SUDBURY’S
2007
VitalSigns City of Greater Sudbury’s Annual Check-up ®
uture Touch the F
Message In 2006, the Sudbury Community Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary. Over this past decade, the Foundation has been strongly committed to enhancing the quality of life and sustainability of our community through fund development, grant making and leadership. This year marks another milestone as the Sudbury Community Foundation joins with 10 other community foundations across Canada to present Vital Signs reports to their communities. Sudbury’s Vital Signs* is the first annual check-up of our city’s quality of life. We hope this report will help focus attention and discussion on key areas integral to our community’s well-being. By cutting across issues, we can better understand the fabric of our city and work more effectively toward a vibrant and sustainable community. Jo-Anne Palkovits President
Carmen Simmons Executive Director
This report will focus on eleven issue areas with several key indicators for each issue. Grades have been assigned to each of the indicators based on the results of a community opinion survey completed earlier in the year. In dire need of corrective action Of concern, needs attention Progress is being made We’re doing well and headed in the right direction Awesome! Sudbury’s the tops!
This report along with an expanded version with additional indicators and data reference links is available on SCF’s web site: www.vitalsignssudbury.ca Census data refers to Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) unless otherwise indicated. * Vital Signs is a registered trademark and is used with permission of the Toronto Community Foundation.
Contents: Community Context Arts and Culture Belonging and Leadership Environment Gap Between Rich and Poor Getting Around Getting Started in Our Community Health and Wellness Housing Learning Safety Work Contributors
2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16
Community Context The City of Greater Sudbury has the largest geographic area of any city in Canada. What’s more, it boasts 330 lakes within its geographic boundaries and is nestled against the vast, unspoiled wilderness of Northern Ontario. This “City of Lakes” provides our 157,857 residents (2006 population figures) with an enviable lifestyle that is further enhanced, at the moment, by a booming economy. Our city’s most important asset is its citizens. In 2001, Sudbury’s amalgamation with the towns of Valley East, Rayside Balfour, Onaping Falls, Walden, Capreol and Nickel Centre formed the City of Greater Sudbury. Though there have been growing pains, the combined talent and vitality of our new municipality has enormous potential. Greater Sudbury’s multi-cultural character is dominated by a strong and active francophone population (28.2%). Our city also has the largest number of bilingual citizens in Ontario (40%) compared to Ottawa at 36.6%. Despite a well-represented population of ethnic groups, only 10,775 people living in Greater Sudbury are foreign-born, representing 7% of the population. This compares with 26.8% for Ontario and 18.4% for Canada (2001 figures). Sudbury has not been a settlement preference for recent foreign-born immigrants with a total of 505 people settling here between 1996 and 2001. On the other hand, Greater Sudbury’s aboriginal population was 7,385 in 2001, representing a twenty-year population growth rate of 245%. Greater Sudbury has been plagued with several years of out-migration. Between 1993 and 2002, Sudbury experienced a net population loss. This trend has since been reversed with positive net in-migration between 2002 to 2005.
Figure 1: Sudbury’s Net Migration 1993-2005 1000 359
314
524
0 -1000
-629
-723
-739
-501
-1,092 -1,558
-1,596
-2000
-2,291
-3000 -4000
-2,923
93-94
95-96
94-95
97-98 96-97
99-00 98-99
03-04
01-02 00-01
02-03
04-05
1993-2001 Sudbury RM census division 2001-2005: Greater Sudbury census division. Net Migration (In-migration-Out- migration). Source: Statistics, Canada: Migration Estimates, Cat# 91C-0025; migration estimates based on taxation records. The period of reference extends from April of one year to April of the following year.
Sudburians are getting older at a faster rate than the province or the country. Collectively, in 2001, we had a median age of 38.9 years, 3.5% higher than the Canadian median age and 4.6% higher than Ontario’s. Employment in Greater Sudbury in 2006 in the goods-producing sector accounted for 23% of the jobs while the service-producing sector accounted for 77% of local jobs. In 2001, the goods-producing sector employed 20% of Sudbury’s labour force while 80% were employed in services-producing jobs. Sudburians tend to be wealthier than Ontarians and Canadians, generally. Greater Sudbury’s median income in 2005 was $66,100 (2.5% higher than Ontario and 9.1% higher than the Canadian level). Although these figures suggest a positive growth and a prosperous community, it is important to remember that, in 2005, 19.7% of Sudburians lived below the poverty line. For example, single Sudburians in 2005 earned $21,600 which is below the Ontario average of $21,800 and the Canadian average of $23,400. Sudburians depend more on government supplements than other Canadians per capita. This year’s report shows that 72.3% of Sudburians’ per capita income in 2001 came from employment, a lower number than both Ontario and Canada (78.7% and 77.1% respectively). Homelessness has been a growing issue for Greater Sudbury. In July 2000, 407 people were homeless (verified, unduplicated cases) compared to 608 in July, 2003. Greater Sudbury has great promise but much still needs to be done. We have a growing aboriginal population that will need services and limited population growth of foreign-born immigrants. We tend to have a higher per capita income than other Canadians, but an older population and a poorer single population. Despite being known as a resource-based economy, 77% of employed Sudburians work in service-producing occupations. Sudburians depend on government supplements to a higher degree than do Ontarians and Canadians.
