Waterloo Region, ON - 2008 by Community Foundations of Canada

TA K I N G T H E P U L S E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

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ABOUT WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs ® is an annual community checkup through which The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation measure the vitality of our Region, identify significant trends, and invite community supporters to assign grades in 11 key areas critical to Waterloo Region’s quality of life. A comprehensive version of Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs with links to the original sources is available online at www.wrvitalsigns.ca ® The Vital Signs trademark is used with permission from Community Foundations of Canada.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 A MESSAGE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS 4 METHODOLOGY 5 WHAT GRADERS TOLD US 6 ECONOMIC CONTEXT 8 ARTS AND CULTURE 10 ENVIRONMENT 12 BELONGING AND LEADERSHIP 14 GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR 16 LEARNING 2

18 GETTING AROUND 20 GETTING STARTED 22 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 24 SAFETY 26 HOUSING 28 WORK 30 THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS 31 PHOTO CONTEST 31 COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATING IN VITAL SIGNS

A T O O L O F C H A N G E ; W AT E R L O O R E G I O N ’ S V I TA L S I G N S S PA R K S D I A L O G U E , I N S P I R E S C O N N E C T I O N S , A N D S T I M U L AT E S A C T I O N . . .

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR FOUNDATIONS both Foundations play in our community. Vital Signs has encouraged connections and we’ve been told that it is being used by others as a tool for learning and planning. This year’s report continues to build on that momentum. We thank all of the people who gave their time and expertise to this report by sharing information, providing guidance and advice, and participating in the community grading survey. We had another great response to the survey this year, with 885 community graders recording their views of life in Waterloo Region.

David Yach, Jim Harper, Rosemary Smith, and Jane Neath WELCOME TO THE SECOND ANNUAL WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS REPORT – A SNAPSHOT OF THE WELL-BEING AND LIVABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation launched Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs in 2007 to provide a look into the issues and opportunities of importance in our Region, kindle conversation, and inspire others to take action. The purpose of Vital Signs is multi-functional. Through the collection of reliable and valid data, the report presents a clear sense of what priorities we as Foundations and community supporters should be focused on to make our Region an even better place to live, work, and grow. It has had a significant impact in the leadership role that

As you will see in the following pages, Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs is both a celebration and an important reality check. Our Region is tops when it comes to donors making larger contributions to charity, safer streets, waste diversion, and our unemployment rates are at an all-time low. However, we must be cautious. Much like last year, there were a few areas that stood out for us and therefore we recommend that we, as a community, take a closer look. Learning continues to be an area of concern for Waterloo Region. Last year we reported that less than 50% of our Region’s population held some form of post-secondary education and that we barely surpassed the minimum standards for English literacy. This year we found that 30% of our senior kindergarten students were just not ready to start school and that, on average, 37.5% of our Grade 3 students are struggling to pass the Provincial Reading Standard. We report in the Getting Started section that Waterloo Region’s university-educated immigrants – whether they’ve been here for one or 10 years – earn significantly less than those of us who went to university and were born here. With immigration

expected to account for 100% of the net labour market growth in Canada by 2011, where does this leave our newest Canadians? Last year we reported a substantial decrease in the number of people employed in arts and culture. Data also shows that while we are surrounded by cultural opportunities, for some reason we just don’t get out and attend events or visit cultural establishments. Our obesity rates are going up and our activity levels are going down. Many of our residents smoke, drink, and don’t eat a well-balanced diet. Coupled with the doctor shortage and high stress levels we reported in last year’s report, we could be putting ourselves at risk for a number of physical and/or emotional problems. All of this being said, in the area of Health and Wellness it is interesting to note that we take less sick days than workers across the country. We encourage you to get involved in creating positive change in our community by using Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs as a tool to learn. You may agree or disagree with some of the perceptions of our community graders, but our hope is that this report will spark discussion and promote action so that others can get involved in making a difference. Sincerely, Rosemary Smith, David Yach, Jane Neath, and Jim Harper WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! SHARE WITH US HOW YOU ARE USING OR PLAN TO USE WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS OR GIVE US FEEDBACK ON THIS YEAR’S REPORT BY VISITING

www.wrvitalsigns.ca

METHODOLOGY THE BEGINNING Vital Signs was first developed in 2001 by the Toronto Community Foundation as an annual community checkup of quality of life in their city. Eight years later, 15 community foundations from across Canada have adopted this initiative for their own communities. This national Vital Signs initiative is coordinated by Community Foundations of Canada. The inaugural Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs report, the first and only Vital Signs to be completed in collaboration with two community foundations, was released in 2007.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation engaged a wide range of organizations, individuals, local experts, and interested community supporters in the development of Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs. Their involvement has helped us to capture the spirit and perception of the health, happiness, and well-being of those spending time in our community. To identify the most useful indicators in each of the 11 key areas of Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs, we established a resource panel of experts knowledgeable about research methods and our Region. Building on the work accomplished by last year’s Community Advisory Sessions, the expert panel provided leadership and direction regarding the data and indicators chosen for the report. Each year a Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs photo contest has been held to help portray quality of life in Waterloo Region as seen through the eyes of its citizens. Winning photos from the contest are featured in the report.

RESEARCH

Canadian Council on Learning, Environment Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Elections Canada, Ontario Early Years Centre, Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office, and Industry Canada. Much of the data was available for the whole of Waterloo Region. A small portion of the data was available at a Kitchener Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) level. This includes the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and the townships of Woolwich and North Dumfries. The townships of Wilmot and Wellesley are not included in this CMA. For the purpose of this report, we have decided to cite Waterloo Region on all graphs and data. To provide insight into what the picture looks like across the country, comparable statistics for Ontario and Canada were included, when available. The Centre for the Study of Living Standards was retained by Community Foundations of Canada to gather research for common indicators being used by the Vital Signs projects across Canada.

COMMUNITY GRADING The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation invited interested, informed, and involved community supporters from various sectors including – business, labour, non-profit, academia, religion, and civic – to participate in an online grading exercise. There were 885 people who participated in the survey – up 13% from last year. We are pleased to report participation from each of the seven municipalities and townships. Graders were asked to do two things: first, rate each of the indicators in the 11 key areas outlined in Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs on the following scale:

The two foundations enlisted the help of Ginsler & Associates Inc. to undertake the enormous job of compiling secondary research for both the hard-copy report and the more comprehensive online version. Data consultant Ernie Ginsler brings with him over 30 years of experience in community development, human services planning, and community capacity building.

