadians. In 2014, 10.5 million overnight
Canadian guests generated $2.44 billion.
facebook.com/TorontoCF
GETTING AROUND
How is Toronto faring on measures
of active transportation?
The number of commuters who
take transit, walk, or bike to work
continues to increase, but we can
still do better:
> In a recent study of GTHA commuters, 4% said they walked, 2%
biked, 30% used public transit, and
7% carpooled. However, 55% drove
alone.
> Among 22 Canadian cities, Toronto
is the 2nd most walkable.
> Cycling volumes have tripled,
cyclists feel safer, and motor vehicle
travel times have been positively
impacted, now that bike lanes are
on Richmond, Adelaide, and Simcoe
Streets. Since installation in 2014,
Richmond and Adelaide bike lanes
average more than 4,200 cyclist trips
per weekday.
> Of 10 Canadian cities, Toronto was
tied with Saskatoon as the 4th most
dangerous in which to ride a bike.
> Thursday is the worst day of the
week for traffic accidents involving
cyclists, and evening rush hour is the
worst time of day.
The Toronto Region is 3rd in labour
attractiveness globally:
> Among the dozen North American cities
included in Toronto Region Board of Trade’s
Scorecard on Prosperity ranking of 24 global
metropolitan areas, the Region was ranked
5th overall, and awarded a “B” in labour
attractiveness.
ECONOMIC HEALTH
Oshawa
#TVS2015 @TorontoFdn @CEO_TorontoFdn
How does Toronto’s traffic
congestion compare?
Just how safe is Toronto?
BradfordW.Gwillimbury
Toronto is the most liveable location for
relocating employees in North America:
> ECA International’s Location Ratings cited
Toronto’s “good air quality, solid infrastructure,
decent medical facilities, low crime and
health risks.”
*Population figures are post-census estimates. **Projections predict a rate of growth of 1.6% annually 2014-2019.
Full Report: www.torontosvitalsigns.ca
SAFETY
Toronto is one of the “most liveable cities”
in the world:
> The Economist Intelligence Unit has ranked
Toronto 4th place for the 7th seventh year in
a row in liveability.
Ajax
Toronto Foundation’s Toronto’s Vital Signs® Report
is an annual consolidated snapshot identifying the
trends and issues affecting the quality of life in our
city – progress we should be proud of and challenges that need to be addressed.
The Report aims to inspire civic engagement and provide focus for public debate
in our communities and around the
world. It is used by residents, businesses,
community organizations, universities
and colleges, and government departments.
In addition, the Report is a model now being
replicated by 75 communities around the world.
The Foundation partners with many researchers
to produce the Toronto’s Vital Signs Report, including George Brown College, our Lead Research
Get involved
Wildlands League – working in the
public interest to protect public lands
and resources in Ontario
Green Thumbs Growing Kids –
educating and engaging children with
nature and food through learning
Toronto’s youth face troubling
trends:
> The youth unemployment rate
reached a high of 21.65% in 2014.
The rate has hovered near 20% for
more than a decade.
> About 10% of youth 15-24 yrs.
old in the GTHA (as many as
83,000) were “Not in Education,
Employment or Training” (NEET,
a Statistics Canada category).
> Groups over-represented in
NEET include youth who are
racialized and newcomer,
aboriginal, living in poverty or
in conflict with the law, in and
leaving care, LGBT, or with
disabilities and special needs.
Unemployment is more
likely among Toronto’s recent
immigrants than Canadian-born
workers:
> In Toronto, the unemployment rate
for those aged 15 and over born in
Canada was 9.0% in 2014 (up from
7.9% in 2013).
> For the city’s recent immigrants
(entered Canada within the last
5 years) unemployment stood
at 16.2%.
> For Toronto immigrants in
Canada 5-10 years, unemployment
was 12.9% (up from 9.7%
in 2012).
> For recent immigrant youth in the
city (15-24 yrs. old), the unemployment rate was 24.1% vs. 21.65% for
all youth.
What other workforce trends
should we be concerned about?
Precarious employment
is rising:
> 22.7% of Toronto workers
25-65 years old were precariously
employed last year, in jobs
that are temporary and contract
(up from 19.4% in 2013).
For the GTHA, that figure was
20.3%.
> Only 45.7% of Toronto’s workers
have the most secure form of
employment, the “standard
employment relationship” of
permanent full-time employment
with benefits.