Arts & Culture Greater Sudbury’s arts community and cultural organizations enrich our city and contribute to our local economy. Spending on libraries declined slightly, however, local spending on arts and culture has been slipping in recent years, and local arts grants are below the Ontario median. Employment in cultural industries There was an increase in the percentage of employment in arts and culture-related occupations in Greater Sudbury from 1.72% in 2001 to 2.15% in 2003. In comparison, the Ontario (2001 .82%; 2003 - 2.10%) and Canadian (2001 - 2.74%; 2003 - 2.05%) percentages decreased. Municipal government spending on arts and culture Municipal government spending on arts and culture in Greater Sudbury was $4.32 per capita in 2000 and $1.06 per capita in 2005. (See Figure 2) Municipal government spending on libraries Municipal government spending on libraries in Greater Sudbury has been declining since a high of $45.81 per capita in 2003 to $43.15 per capita in 2005. (See Figure 2)
Figure 2. Municipal government spending on arts/culture and libraries. Arts and culture Libraries
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 $0
$5
$10
$15
$20
$25
$30
$35
$40
$45
$50
Dollars per capita *Based on actual StatsCan population estimates. Source: Community & Strategic Planning Section, City of Greater Sudbury, June 25, 2007. These figures do not include capital expenditures.
Arts grants per capita Greater Sudbury’s median per capita spending on arts grants in 2005 was $1.58. This is lower, for example, than the Thunder Bay median of $4.46 and the Ontario median of $3.04.
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Belonging & Leadership Sudburians have a well-developed sense of civic responsibility and generosity. We are engaged in local activities and give both our time and money to make our community great. Volunteer rate In 2004, the volunteer rate in Greater Sudbury was 56.9%. This was higher than both the Ontario and Canadian rates of volunteering, which were 45.3% and 50.4% respectively. Women in municipal politics A 2003 Federation of Canadian Municipalities study found that for 19 participating cities the average percentage of women councillors was 25%. At that time in Greater Sudbury, 7.7% of city councillors were women. This has increased to 33.3% in 2007.
Median charitable donations In 2005, the median charitable donation for Greater Sudbury was $ 210. This was lower than the Ontario median ($300) and the Canadian ($240). Sudburians have been increasing their donations each year since 1997 when they gave a median of $160.
Environment Greater Sudbury has been a national and international leader in environmental action. While this is a cause for celebration, the task is far from finished. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) In 2001, GHGE from automobiles and trucks in Sudbury* was 3.44 tonnes/capita. This is higher than for any of the 22 cities studied. The average was 2.39. (See Table 1) Table 1. Green house gas emissions (GHGE) due to trucks and cars per capita and total kilotonnes for selected cities in 2001. Population
GHGS
Total Kilotonnes
Sudbury*
82,000*
3.44
283
Thunder Bay
109,000
2.79
304
Toronto
4,346,000
2.63
11,435
Ottawa
927,000
2.56
2,375
Kitchener
387,000
2.48
961
Cities
*Source: Transport Canada, March, 2005. Based on pre-amalgamation census division boundaries.
Municipal diversion and recycling of solid waste The City of Greater Sudbury has been steadily diverting and recycling larger volumes of solid waste between 2003 and 2005. The cost of recycling has gone down to $3.9 million in 2005 from $4 million in 2003. (See Table 2)
Table 2. Greater Sudbury solid waste diversion and recycling Amount Diverted / Recycled Year
Tonnes
Cost $
2003
20,312
4,000,000
% volume increase over previous year 9.2 %
2004
23,505
3,600,000
15.7 %
2005
26,427
3,900,000
12.4 %
Source: Municipal Performance Measurement Program, City of Greater Sudbury Report to Citizens 2005, Sept. 2006 (using 2005 $)
Land reclamation More than 8.6 million trees have been planted between 1979 and 2006 in Greater Sudbury. In 2006, 190,851 trees and shrubs were planted, down from an all-time high of 1.2 million planted in 2000.