IN DIRE NEED OF CORRECTIVE ACTION ______________________

Data was collected from various trusted and respected sources including Statistics Canada, Region of Waterloo, Canada’s Technology Triangle (CTT), Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI), Municipal Performance Measurement Program (MPMP),

DOING WELL _____________________________________________

OF CONCERN, NEEDS ATTENTION __________________________ NOT BAD, BUT COULD DO BETTER __________________________

AWESOME! WE’RE DOING GREAT! __________________________

Secondly, graders were asked to assign an A, B, C, D, or F grade to each of the 11 key areas in the report based on how they felt Waterloo Region was doing in that particular quality of life area. While we tried to have neutral descriptions for each indicator, it is important to note that the survey does have one bias – that of a healthy community. All grading and rating in this report and any supplementary publications created by our Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs partners was assigned by the 885 community survey graders – not by the two community foundations. Average scores were used to present the grades for each indicator and the 11 key areas. Points to Ponder: It was interesting to observe that the community’s perception of the data did not always align with the significance or reality of the data reported on in the survey. As you read the report, you may want to ask yourself why we, as a community, perceive ourselves in certain ways even though hard data tells us a different story. Another interesting observation was that our community did most of its grading in a range of 2 ½ to 3 ½. What does this tell us about our community culture?

INDICATOR SELECTION INDICATORS WITHIN EACH OF THE 11 KEY AREAS WERE SELECTED ON A BASIS OF:

Availability of data. Ease and cost of data collection. Currency of data. Perceived community interest. Data that will be updated regularly for future trending. A three year cycle for core indicators as agreed upon by all community foundations participating in Vital Signs.

HERE’S WHAT WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS GRADERS TOLD US: 85% OF GRADERS DETERMINED

67% OF GRADERS FELT THAT OUR

80% OF GRADERS DECIDED THAT

65% OF GRADERS DECIDED THAT

80% OF GRADERS IDENTIFIED

60% OF GRADERS CONCLUDED

74% OF GRADERS FELT THAT

59% OF GRADERS INDICATED

THAT THE NUMBER OF WORKERS WHO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WAS AN AREA THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN WATERLOO REGION WAS AN AREA THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION. THAT THE OBESITY RATE IN WATERLOO REGION WAS AN AREA THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

WE WERE DOING WELL OR AWESOME WHEN IT CAME TO OUR MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.

71% OF GRADERS CONCLUDED

THAT PERFORMANCE ON THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT INSTRUMENT WAS AN AREA IN NEED OF FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

67% OF GRADERS DETERMINED

THAT THE COST OF RENT COMPARED TO GOVERNMENT HOUSING ALLOWANCES WAS AN AREA THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TIME WAS AN AREA IN NEED OF FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL WAS AN AREA THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION. THAT OUR PERCENT EMPLOYMENT IN CULTURAL INDUSTRIES WAS AN AREA IN NEED OF FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION. THAT THE CHILD POVERTY RATE WAS AN AREA THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

54% OF GRADERS IDENTIFIED THE

MEDIAN EARNINGS OF CANADIANBORN AND IMMIGRANT WORKERS AS AN AREA IN NEED OF FURTHER ATTENTION OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

51% OF GRADERS FELT THAT WE

WERE DOING WELL OR AWESOME WHEN IT CAME TO OUR FULL-YEAR, FULL-TIME INDIVIDUAL EARNINGS. 5

Regional Library

ECONOMIC CONTEXT

Landfill Site Regional Transfer Station Regional Museum

ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY

Water Treatment Plant Grand River Transit Terminal

Waterloo Region displays a unique blend of urban and rural living with three urban municipalities – Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge – and four rural townships – Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich, and North Dumfries.

Regional Offices Region of Waterloo International Airport

With a combined population of 509,000 people (Region of Waterloo 2006 estimate), our Region is growing rapidly. Since 1991, we have grown on average 1.6% per year. It is expected that Waterloo Region’s population will be close to 729,000 by 2031. According to the 2006 Census conducted by Statistics Canada, the population of Waterloo Region is aging. While the Region is one of the youngest municipalities in Ontario, our median age of 36.5 years increased by 1.1 years from 2001 to 2006. In measuring the success of our local economy, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) sits at an estimated $21.5 billion (2006). There has been an increase of almost 41% in GDP from 1997 to 2006, the highest growth rate among Canada’s 27 metropolitan areas. Based on personal tax returns, our Median Employment Income in 2005 was $31,100. While Waterloo Region continues to derive most of its economic success from the automotive, manufacturing, high-tech, and financial services sectors, new and emerging areas are beginning to make their mark: health sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, environmental, nanotechnology, and digital media.

POPULATION AGING WATERLOO REGIONIS POPULATION BY AGE GROUP, 2006 90+ 85 - 89 80 - 84 75 - 79 70 - 74 65 - 69 60 - 64 55 - 59 50 - 54 45 - 49 40 - 44 35 - 39 30 - 34 25 - 29 20 - 24 15 -19 10 -14 5-9 0-4

130% increase

25% increase

10,000

20,000

30,000

Forecast 25-Year Population Growth

40,000 2006

50,000 2031

60,000

DID YOU KNOW? THE BANK OF MONTREAL (BMO) 2008 REGIONAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR WATERLOO REGION FORECASTS STRONG GROWTH IN 2009 AND 2010 THAT OUTPACES PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL AVERAGES – CALLING US “ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST STARS IN THE CANADIAN ECONOMIC SKIES.”

YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF… WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? YOU CAN... BUY LOCAL AND SUPPORT OUR REGION’S ENTREPRENEURS. VACATION AT HOME – WATERLOO REGION HAS LOTS TO OFFER BY WAY OF RECREATION AND LEISURE ESTABLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES. ENJOY A NIGHT ON THE TOWN – DINE AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT AND TAKE IN A NEW EXHIBIT AT A LOCAL GALLERY OR A LIVE PERFORMANCE AT ONE OF OUR MANY ART VENUES.

Valued or Unnoticed? ARTS AND CULTURE INSPIRE, ENRICH, EDUCATE – THE ARTS HAVE THE POWER TO DO ALL. CULTURAL OFFERINGS CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HELP INCREASE THE LEVEL OF PRIDE PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. CREATIVE CITIES LIKE TORONTO, MONTREAL, AND VANCOUVER, ARE BOOMING, IN PART, BECAUSE THEY ATTRACT AND RETAIN HIGHLY PAID KNOWLEDGE WORKERS BY OFFERING A BEAUTIFUL, VIBRANT, EXCITING PLACE TO LIVE. IN WATERLOO REGION, JUST OVER 2% OF OUR POPULATION IS EMPLOYED IN OCCUPATIONS RELATED TO ARTS, CULTURE, RECREATION, AND SPORTS.