> Temporary and contract employment increased by 17% in Toronto
between 2011 and 2014.
Get involved
ACCES Employment – assisting job
seekers from diverse backgrounds to
integrate into the Canadian job market
Newcomer Women’s Services –
delivering educational and employment opportunities for immigrant
women and their children
What does it cost to call Toronto
home?
Peter Bregg
GAP BETWEEN RICH
AND POOR
LEARNING
How big is the gap between the
richest Torontonians and the
rest?
The teacher/student ratio in the
Region’s public schools continues
to improve, and more Toronto
schools have specialist teachers:
> There were 91.2 teachers per
1,000 elementary and secondary
students in the Region in 2013 vs.
67.8 in 2011.
> 87% of Toronto elementary
schools in the Region had teacherlibrarians in 2014-15.
> 82% of Toronto elementary
schools had a health and physical
education teacher.
The gap between the top 1% income
earners and the rest in the Toronto
Region is the 2nd largest in Canada:
> The top 1% (66,840 people) of
individual tax filers in the Region
shared 17.4% of declared income.
> Calgary had the largest gap between the top 1% and the rest.
Income inequality among Toronto
households is growing:
> At 31%, Toronto’s income inequality
growth rate over 25 years was more
than double the national (14%) rate.
> Average household incomes in the
poorest 10% of Toronto neighbourhoods increased 2%, whereas in the
richest 10% of neighbourhoods, they
increased 80%.
> Toronto is becoming Canada’s
working poverty capital, with working
poverty increasing from 8.2% of the
working-age population in the Region
in 2006 to 10.7% in 2012 – the highest
among Canada’s 10 largest metros.
How are working families faring?
Working families are having trouble
making ends meet:
> Two working parents with 2 young
children need to each earn at least
$18.52 per hour just to make ends
meet in Toronto.
> Since 2008, the cost of childcare
has increased 30%, rent 13%, and
public transit 36%.
> Over 1.5 million people in the Region earn less than $21 per hour.
Toronto is experiencing a “hidden
epidemic” of child and family
poverty:
> The number of children living in
low-income families increased by
over 10,000 between 2010 and 2012
to 29% of Toronto’s children.
What does food insecurity look like
in Toronto?
There were more than 890,000 visits to Toronto food banks last year:
> While food bank use in the core
decreased 16%, in the inner suburbs
visits have increased 45% since 2008.
Get involved
PARC – working with members of the
Parkdale community on issues
of poverty and mental health
Greenest City – building healthy,
inclusive neighbourhoods through
community gardening and food
security programs
How are Toronto’s public
schools faring?
How do socio-economic inequities
affect access to learning and
opportunity?
There are not enough childcare
spaces in Toronto to meet demand:
> Licensed and regulated childcare
spaces can accommodate fewer
than 20% of our children (newborns
to 12 yrs. old).
> Toronto’s licensed childcare system
has 1 space for every 13 infants, every
3 toddlers, and every 2 preschoolers.
> 21.6% of publicly funded elementary schools have no before- and
after-school programs.
What about the people without
housing options?
Close to 80,000 Toronto households are waiting for affordable
housing:
> The “active” waiting list for affordable housing grew by 1.5% last year,
1,139 more than the previous year.
> 3,118 applicants were housed in
2014, 15% fewer than in 2013 and the
lowest total in 6 years.
> 6.5% of the population in the city is
either living in or waiting for affordable housing.
> The situation for those in the suburbs is especially precarious, with far
more waiting than there are spaces
available—almost 26,000 for fewer
than 20,000 (currently occupied)
units. In some areas there are almost
twice as many applicants as units.
Schools’ reliance on fundraising
is causing inequities:
> The top 20 elementary schools
(mostly in wealthier neighbourhoods) raised $3.9M in 2012-13.
The bottom 20 schools raised only
$43,249.
How educated are Torontonians?
The number of Toronto students
graduating high school is increasing annually:
> The Toronto District School Board’s
5-year graduation rate was 80% last
year, up from 69% of students when
they began tracking in 2000.
Toronto’s population is highly
educated:
> Torontonians possess more
higher education degrees per
100,000 population (45,875)
than residents of other global
cities like Los Angeles (24,100),
London (31,698), and Amsterdam
(42,030).