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Gap Between Rich & Poor Indicators show a decrease in poverty in Greater Sudbury. However, there is little to cheer about when 14,250 families in our community still struggle to get by. Overall poverty rate In 2005, 14,250 families lived below the poverty level* down from 14,790 families in 2000. This represents a 7.1% decrease in poverty in Greater Sudbury from 2000 to 2005 compared to a 2.8% decrease for Ontario and a 1.9% decrease for Canada. * LIM (Low Income Measure) is an indicator of relative poverty used by StatsCan.
Incidence of child poverty In Sudbury the child poverty rate, based on the Low Income Measure (LIM)*, decreased by almost 3 percentage points from 25.1% in 2000 to 22.3% in 2005. * LIM is an indicator of relative poverty used by StatsCan.
Food-bank usage 13,454 Sudburians visited local food-banks in March 2006, up from 13,000 in 2005 and 11,000 in 2004. This represents 8.3% of the population. In contrast, the Ontario monthly average food bank usage in 2006 was 2.6%. (See Figure 3)
Figure 3. 2006 average monthly food-bank usage Ontario (2.6%) Toronto (1.5%) Ottawa (2.2%) Hamilton (2.5%) Mississauga (0.9%) London (3.3%) Kitchener (3.0%) Windsor (2.9%) Kingston (1.8%) Thunder Bay (4.4%) Sudbury (8.6%) % of Population 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0
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Getting Around Given the large geographic area of Greater Sudbury, public transportation is challenging. The majority of Sudburians continue to use cars to get around. Passenger bus trips In 2001, 4.9% of workers in Sudbury used public transportation to get to work. In comparison almost 13% of Ontarians and 11% of all Canadians used public transportation. The actual number of passenger bus trips in Greater Sudbury has been increasing from 3.6 million in 2003 to 4.1 million in 2005. (See Table 3) Transit operating costs per passenger trip The cost to the city for an average bus trip for one person was $3.25 in 2003, $3.30 in 2004 and $3.09 in 2005. The overall annual transit operating cost has increased from $11.8 million in 2003 to $12.8 million in 2005. (See Table 3)
Table 3. Transit usage and corresponding operating costs Year
No. of Bus Trips Per Person
Operating Cost* Per Trip
No. of Annual Bus Trips
Annual Transit Operating Cost*
2003
27.6
$ 3.25
3,600,000
$ 11.8 million
2004
29.3
$ 3.30
3,900,000
$ 12.8 million
2005
31.2
$ 3.09
4,100,000
$ 12.8 million
*Cost expressed in current (2005) dollars. Source: Municipal Performance Measurement Program, City of Greater Sudbury, Report to Citizens 2005, Sept. 2006.
Total paved and unpaved roads The number of paved lane kilometers in Greater Sudbury has increased from 2,887 in 2003 to 2,974 in 2005. During that same time, the operating cost has increased from $1,536 per lane kilometers (2003) to $2,346 per lane kilometers (2005). Between 2003 and 2005, the number of unpaved lane kilometers has dropped from 635 (at a cost of $3,646 per lane kilometers) to 598 ($3,507 per lane kilometers). (See Figure 4) Figure 4. Operating cost of paved and unpaved road kilometers
Cost per km. $4,000
Unpaved Paved
$3,500 $3,000 $2,500 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000
2003
2004
2005
Source: Municipal Performance Measurement Program, City of Greater Sudbury Report to Citizens, 2005, Sept. 2006.
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Getting Started in Our Community While licensed childcare spaced in Greater Sudbury is on par with other Canadian cities, other areas such as high youth unemployment and low numbers of newcomers (7% of Greater Sudbury’s population) suggest that we need to do more to help people get started in our community. Unemployment rate of recent immigrants In the period 1996-2001, 505 immigrants moved to Sudbury. The rate of unemployment for recent immigrants during that time period fell from 22.4% in 1996 to 8.7% in 2001. Youth unemployment rate Greater Sudbury’s youth (ages 15 to 24) had an unemployment rate of 17.4% in 2006. This was higher than both the Ontario average (13.1%) and the Canadian average (11.6%). Licensed child care spaces available In 2001, the availability of licensed childcare spaces for 0-12 years of age in Sudbury was comparable to other Canadian cities. When expressed as a percentage of children served, Sudbury had 12.2% while a selection of other Canadian cities performed as follows: Toronto (13.6%), Vancouver (11.1%), Calgary (10.3%) and Saskatoon (6.7%).