In 2005, 41.4% of Waterloo Region residents reported attending a concert or performance and 16.9% attended a cultural festival. In other communities participating in Vital Signs, 44.1% attended a concert or performance and 25.8% attended a cultural festival. In Waterloo Region in 2006, there were 6,115 persons employed in occupations related to arts, culture, recreation, and sports. Employment in these cultural industries accounted for 2.3% of total employment in the Region, slightly less than the 2.33% reported in 2001. By comparison, these industries accounted for 3.1% of total employment in the province as a whole and 2.9% of employment Canada-wide. And, as we stated in last year’s report, in 2006, less than 1% of people were employed in arts and culture. The proportion of people working in this sector in Waterloo Region is less than that of the province (2.2%) and nationwide (1.9%). This is the lowest percentage rate since 2000, when the rate was 1.3%. Waterloo Region has 211 performing arts and spectator sports establishments. This was an 11% increase in 2005, compared to 190 in 2004. The amusement, gambling, and recreation areas experienced a 1.4% increase in 2005 in the number of establishments, compared to 2004. However, there was one less heritage institution during the same time period.

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W AT E R L O O R E G I O N ’ S V I TA L S I G N S – TA K I N G T H E P U L S E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

DID YOU KNOW? SIX IN 10 CANADIANS BELIEVE THEIR GOVERNMENTS DON’T HAVE THE CASH TO SUPPORT THE ARTS OVER OTHER “MORE NECESSARY” PROGRAMS (IPSOS REID 2007 MUNICIPAL FUNDING FOR ARTS REPORT). THE WATERLOO REGION SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE HOSTED A ONE-DAY BUSINESS TRAINING WORKSHOP IN APRIL FOR ARTISTS AND CULTURAL INDUSTRY ENTREPRENEURS THAT INCLUDED WORKSHOPS FOR ARTS-BASED BUSINESSES, TRADE SHOW BOOTHS, AND NETWORKING.

YOU CAN... CHECK OUT ONE (OR TWO) OF THE 63 ANNUAL FESTIVALS RELATED TO ARTS, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. CELEBRATE YOUR CREATIVITY BY TAKING AN ART CLASS. ATTEND A LOCAL PERFORMANCE – THERE ARE 14 LIVE THEATRES IN WATERLOO REGION.

Credit for photo on this page: Brian McKay, Christy Adamson, Stephen Patterson, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, 2008.

What Kind of Footprints Are We Leaving? ENVIRONMENT A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT IS CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. WATERLOO REGION IS HOME TO MANY UNIQUE NATURAL ATTRACTIONS LIKE THE GRAND RIVER, SIX CONSERVATION AREAS, HUNDREDS OF KILOMETRES OF WALKING TRAILS, AND CANADA’S LARGEST URBAN GREEN SPACE ( rare ). BLUE BOXES, GREEN BOXES; BOTH ARE FINDING THEIR WAY INTO MORE AND MORE HOMES IN WATERLOO REGION. WE DIVERT MORE WASTE FROM LANDFILL THAN THE REST OF THE PROVINCE. THE MORE RECYCLING, COMPOSTING, AND E-WASTE SALVAGING WE DO, THE BETTER WE ARE AT USING OUR LIMITED LAND RESOURCES. NUMBER OF DAYS PER YEAR WITH HIGH OZONE 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

2001

2002

2003

2004

Source: Environment Canada – Special Run

2005

2006

Waterloo Region

Note: Ozone daily maximum 8-hour average greater than 65 parts per billion.

In Waterloo Region in 2006 there were 11 high ozone days, down from 27 days in 2005. This number has varied over the past six years, as demonstrated by the graph seen here. The 2001-2006 period average was 20 days – one of the highest reported across the country. In comparison, Ottawa averaged nine days, Calgary averaged two days, and Vancouver averaged one day over that same time period. The number of hazy days in Waterloo Region was two, down from six days in 2001. In 2007, there were 27 high ozone days, demonstrating, once again, the variability of our air quality.

The proportion of Waterloo Region’s household waste being sent to recycling reached 43% in 2006, an increase of three percentage points from 2005. Waste diversion refers to household waste that is diverted through the blue box and other recycling programs. This increase is in keeping with the Region of Waterloo’s goal of remaining one of the highest-achieving municipalities in terms of waste diversion by incrementally performing better than the previous year. The green bin program is currently being piloted and will help our Region achieve greater than 50% waste diversion. In 2004, the total average daily water use in Waterloo Region was 240.4 litres per capita, up 3% from 2001. The average daily flow was 8.2% less than the provincial rate and 40% below the national rate. 10

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W AT E R L O O R E G I O N ’ S V I TA L S I G N S – TA K I N G T H E P U L S E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

DID YOU KNOW? THE DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY IN WATERLOO REGION IS GROWING AT A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 2.1% ANNUALLY. THIS RATE OF INCREASE IN ELECTRICITY IS HIGHER THAN OUR RATE OF POPULATION GROWTH. SINCE 1999, HOME ENERGY RETROFITS BY RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT (REEP) CUSTOMERS HAVE RESULTED IN A REDUCTION OF 4,165 TONNES OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. AREA RESIDENTS ARE RECEIVING OVER $1 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS FOR THESE RETROFITS.

YOU CAN... FIND OUT YOUR PERSONAL ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT. VISIT www.zerofootprint.net RECYCLE MORE! YOU CAN DONATE YOUR USED COMPUTERS BY CONTACTING PLACES LIKE THE WORKING CENTRE www.theworkingcentre.org OR GREENTEC

www.greentec.com

PARTICIPATE IN EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES – HELD EVERY APRIL 22. IT IS THE LARGEST AND MOST CELEBRATED ENVIRONMENTAL EVENT WORLDWIDE. REDUCE YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION AND DRIVE YOUR CAR LESS. 11

Connected or Divided? BELONGING AND LEADERSHIP BY INVOLVING AND ENGAGING OTHERS, WE FOSTER LEADERSHIP THAT HELPS US BUILD A HEALTHY AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY. OUR SENSE OF CONNECTION WITH ONE ANOTHER IS STRENGTHENED WHEN WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY BY VOLUNTEERING, VOTING, OR DONATING. AS EVIDENCED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE TOO HAVE FEWER DONORS MAKING CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS. FORTUNATELY, THOSE DONORS ARE GIVING MORE MONEY TO THE CAUSES THAT MATTER TO THEM.