Get involved
Canadian Training Institute –
enhancing client services delivered by the criminal justice system
through training and development
Springboard – helping people overcome barriers and develop skills to
connect to their communities
Laura Brown
Get involved
Homes First – providing affordable stable housing and support services to help
people break the cycle of homelessness
WoodGreen – enhancing self-sufficiency, promoting wellbeing and
reducing poverty through innovative
community services
Sonya Reynolds
ARTS AND CULTURE
How do Torontonians contribute
to, and benefit from, the city’s
exciting cultural environment?
Attendance at cultural events reflects our deep engagement in arts,
culture, and heritage and brings
economic benefit to the city:
> Arts and culture contribute $11.3
billion annually to Toronto’s GDP.
> Attendance at City-funded or -programmed cultural events reached 19
million last year.
> More than half a million people
visit the 21 City-operated museums,
historic sites, cultural centres and art
galleries every year.
> 71% of Torontonians attend a cultural location, or an arts-related event,
program, or place on a regular basis.
> On-location filming in Toronto hit
a new high of $1.23 billion in 2014,
over the $1 billion mark for the fourth
straight year.
> The 2014 World Pride Festival
directly contributed $313 million to
Toronto’s GDP.
Toronto has much to be proud of
around the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/
Parapan Am Games:
> Supported by more than 20,000
volunteers, the Games were the
largest multi-sport event in Canadian
history.
> More than 5,500 Pan Am athletes
competed in 36 sports, and 1,608
athletes competed in 15 parasports.
> Canadian Pan Am and Parapan
Am athletes won a combined 385
medals.
LEADERSHIP, CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AND
BELONGING
Do Torontonians feel connected?
Almost 7 in 10 Torontonians
feel a strong sense of belonging
to their local community, however,
the rate diminishes for millennials:
> 68.9% of Torontonians 12 yrs. old
and over report feeling a strong or
somewhat strong sense of belonging,
a big improvement from 55.9% in
2003 and higher than the national
average (66.4%).
> Only 56.6% of young adults
(20-34 yrs. old) report a strong
or somewhat strong sense of
belonging.
What are some of the barriers
to civic participation and sense
of belonging?
Rising precarious, or insecure
employment affects voting:
> Workers (25-65 yrs. old)
who are low-income or have
less secure jobs are less likely
to report that they always vote
than those who are high-income
or have more secure jobs
(56.5% vs. 87.6%).
Representation on City Council
still does not reflect the diversity
of Toronto’s population:
> Visible minorities make up
49% of Toronto’s population,
but in both the 2010 and 2014
municipal elections, visible
minorities were elected to only
6 of 45 positions.
> While they make up 52%
of the population, women
comprise only 34% of elected
city councillors.
How well does our world-class
library system serve the city?
The Toronto Public Library
continues to be among the
world’s largest and busiest
public library systems:
> Last year was a banner year with
the opening of its 100th branch
(Scarborough Civic Centre), increasing the number of programs offered
by 9.3%, and seeing its busiest year
since 2005. Total uses surpassed 100
million, up 18.7% from 2007.
> The direct benefits of a library
membership made it worth $502
for the 72% of Torontonians who
used it.
> For every $1 invested in the Toronto
Public Library, Torontonians received
$5.63 of economic value.
Are Torontonians supporting
our charitable sector?
The percentage of Torontonians
claiming a charitable donation
on their income tax return
decreased, but the median
donation increased:
> 21.6% of Toronto Region
tax-filers declared a donation in
2013, placing us 24th of Canada’s
33 metros. > Since 1997, median
charitable donations in the
Region have risen 85%, from
$200 to $370.
Get involved
Get involved
Inside Out LGBT Film Festival changing lives through the promotion,
production and exhibition of films by
and about LGBT people
Regent Park Focus - bringing best
practices in training and mentorship of
youth to broadcasting and digital arts
Canadian Urban Institute – building
wisdom and inspiring leadership for
healthy urban development
MABELLEarts – bringing together
local communities to make art, tell
stories, and creatively transform
their public space
Community Knowledge Centre: ckc.torontofoundation.ca – more than 260 profiles of made-in-Toronto solutions addressing issues highlighted in this Report.
Toronto is where I’m from
or where I landed.
More importantly,
it’s the place I choose to be.
Not perfect.
Well lived in.
Never finished or solved,
but, our life’s work.
We’re in it together,
because it’s home.
It’s our legacy to be built.
It’s our city.
This is where your legacy begins.
Let’s build this city together.
Learn more at www.torontofoundation.ca