GREATER SUDBURY’S
VitalSigns
®
City of Greater Sudbury’s Annual Check-up
Touch the Future
Sudbury Community Foundation (SCF) We are pleased to present the third annual Greater Sudbury’s 2009 Vital Signs report. This report provides comprehensive community indicators to help us understand our community, so we can celebrate our local successes and get to work on our challenges. It is our belief that Greater Sudbury’s Vital Signs stimulates interest, promotes dialogue, encourages partnerships, and incites change, all for the betterment of our community. We are thrilled to see changes happening within Greater Sudbury that reflect a response to Vital Signs, and we are proud to take a leadership role in such initiatives. The 2007 and 2008 Arts and Culture indicators highlighted significant gaps in this issue area. As a result, SCF established a Performing Arts endowment fund and undertook a fundraising campaign to help it grow. In addition, SCF established Jazz Sudbury and has recently held Sudbury’s first jazz festival. SCF is grateful for the wonderful support these initiatives have received. But one organization can only help in a small way. We invite everyone to get behind our community and find ways to make Greater Sudbury greater!
messages
This year’s report reflects change that has come about because so many of you have worked for change. Other changes have been unpredictable and our challenge will be to figure out where we go next. This year, we have added a section on Seniors and expanded our Getting Started section to provide more data on Sudbury’s youth. These two groups play a large role in shaping our community and preserving our unique culture. A sincere thank you to the numerous citizens who took part in the opinionaire - the steering committee, expert panels, and all those who have contributed along the way to making this insightful report possible. Vital Signs has proven to be useful in guiding the Foundation’s donors, grants committee, the directors, and others in the community to the areas which are in most need of help. We hope it will be a guide for others as well.
Carmen Simmons Executive Director
Elyse Clements President
Greater Sudbury’s Vital Signs I am delighted to be the 2009 Honourary Chair of Greater Sudbury’s Vital Signs report and share in this worthwhile endeavour. Greater Sudbury’s Vital Signs is a valuable tool for helping us understand our complex community. Covering eleven different issue areas, this report provides a snap shot of Sudbury’s economic and social wellbeing. It identifies quality of life issues that need improvement and recognizes the many areas where Greater Sudbury has excelled. This year we have developed a provocative Citizen Opinionaire to supplement our data and engage our citizens. We hope that our community is open enough to examine these self-reflections, not as a form of criticism, but as a way to illuminate opinions and to help us work effectively for our future.
Vital Signs presents Sudburians with a unique opportunity to engage and encourage action from students, families, businesses, institutions, community groups and policy-makers. It is a starting point for a vibrant, active citizenry and a prosperous, healthy community. This serves to remind us that many challenges can be overcome when we work together as a community towards effective solutions. I have been proud to be an active participant in Greater Sudbury’s growth and vitality. Thank you to the Sudbury Community Foundation and the many people who have taken the time to contribute to this report and have contributed in their own lives to the betterment of our community.
Gisèle Chrétien Honourary Chair
Contents Community Context Arts & Culture Belonging & Leadership Environment Gap Between Rich & Poor Getting Started in Our Community Health & Wellness Housing Learning Safety Seniors Work Citizen Opinionaire Contributors Table of Figures & Statistical Notes
1 2 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 20
table of contents
1
Population Profile In 2008, Greater Sudbury had a population of 164,818*, an increase of 0.21% from 2007. * based on post-censal estimates
Language In 2006, there were over 70 different languages spoken by Sudburians. Of the top ten languages spoken in 2006, English, French, and Croatian have experienced an increase from 2001.
Labour Force In 2008, the goods producing sector in Sudbury accounted for 24.9% of the labour force while the services producing sector accounted for 75.1% of the labour force. The proportion of the population in the goods producing sector was higher than the national and provincial averages of 23.5% and 22.8% respectively (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Labour force by sector in 2008 (%) Goods producing
Non-Residential Building Permit Values At $160 million in 2008, the nominal value of non-residential building permits in Sudbury has decreased 27.7% from $221 million in 2007. This compares to a national increase of 2.5% and a provincial decrease of 1.6%. In the previous year (2006 to 2007) the growth in nominal values of non-residential building permits in Sudbury was 69.2%.