Voter turnout for the 2006 Federal Election in Waterloo Region was 66.3%. This turnout is 2.5% higher than the national average (64.7%) and slightly lower than the provincial average (66.6%). Twenty-nine percent of tax filers declared charitable donations in 2006. Waterloo Region was 17.9% above the national rate and 9% above the provincial rate. Our rate was down 7.5% from 1997. With the median charitable donations of donors amounting to $300 in 2006, donations in Waterloo Region were 20% higher than the national level ($250) and 3.2% below the provincial level ($310). Median donations have increased 42.9% from $210 in 1997. In 2006, 20.6% of households in the Region reported spending on social clubs and other organizations. This is significantly higher than the provincial level, where 16.6% of people reported spending in this area, and higher than the national level of 18.7%.

W AT E R L O O R E G I O N ’ S V I TA L S I G N S – TA K I N G T H E P U L S E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

DID YOU KNOW? IN 2007, 68% OF THE POPULATION IN WATERLOO REGION 12 YEARS AND OVER REPORTED A STRONG OR SOMEWHAT STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY BELONGING. THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING A DONOR RISES WITH AGE, BY GENDER, AND WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOME; SEVEN IN 10 CANADIAN ADULTS ARE DONORS, THREE IN 10 ARE VOLUNTEERS, AND TWO IN 10 ARE FUNDRAISERS. (JUNE 2007 STUDY FROM IPSOS REID, “CANADIAN DONORS AND YOU.” )

YOU CAN... CONTACT YOUR LOCAL VOLUNTEER CENTRE TO FIND A VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY THAT SUITS YOU. GIVE TO YOUR FAVOURITE CHARITY. VOTE!

Prosperous, Passable, or Poverty–stricken? GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR POOR NUTRITION, SOCIAL ISOLATION, GETTING SICK MORE OFTEN; THESE ARE SOME OF THE REALITIES OUR LOWEST INCOME EARNERS ARE FACING ON A REGULAR BASIS. IDENTIFYING INCOME SHORTFALLS ASSISTS US IN ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY BY HELPING THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. WHILE POVERTY RATES ARE LOWER HERE THAN AROUND THE COUNTRY, THEY APPEAR TO BE STAGNANT. WITH HIGHER FAMILY INCOMES, WHY IS ONE OUT OF EVERY SEVEN RESIDENTS IN WATERLOO REGION STILL LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE?

In 2006, 9.8% of children and youth under 18 years of age in Waterloo Region were members of families with household incomes below the poverty line (below the after-tax Low Income Cut-Off). The proportion of children living in poverty in the Region dropped 26% between 2005 and 2006, and the 2006 figure was 13% lower than the national average (11.3%) and 17% lower than the provincial average (11.8%). Points to Ponder: Is a rate of nearly 10% acceptable?

Based on the Low Income Measure (LIM) – an indicator of relative poverty – in 2005, 8% of Waterloo Region’s residents 65 and older were living below the after-tax poverty line, up 8.7% from 2000. Provincially, 11.5% of seniors lived below the poverty line, and nationally, 14% lived below the poverty line. The 2005 overall pre-tax poverty rate in the Region, based on the LIM, was 16.1%, up from 15.7% in 2000. The 2005 figure was 29.2% lower than the provincial average and 29.8% lower than the national average. The median family income in Waterloo Region in 2005 was $74,040, higher than both the provincial income of $69,156 and the national income of $63,833. The Region’s median family income has increased by 16.7% from 2001’s median income of $63,400.

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W AT E R L O O R E G I O N ’ S V I TA L S I G N S – TA K I N G T H E P U L S E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

DID YOU KNOW? AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF ALL CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY HAVE AT LEAST ONE PARENT WORKING FULL-TIME FOR MINIMUM WAGE. WOMEN MAKE UP 22% OF ONTARIO’S MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS; A SINGLE MOM MAKING THE ONTARIO MINIMUM WAGE OF $8.75 AN HOUR GROSSES $350.00 PER WEEK, TOTALING $18,200 PER YEAR.

YOU CAN... SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE THE FOOD BANK OF WATERLOO REGION, CAMBRIDGE SELF-HELP FOOD BANK, WOOLWICH COMMUNITY SERVICES, HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP, AND THE REGION OF WATERLOO. THESE GROUPS RECENTLY GOT TOGETHER AND ESTABLISHED WATERLOO REGION SHARES TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE FOOD SUPPORT NETWORK IN WATERLOO REGION. DONATE CLOTHES AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, THE SALVATION ARMY, OR YOUR LOCAL CHURCH. TREAT SOMEONE IN NEED TO LUNCH ON NATIONAL HUNGER AWARENESS DAY – TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2009.

Is the Writing on the Wall? LEARNING EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES. WHETHER GRASPING THE ABILITY TO READ OR EMBARKING ON THE PATH TO HIGHER LEARNING, WATERLOO REGION’S PLACE IN THE WORLD IS INCREASINGLY DEFINED BY ITS INTELLECTUAL RATHER THAN ITS PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES. WE SEEM TO BE DOING WELL WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMPOSITE LEARNING INDEX, BUT THERE ARE STILL OVER 92,000 ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DON’T HAVE A GRADE 12 DIPLOMA – SOMETHING 55% OF OUR EMPLOYERS REQUIRE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES. OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS ARE STARTING SCHOOL WITHOUT SOME OF THE BASICS AND MANY CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THROUGHOUT THEIR ELEMENTARY YEARS.

In 2006, 24.3% of people aged 15 and over in Waterloo Region had not graduated from high school (includes individuals in the 15-17 range who would not be expected to graduate). This was down 15.2 percentage points from 1990. However, the Region’s rate in 2006 was 2.7 percentage points above the rate for Ontario and 1.1 percentage points higher than the Canada-wide rate. As mentioned in last year’s report, in 2006 only 47.4% of Waterloo Region residents (15 years and older) possessed a post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate. Education is one of the pathways to success and directly impacts our personal careers, family, and community. The Composite Learning Index (CLI) is a national index that measures Canada’s performance in a number of areas related to lifelong learning. The CLI is based on statistical indicators that reflect the different ways Canadians learn in school, at home, at work, and in their community. According to the 2008 CLI, the overall index score for Waterloo Region was 89 compared to 85 in 2007. The provincial score in 2008 was 80, compared with a national score of 77. The Provincial Reading Standard is determined by annual testing in all publicly funded schools. The Grade 3 reading level assessment captures performance at a specific point in time each year. In Waterloo Region, 66% of the students from the separate school board achieved at or above the provincial standard in 2006-2007. This is an increase of 34.7% from 2003-2004 and is 4 percentage points higher than the Ontario average. Fifty-nine percent of the students from the Region’s public board achieved at or above the provincial standard in 2006-2007, compared to 52% in 2003-2004. 16

C+ The Early Development Instrument (EDI), a well-tested tool, measures the developmental well-being of senior kindergarten children. It measures children’s readiness to learn in a school environment in five areas: physical health and well-being; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive development; and communication skills and general knowledge. In 2007, 30% of young children in Waterloo Region were considered vulnerable in one or more of the five areas, compared with 26.5% of children nationwide.