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Health & Wellness With Greater Sudbury’s new hospital complex on track to be completed soon and Laurentian’s new medical school about to graduate its first class of family doctors, Sudburians can look forward to improved health care. However, lifestyle issues are still a concern. Family physicians per 100,000 population In 2005, the area served by the Sudbury and District Health Unit had 85 family physicians per 100,000 population. North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit had 88 per 100,000, and Toronto Central Health Unit had 145 per 100,000 for the same year. (See Table 4) Medical specialists per 100,000 population In 2005, the Sudbury District Health Unit reported 82 Medical specialists per 100,000 compared to North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit with 58 per 100,000 and Toronto Central Health Unit with 279 per 100,000. (See Table 4)
Table 4. Number of general practitioners and specialists per 100,000 Population by health units, 2005 No. of General Practitioners
No. of Specialists
Total
Sudbury
85
82
167
Thunder Bay
88
71
159
North Bay / Parry Sound
88
58
146
Toronto Central
145
279
424
Waterloo
72
56
128
Kingston
133
194
327
Ontario
85
92
177
Cities
Source: Canadian institute for Health information Health Indicator Reports 2005.
Smoking rate In 2000-2001, the smoking rate for Canada (age 12+) was 24.0%. Sudbury’s smoking rate during this period was 31.1%. The smoking rate for other selected Ontario cities were: Toronto 19.2%; Kitchener 25.1%; Oshawa 26.4%; Thunder Bay 25.5%. Of the 25 Canadian cities reported, Sudbury’s smoking rate was highest.
Figure 5. Obesity* in Sudbury and selected Ontario cities, ages 20-64, 2000-2001
Obesity rate In 2005, 18.8% of Greater Sudbury’s population (15 and over) was obese. This represents a marginal increase from 18.4% in 2003. Greater
Canada (14.9%) Toronto (12.1%) Kitchener (17.4%)
Sudbury’s obesity rate is higher than the Canadian rate (14.9%). (See Figure 5)
Ottawa-Hull (18.1%) London (16.7%) Windsor (19.3%) Thunder Bay (19.8%) Greater Sudbury (17.9%) 10
12
14
16
18
20
% of Population *Obesity is defined as persons with BMI higher than 30.0 Source: Canadian Community Health Survey (2000/01)
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Housing The cost of housing has been rising in Greater Sudbury over the past several years. The rental vacancy rate continues to be very low. (See Table 5)
Table 5. Northern Ontario apartment vacancy rates. Privately initiated apartments in structures containing 3+ units. 2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
Greater Sudbury CMA
1.6
2.6
3.6
5.1
5.7
7.7
11.1
Thunder Bay CMA
4.6
5.0
3.3
4.7
5.8
5.8
7.5
North Bay CA
2.7
3.7
3.3
3.3
2.7
5.5
5.1
Sault Ste. Marie CA
3.3
5.8
8.1
11.1
10.9
11.8
11.2
Haileybury CA
5.2
4.9
10.7
13.7
18.6
13.4
21.1
Elliot Lake CA
5.6
6.3
6.1
11.9
14.8
13.2
11.0
Kenora CA
2.9
7.3
7.1
8.6
10.8
11.5
13.4
Timmins CA
4.0
8.8
9.2
10.8
8.1
13.6
13.0
West Nipissing CA
3.6
2.7
2.2
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Source: Canada Heritage and Housing Corporation. Updated December 2005.
Average house prices From 2000 to 2004* the average household in Greater Sudbury needed two annual incomes in order to buy a house. In Ontario and Canada during this period, 4 annual incomes on average were required to purchase a home. *Since 2004, Sudbury has been experiencing an overall economic boom, which has also translated into much higher house prices. These changes are not reflected in the data available.
Rental vacancy Overall rental vacancy rates in Greater Sudbury have been dropping steadily from 11.1% in 1999. In 2006, the vacancy rate for a 2-bedroom apartment was 0.8%, for a 1-bedroom 1.5% and for a 3-bedroom 1.1%. Single detached-home starts Greater Sudbury new housing starts have been rising from 170 in 2000 to 440 in 2006.
Figure 6. Composite Learning Index (CLI) scores for Canada and selective Ontario cities 2006 and 2007 2006 2007
Canada Barrie Guelph Kingston Ottawa Thunder Bay Toronto Sudbury 65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
CLI Score Source: Canada Council on Learning. The 2007 Composite Learning Index: Helping Communities Improve their Quality of Life. (May, 2007)
Learning Greater Sudbury continues to benefit from a well-educated workforce. Percentage of population with post-secondary education In Sudbury 49% of the population (15 years and over) had completed post-secondary education (University degree, post-secondary certificate or diploma) in 2006 compared with 31% in 1990. The Ontario average in 2006 was 52% and the Canadian average was 49%. Enrolment at post-secondary institutions Total full- and part-time enrolment was 5,785 at Laurentian University in 2000-2001 and was 9,053 in 2006-2007. Cambrian College had 3,549 full- and part-time students in the 2000-2001 academic year and 4,469 students in 2006-2007. (Collège Boréal statistics are not available.) CLI Composite Learning Index Greater Sudbury’s overall Composite Learning Index* was 71 in 2006 and 70 in 2007. This is lower than other Ontario cities such as Thunder Bay (79), Barrie (86), and Ottawa (91). (See Figure 6) *CLI is a national index that reflects literacy levels.