W AT E R L O O R E G I O N ’ S V I TA L S I G N S – TA K I N G T H E P U L S E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

DID YOU KNOW? THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO LEADS MACLEAN’S MAGAZINE’S CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPUTATIONAL RANKINGS. WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY RECEIVED TOP RANKING FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY IN ONTARIO (MACLEAN’S), AND CONESTOGA COLLEGE HAS BEEN RANKED ONTARIO’S NUMBER ONE COLLEGE NINE YEARS RUNNING. THERE ARE FEWER SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN WATERLOO REGION. DECLINING STUDENT ENROLLMENT MEANS LESS MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOLS, EVEN IF THE DEMAND FOR COSTLY SERVICES LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION INCREASES.

YOU CAN... GET TO KNOW THE ISSUES FACED BY OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS SO YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION. VOLUNTEER FOR A STRONG START PROGRAM

www.strongstart.ca GET INVOLVED IN YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION BY HELPING THEM WITH DAILY HOMEWORK AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. GIVE TO A POST-SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIP.

We Have Options – Are We Using Them? GETTING AROUND BIKE, BUS, CAR; WHICH IS IT FOR YOU? ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MOVING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND CAPABILITIES IN OUR REGION. SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION METHODS THAT MINIMIZE THE IMPACT MADE ON OUR ENVIRONMENT YET PROMOTE INDIVIDUAL MOBILITY INFLUENCE THE LIVABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. WITH HALF OF OUR POPULATION TRAVELING SIX KILOMETRES OR LESS TO WORK, WHY AREN’T WE USING THE BUS OR OUR LEGS MORE?

In 2006, 4.5% of workers in Waterloo Region used public transportation to get to work. The proportion of workers using public transportation increased 0.8 percentage points from 3.7% in 2001. Province-wide, the percentage increased by 0.2 percentage points in 2005 to 12.9% from 2001. The average number of conventional transit trips taken in 2006 on a per-person basis in Waterloo Region was 31, up from 29 in 2005. Conventional transit services are those services provided to the general public; this does not include the specialized services for individuals with transportation limitations. In 2006 in Waterloo Region, the median commuting distance for a round trip between work and home was 5.8 kilometres. This was 23.7% lower than the national level of 7.6 kilometres and 33.3% lower than the provincial average of 8.7 kilometres. Median commuting distance was up 3.6% from the 2001 figure.

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DID YOU KNOW? GRAND RIVER CARSHARE (FORMERLY PEOPLE’S CAR) PROVIDES ACCESS TO VEHICLES FOR PEOPLE WHO ONLY DRIVE OCCASIONALLY OR WHO WANT TO DOWNSIZE THE NUMBER OF CARS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD. FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN RESERVE A CAR ONLINE BY VISITING

www.thepeoplescar.org WATERLOO REGION WILL SPEND $92.5 MILLION THIS YEAR ON ROADS, $81 MILLION ON GRAND RIVER TRANSIT, AND $1.6 MILLION TO BUILD 108 KILOMETRES OF SIDEWALKS AND BIKE PATHS.

YOU CAN... PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL COMMUTER CHALLENGE – THIS YEAR WATERLOO REGION RANKED FIRST IN ONTARIO FOR BEST PARTICIPATION AND FOURTH ACROSS CANADA. TAKE THE BUS – 90% OF US WHO LIVE WITHIN THE THREE CITIES ARE WITHIN A 5 MINUTE WALK TO A BUS STOP. CARPOOL.

Are We Welcoming Our Neighbours? GETTING STARTED HELPING THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY GET A STRONG START GENERATES COMMUNITY VITALITY AND MAKES A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN OUR REGION. THE FUTURE SUCCESSES OF YOUTH AND NEWCOMERS TO WATERLOO REGION RESTS IN OUR ABILITY TO WELCOME, INVOLVE, ENCOURAGE, AND INTEGRATE. WATERLOO REGION IS HOME TO OVER 105,000 IMMIGRANTS. ALMOST 1 IN 7 OF OUR RESIDENTS IS OF A VISIBLE MINORITY. NO MATTER WHEN THEY ARRIVED, OUR UNIVERSITY-EDUCATED IMMIGRANTS EARN SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THOSE BORN IN CANADA POSSESSING A DEGREE.

The average individual income of recent immigrants (those who arrived between 1996 and 2001) in the Region was 63.1% of the income of non-immigrants. Compared to the individual income of immigrants that arrived between 1991 and 1995 where the percentage was 75.3% of the income of non-immigrants, this represents a 16.2% difference. Provincially, the difference was 13.7%, and nationally the difference was 13.8%. In Waterloo Region for 2005, the median earnings of recent immigrants (previous five years), with university degrees, was $30,215. This is 26.6% less than the $41,188 earnings of all immigrant workers with university degrees and 42.7% less than the $52,712 earnings of Canadian-born workers with university degrees in the Region. In 2006, 22.3% of Waterloo Region’s population represented immigrants. In the past 10 years, the Region has only seen a 6% growth in this area, whereas provincially a 9.5% growth has been experienced between 1996 and 2006. Points to Ponder: Immigration is expected to account for 100% of the net labour force growth in Canada by 2011. Given the fact that our immigrant-population growth is significantly less than other communities, is it not troubling that we, as a community, rated ourselves at 3 ½ out of a possible 5? Is this really good enough?

C+ The average individual income for recent immigrants (those who immigrated between 1996 and 2001) in Waterloo Region for 2001 was $20,929. The average individual income for non-immigrants in Waterloo Region for the same time period was $33,144. In 2006, the unemployment rate for youth (15-24 years old) in Waterloo Region was 12.4%. This was below the national youth unemployment rate of 12.8% and below the provincial rate of 14.5%. The youth unemployment rate has increased 1.0 percentage point from 11.4% in 2001.

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DID YOU KNOW? IN 2006, UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO PRESIDENT DAVID JOHNSTON SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY HIS VISION OF MAKING WATERLOO REGION CANADA’S KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL BY 2010. HE IDENTIFIED “ENCOURAGING IMMIGRATION AND INTEGRATING IMMIGRANTS” AS ONE OF THE 10 GOALS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL GOALS VISIT www.uwaterloo.ca WATERLOO REGION ATTRACTED THE SIXTH STRONGEST FLOW OF NET NEW MIGRANTS PER CAPITA BETWEEN 2002 AND 2006. (CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA’S “CITY MAGNETS: BENCHMARKING THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF CANADA’S CMA’S” REPORT). NET MIGRATION INCLUDES ALL THOSE PEOPLE MOVING INTO AND OUT OF THE COMMUNITY (FOREIGN BORN AND CANADIAN BORN ALIKE).

YOU CAN... VOLUNTEER WITH A YOUTH ORGANIZATION. BE A MENTOR IN AN ESL (ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE) PROGRAM. ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO HIRE NEW CANADIANS. TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT THE WATERLOO REGION IMMIGRANT EMPLOYMENT NETWORK (WRIEN) www.wrien.com 21

Active Lifestyles or Couch Potatoes? HEALTH AND WELLNESS GETTING A YEARLY PHYSICAL, VISITING YOUR DENTIST, PLAYING SPORTS, EATING YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES; ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE WELL-BEING OF THOSE LIVING IN WATERLOO REGION. OUR HEALTH STATUS RELIES HEAVILY ON GOOD HEALTH PRACTICES AND ACTIVITY LEVELS. ACTIVITY LEVELS ARE GOING DOWN AND OUR WAIST LINES ARE EXPANDING. HOWEVER, CLOSE TO 90% OF US THINK OUR HEALTH IS GOOD, IF NOT EXCELLENT. ONE IN FIVE OF US STATE WE’RE UNDER A LOT OF STRESS, AND WITH OUR CURRENT SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS WE COULD BE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR SOME REAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

In 2005, 16.7% of the adult population in Waterloo Region reported that they were obese, compared to 16.3% in 2003. Our obesity rate was higher than both the provincial average (15.1%) and the national average (15.5%). Coupled with our findings from last year of one in five people smoking and a lack of doctors (128 per 100,000 people), we may be increasing our chances of developing a chronic illness. In 2007, only 45.7% of residents of Waterloo Region, aged 12 and over, reported being at least moderately active. This represented a decrease of 6.0 percentage points from 2005. The 2007 level was 3.1 percentage points lower than the provincial level and 3.3 percentage points lower than the national level. In Waterloo Region, full-time workers were absent from work an average of 8.3 days in 2007 (including days spent on maternity leave). By comparison, the average number of days lost in Ontario in 2007 was 9.3. Canada-wide, the average was 10.2 missed days. The average number of missed days in Waterloo Region has decreased from a level of 9.2 in 1987. In 2007, 27% of Waterloo Region’s population, 12 years of age and older, have physical challenges that limit their participation and activities. This number has been declining since 2003 when it was 31.9%.

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DID YOU KNOW? IN 2007, 73% OF RESPONDENTS IN WATERLOO REGION RATED THEIR MENTAL HEALTH STATUS AS BEING EITHER “EXCELLENT” OR “VERY GOOD.” THIS REPRESENTED A DECREASE OF 1.4 PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM 2005. BY COMPARISON, THE PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS RATING THEIR OWN MENTAL HEALTH AS “EXCELLENT” OR “VERY GOOD” IN 2007 WAS 72.6% IN ONTARIO AND 72.7% CANADA-WIDE.

YOU CAN... LIMIT YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION – 23% OF US ARE HEAVY DRINKERS (FIVE OR MORE DRINKS, 12 TIMES A YEAR). PUT MORE VEGGIES ON YOUR PLATE. ONLY 40% OF US EAT FIVE SERVINGS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES A DAY. VISIT HEALTH CANADA FOR YOUR OWN COPY OF CANADA’S FOOD GUIDE www.hc-sc.gc.ca VISIT ONE OF OUR “OPEN AIR” MARKETS – CAMBRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET, YOUR KITCHENER MARKET, ST. JACOBS FARMERS’ MARKET, WATERLOO FARMERS’ MARKET, AND THE NEW HAMBURG FARMERS’ MARKET.

Are Our Neighbourhoods Safe? SAFETY OUR PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OUR LOVED ONES INFLUENCE OUR ABILITY TO ENJOY LIFE TO ITS FULLEST. POLICE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES, AND CRIME RATES ALL AFFECT OUR FEELING OF SECURITY. WATERLOO REGION HAS LOWER CRIME RATES THAN THOSE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE ARE KEEPING THEM LOW WITH FEWER POLICE PER CAPITA. WHILE 96% OF US ARE SATISFIED WITH OUR PERSONAL SAFETY, WE ARE WAITING OVER A MINUTE LONGER FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL (AMBULANCE) RESPONSE THAN THE PROVINCIAL AVERAGE.

At 194 per 100,000 persons in 2007, the traffic crime rate in Waterloo Region was 51% below the national average (400 per 100,000) and 23% below the provincial average (253 per 100,000). The rate, which increased 2% in 2007, was up from a low of 186 per 100,000 in 2004. The rate is down 73% from 713 per 100,000 in 1991, the earliest year for which data is available. The 2006 violent crime rate in Waterloo Region was 628 per 100,000 persons. The rate was 34% below the national average (951 per 100,000) and 17% below the provincial average (756 per 100,000). The rate was up slightly from a low of 564 per 100,000 in 2004. The rate was down 29% from 882 per 100,000 in 1991, the earliest year for which data is available. In 2007, the violent crime rate decreased 11.2% from 2006. The Region of Waterloo Emergency Medical Services (EMS) serves the population (approximately 509,000) and geographic area (1,382 sq. km). In 2006, 90% of all emergency calls were reached in 12.8 minutes or less. The Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency medical response time has improved by 7.4% from 13.75 minutes in 2005. The response time is 13% higher than the Ontario median at 11.1 minutes. There were 145 police officers per 100,000 residents in Waterloo Region in 2007. The number was up 1.4% from 143 in 2006. The Region has 25.6% fewer police officers per 100,000 residents than the national average (195) and 24.5% lower than the provincial average (192).