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Safety Sudburians have seen drops in the incidence of some crimes while the number of fires in Greater Sudbury have increased. Property crime rate Greater Sudbury’s property crime rate fell 55% from 1991 to 2005. The property crime rate is 14% higher than the Ontario average and 14% lower than the Canadian average. Number of fires The incidence of fires (including vehicle, structural and grass fires) has increased from 267 in 2003 and 448 in 2004 to 574 in 2005. Assault In 1995, Sudbury’s Police Services recorded 1,564 assaults. In 2005, this figure dropped to 950.
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Figure 7. Unemployment rate
Sudbury Ontario Canada
10 9 8
% 7 6 5 4
2001
2005
2006
2007
*Sudbury figures from April, Ontario and Canada figures from May 2007. Source: StatsCan labour force survey, April and June 2007.
Work
Figure 8. Employment rate
Employment in Greater Sudbury has increased each year since 2001, reflecting the economic upswing being experienced locally.
66 64
Unemployment rate In 2006, the unemployment rate in Greater Sudbury was 7.2%, the lowest since 1987, when it was 11.4%. This is above the Ontario and Canadian levels which were both at 6.3%. In February 2007, the Labour Force Survey showed that the rate of unemployment in Sudbury dropped to 5.7%. (See Figure 7)
62
% 60 58 56 54
2001
2005
2006
2007
*Sudbury figures from April, Ontario and Canada figures from May 2007. Source: StatsCan labour force survey, April and June 2007.
Employment rate The employment rate in Greater Sudbury was 60.5% in April, 2007. This is the highest rate for Greater Sudbury on record at StatsCan (1987). (See Figure 8) Average hourly earnings The average hourly earnings in Greater Sudbury were $ 20.07 in 2006. This represented an increase from 1997 when they were $16.49. The median hourly earnings for 2006 in Greater Sudbury were $18.40 and $18.00 in Ontario.
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Contributors The Sudbury Community Foundation is grateful to the many organizations, community partners, reviewers, opinion survey graders, and volunteers who have helped to make this report possible. Graphic Design and Layout: Greg Duval Creative & Design Photography: Greg Duval, p. 16, inside back cover Jennifer Kwiatkowski, p. 12 Viki Mather, p. 8 Northern Life, p. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11,13, 14 The Sudbury Star, p. 15, cover Research Contributions: City of Greater Sudbury (Krista CarrĂŠ, Stephanie Harper, Ghislain Lamothe, Dave Grieve, Tin-Che Wu) Social Planning Council (Janet Gasparini) Sudbury and District Health Unit (Michael King) Greater Sudbury Police Service (Elizabeth Mazza, Lillian Howard) Federation of Canadian Municipalities (Joshua Bates, Lorie Boucher) FedNor (Lynn Bonany, Arik Theijsmeijer) SCF Vital Signs Staff Team: Jennifer Kwiatkowski Carmen Simmons Deborah Viisimaa Sponsors: Angelis Consulting Northern Life Northern Ontario Business
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Sudbury Community Foundation Board of Directors: Robert Blais Mike Buchowski Elyse Clements Tom Blake Gary Gray Bruce Hennessy Brian Koivu Paul Lefebvre Patricia Mills Meredith Morris Helen Mulc Jo-Anne Palkovits Carmen Simmons Guy Venne Tom Zsolnay Translation: Vailstar Public Relations Vital Signs Steering Committee: Helen Ghent, Steering Committee Honorary Chair Gary Gray, Steering Committee Co-Chair Helen Mulc, Steering Committee Co-Chair Paul Baskcomb, City of Greater Sudbury Amanda Chodura, Restorative Justice Arnie Gallo, CMHC Janet Gasparini, Social Planning Council Gordon Harris, Sudbury Arts Council Joyce Helmer, Cambrian College Ron Henderson, City of Greater Sudbury Ron Lange, Laurentian University Sharon Murdock, Sudbury & Manitoulin Workforce Partnerships Debbi Nicholson, Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Alan Nursall, NEXT Exhibits & Creative Communications Inc. Glenn Thibeault, United Way Centraide
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