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DID YOU KNOW? IN 2007, THE WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE RECEIVED 166,138 CALLS FOR SERVICE – THAT MEANS THAT ON AVERAGE THERE IS A NEW CALL EVERY 3 MINUTES AND 10 SECONDS. OUT OF THE 49,667 PROVINCIAL OFFENCE NOTICES GIVEN IN 2007, SPEEDING OFFENSES WERE THE MOST COMMON (19,742). SLOW DOWN, WATERLOO REGION!

YOU CAN... CALL 1-800-222-TIPS WHEN YOU SEE OR HEAR ABOUT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. TAKE THE TIME TO TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF BULLYING AND DRUGS. AVOID EATING AND DRIVING – “DASHBOARD DINING” DISTRACTS DRIVERS AND INCREASES RISKS FOR AUTO COLLISIONS.

Home, Sweet Home? HOUSING SAFE, STABLE, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A NECESSITY FOR WATERLOO REGION’S RESIDENTS. THE RISING COST OF HOUSING AND THE GLOOMY REALITIES OF HOMELESSNESS DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE LIVES OF THOSE LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE IN WATERLOO REGION HAS GONE UP BY OVER $100,000 IN THE PAST 10 YEARS – A LITTLE SLOWER THAN SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THOSE RECEIVING HOUSING ALLOWANCES ARE FINDING THAT THEY JUST CAN’T KEEP UP WITH THE RISING COST OF RENT.

Rental vacancy rates provide a measure of the health of the rental housing market. Renting traditionally provides a more affordable housing option than home ownership. A vacancy rate of 3% is necessary for a competitive market for both the consumer and the landlord. In Waterloo Region in 2007, the overall rental vacancy rate was 2.9% compared to 3.3% in 2006. Similarly, the 2007 two-bedroom rental-vacancy rate was 2.7%, down from 3.4% in 2006. Points to Ponder: Our rating shows that we seem relatively satisfied with this data. We might ask ourselves why? Low and declining vacancy rates equate to more people having difficulty finding affordable housing.

In 2007, it cost on average $690 to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Waterloo Region, up 3.2% ($668) from 2006. Compared to the 2% increase during the same period of time to Government Housing Allowances, such as Shelter Allowance – Ontario Works ($342) and Shelter Allowance – Ontario Disability ($436), we are putting people at risk of homelessness when housing is unaffordable. Last year we reported that over 36% of households in Waterloo Region were spending more than 30% of their income on housing. While good works are being done in this area, we must not lose sight that many people in our community live day in and day out without a roof over their heads. The number of housing starts is a key economic indicator. In 2007, a slight increase was experienced with 2,740 new housing starts being reported in Waterloo Region, compared to 2,599 in 2006. The 2006 housing start number was a significant decrease from the 3,763 reported in 2005. 26

BThe cost of buying an average-priced house in the Region in 2007 was $252,439, up 6% from $237,913 in 2006. Waterloo Region has experienced average house price increases since 1996, when the average house price was $134,839. The 2007 average house price was 18.7% lower than the provincial average of $299,544 and 21.7% lower than the national average of $307,265.

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DID YOU KNOW? THERE WERE 3,043 HOUSEHOLDS ON THE COMMUNITY HOUSING WAITING LIST IN 2007. THIS NUMBER WAS DOWN FROM 3,215 IN 2006. BETWEEN 2001 AND 2006, THE REGION OF WATERLOO INVESTED CLOSE TO $11 MILLION INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY IN ADDITION TO THE $22.35 MILLION INVESTED THROUGH THE FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM. THE STRATEGY PRIORITIZES A VARIETY OF ELEMENTS INCLUDING: MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY GREATER RENTAL UNIT DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE REGION (INCLUDING RURAL AREAS) BARRIER-FREE UNITS MORE FOCUS ON DESIGN EXCELLENCE RENT REDUCTIONS WHERE POSSIBLE TO ASSIST THE LOWEST INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

YOU CAN... SUPPORT ALTERNATIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS IN WATERLOO REGION SUCH AS EBY VILLAGE, CHARLES VILLAGE, THE BRIDGES APARTMENTS, AND LINCOLN ROAD. VOLUNTEER AT AN “OUT OF THE COLD” PROGRAM OR AT THE BRIDGES. ADVOCATE FOR A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE HAS HOUSING STABILITY. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.hhug.ca 27

Are We Earning Enough? WORK FINDING SECURE WORK THAT PAYS ENOUGH TO BUY THE THINGS WE NEED IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND IS VITAL TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, WATERLOO REGION HAS SEEN AN AVERAGE ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT GROWTH RATE OF ALMOST 2%. OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATES REMAIN AMONG THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY AND WE ARE EARNING MORE THAN THE AVERAGE CANADIAN.

With a negative employment growth of 0.4% in 2007, Waterloo Region saw growth of 2.8 percentage points below the national rate (2.3%) and 2.0 percentage points below the provincial rate (1.6%). The 1987-2007 period saw an average annual employment growth of 1.8%, above both the provincial rate (1.5%) and the national rate (1.6%). As of April 2008, the unemployment rate for Waterloo Region was 4.8%. This was below the national level (6.1%) and below the Ontario provincial level (6.3%). Since 1998, the unemployment rate in the Region has decreased 1.7 percentage points from 6.5%. Canadian unemployment rates have trended downward over the past five years. However, since the beginning of 2008 they have been climbing upwards. Our rise mirrors what is happening across the country. As of June 2008, the unemployment rate in Waterloo Region was 5.6%. In Waterloo Region in 2006, 6.2% of workers work from home. This is a 1.5% decrease from the number reported in 2001. The provincial number remained consistent at 7.1%. In 2005, the individual median annual earnings for full-time, full-year workers in Waterloo Region was $44,274, up 3.4% from the year 2000. The 2005 level was 1.1% lower than the provincial median and 6.5% higher than the national median.

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DID YOU KNOW? THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED A PROGRAM CALLED “SECOND CAREER” THAT HELPS WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN LAID OFF AND UNEMPLOYED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR FIND NEW CAREERS. THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR TUITION, LIVING EXPENSES, AND OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RETRAINING FOR IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS.

YOU CAN... MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE NINE ESSENTIAL SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR: READING TEXT DOCUMENT USE NUMERACY WRITING ORAL COMMUNICATION WORKING WITH OTHERS CONTINUOUS LEARNING THINKING SKILLS COMPUTER USE. (HUMAN RESOURCES AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CANADA)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS!

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation CAMBRIDGE CHAMBER wish to extend our sincerest thank you to the many OF COMMERCE individuals and organizations that provided information, Greg Durocher guidance, and statistics for this year’s report. CANADA’S TECHNOLOGY We’d also likeINC to thank our media friends for helping us TRIANGLE take the Vital Signs 2007 message out to the community. Iris Huang Shelley Ruddto Rogers Television for their implementation Many thanks John Tennant of an 11-part Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs series on Farwell Live. Thank you to CTV for promoting the report in a four-part CANADIAN CLAY series and on Provincewide. AND GLASS GALLERY And finally, a warm thanks is sent to the Waterloo Region Record for their support and Robert Achtemichuk promotion of Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs through a CASTLE KILBRIDE NATIONAL four-page Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs insert, numerous HISTORIC SITE ads encouraging people to get involved with the Waterloo Tracy Loch Region’s Vital Signs photo contest, and for providing us CITYthe OFopportunity KITCHENER with to write a monthly Waterloo Region’s Carla Laddadvertorial. Vital Signs

CAMBRIDGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Greg Durocher

CITY OF WATERLOO We are significantly indebted to the dynamic community Simon Farbrother leaders of our expert resource panel who helped provide COMMUNITECH the foundation for this year’s Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs. Iain Klugman Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs 2008 could not have been Avvey Peters Thompossible Ryan without the help of our fantastic community made partners – Quarry Integrated Communications, COUNCIL OF CHURCHES PMG Eastwood Printing, and the SandyIntelligence, Milne Waterloo Region Record. COWAN INSURANCE A special LTD. thank you goes to the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation GROUP Lynne and TheShort Frank Cowan Foundation for their leadership and generousENTERTAINMENT financial support in making Waterloo Region’s DRAYTON Vital Signs a reality. Bill Creighton LEADERSHIP WATERLOO REGION Anne Lavender EASTWOOD PRINTING Rick Devries GREATER KITCHENER WATERLOO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Janice Elcombe 30

CANADA’S TECHNOLOGY TRIANGLE INC Iris Huang Shelley Rudd John Tennant CANADIAN CLAY AND GLASS GALLERY Robert Achtemichuk CASTLE KILBRIDE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE Tracy Loch CITY OF KITCHENER Carla Ladd CITY OF WATERLOO Simon Farbrother COMMUNITECH Iain Klugman Avvey Peters Thom Ryan

GREATER KITCHENER WATERLOO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Janice Elcombe Mary Sue Fitzpatrick Art Sinclair QUARRY INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS Christine Economides Laura Taylor Ken Whyte PMG INTELLIGENCE Rob Grein Tierney Mimeault Karen Power REGION OF WATERLOO Lorie Fioze Mike Murray SOCIAL PLANNING COUNCIL OF CAMBRIDGE & NORTH DUMFRIES Dina Etmanskie Linda Terry TOWNSHIP OF NORTH DUMFRIES Rodger Mordue

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES Sandy Milne

TOWNSHIP OF WELLESLEY Susan Duke

COWAN INSURANCE GROUP LTD. Lynne Short

TOWNSHIP OF WILMOT Grant Whittington

DRAYTON ENTERTAINMENT Bill Creighton LEADERSHIP WATERLOO REGION Anne Lavender EASTWOOD PRINTING Rick Devries

TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH David Brenneman UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO David Johnston Kelley Teahen VOLUNTEER ACTION CENTRE Dianne Boston-Nyp Jane Hennig WATERLOO REGION RECORD Jan Bockmaster Andrea Harding Donna Luelo

WATERLOO REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL Martin de Groot WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE Bryan Larkin Matt Torigian And a huge THANK YOU to the 885 community supporters who participated in the online Waterloo Region Vital Signs survey! EXPERT RESOURCE PANEL Ernie Ginsler Ginsler & Associates Inc. Lorie Fioze Region of Waterloo Todd Letts Esolutions Group Ltd. Sandra Hanmer Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network Karen Mason Equitable Life Mary Louise McAllister U of W Environmental Studies Linda Terry Social Planning Council of Cambridge & North Dumfries WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS PHOTO CONTEST JUDGES Tomasz Adamski Christine Economides Carl Hiebert Jeff Hurst WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS PROJECT TEAM Ernie Ginsler Jane Neath Rosemary Smith Tracy Van Kalsbeek Linda Zensner

PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS: A SPECIAL THANK YOU GOES OUT TO ALL OF THOSE PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO SUBMITTED THEIR PHOTOS TO OUR WATERLOO REGION’S VITAL SIGNS 2008 PHOTO CONTEST! THE THREE WINNING PHOTOS ARE FEATURED ON THE FRONT COVER OF THIS BOOK! FIRST PRIZE: ”GOING ON A TRAIN RIDE” SUBMITTED BY: CAROLINE JONES. SECOND PRIZE: ”SUNDAY PICNIC” SUBMITTED BY: SANDRA SCHIZKOSKE. THIRD PRIZE: ”HIGH FLYING OBJECTS” SUBMITTED BY: GHEORGHE CURCLET-BALAN. OTHER PHOTO SUBMISSIONS ARE USED THROUGHOUT THIS REPORT.

COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS PARTICIPATING IN VITAL SIGNS Vital Signs is an annual community checkup conducted by community foundations across Canada that measures the vitality of our communities, identifies significant trends, and assigns grades in at least 10 areas critical to quality of life. Vital Signs is coordinated nationally by Community Foundations of Canada. We would like to acknowledge our partnership with 14 other community foundations releasing Vital Signs reports in 2008: Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, London, Guelph, Oakville, Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Montreal, Fredericton, and Saint John. To access their reports, visit www.vitalsignscanada.ca

THE BEGINNING Community is foremost in our minds at The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation. We continuously strive to improve the quality of life for all citizens in Waterloo Region by building endowments to provide lasting support for local priorities, addressing community needs through grantmaking, educating others about local organizations and programs, and providing leadership by bringing people and organizations together to address key issues and opportunities.

COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS Community foundations provide a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. We offer a variety of giving tools to help people achieve their charitable goals. You can make a gift of cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other assets to your community foundation. Most charitable gifts qualify for maximum tax advantage under federal law.

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation Marsland Centre 20 Erb Street West, 11th Floor Waterloo, Ontario N2L 1T2

www.kwcf.ca

Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation 150 Main St., 2nd Floor Cambridge, Ontario N1R 6P9

www.cambridgefoundation.org

YOU CAN SUPPORT THE ISSUES AND ORGANIZATIONS YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOST, ALL THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND IDEAS ON WAYS TO INTEGRATE YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING WITH CHARITABLE GIVING, ASK YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT US.