Services producing
community context Gross Domestic Product In 2008, the real GDP in Sudbury reached $5, 652 million (in constant 2002 dollars), down 0.3% from its 2007 level. This marks the first decrease in GDP since 2001. By comparison, real annual GDP growth over the same period averaged 2.7% in Canada and 2.4% in Ontario. Sudbury accounted for 1.1% of the real GDP of Ontario in 2008 (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Gross domestic product (in millions of constant 2002 dollars) 6,000 5,500 5,000 4,500 4,000 96’ 97’ 98’ 99’ 00’ 01’ 02’ 03’ 04’ 05’ 06’ 07’ 08’
2
Source: Centre for Spatial Economics
Consumer & Business Bankruptcies In 2008, there were 577 consumer bankruptcies in Sudbury, down 2.7% from the 2007 level. During the same period the number of consumer bankruptcies in Canada and Ontario increased 13.5% and 15.1% respectively. In 2008, there were 21 business bankruptcies in Sudbury, down 4.5% from the 2007 level. During the same period the number of business bankruptcies in Canada and Ontario decreased by 2.0% and 5.7% respectively (Fig. 3). Source: Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada
Retail Sales At $2,386 million in 2008, Sudbury’s retail sales decreased 6.7% from the 2007 level of $2,557 million. This compares to a national decrease of 4.7% and a provincial decrease of 4.9% in retail sales.
Fig. 3. Bankruptcy percent change from 2007 to 2008 Sudbury
Source: Financial Post
Ontario
Employment Insurance Beneficiaries
Canada -10
Fig. 2. Percentage of labour force (aged 15 and over) employed by industry in 2006
-5
Consumer Business
0
5
10
15
20
At 3,515 average monthly claimants in 2008, the number of employment insurance claimants in Sudbury declined 4.2% from 2007, while Canada and Ontario experienced increases of 2.1% and 5.9% respectively.
Gross Domestic Product Per Worker Real GDP per worker in Sudbury was $78,166 in 2008 (in constant 2002 dollars), down 2.4% from its 2007 level. Output per worker in Sudbury was 1.9% higher than the level of per-worker GDP in Canada in 2008 and 2.17% lower than the provincial level. Source: Centre for Spatial Economics
citizen opinionaire 68.7% believe they live in a clean and safe neighbourhood
3
Cultural Festivals
Arts Grants
In 2005, 18.7% of Greater Sudburians attended a cultural festival. Sudbury’s attendance figures were lower than the national figure of 23.7%, as well as Ottawa at 30.8% and Toronto at 25.2%.
In 2007, arts grants per capita in Sudbury were $2.85, down from $2.94 in 2006. By comparison, Sudbury’s 2007 grants were below that of London at $3.40, Thunder Bay at $4.66, Ottawa at $4.88, and Toronto at $6.31 (Fig. 4).
Library Use At 7.6 items circulated per capita in 2007, library use in Sudbury was up 3.9% since 2006, and down 2.3% since 2000. Sudbury’s item circulation in 2007 was lower than London at 9.9, Kitchener at 10.3, Ottawa at 11.3, and Oakville at 12.4.
Fig. 4. Arts grants per capita in 2007 ($) Sudbury London Thunder Bay Ottawa Toronto 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Source: OMBI 2007
Cost of Cultural Programs In 2007, the cost of operating cultural programs per capita in Greater Sudbury was $5.49 which decreased by $1.00 from the 2006 cost of $6.49. By comparison, Sudbury’s 2007 costs are significantly below that of London at $10.46, Thunder Bay at $13.82, Ottawa at $18.07, and Toronto at $24.82 (Fig. 5).
arts & culture citizen opinionaire 72.4% think that the municipal government should provide money for arts and cultural activities
Fig. 5. Cost of cultural programs in 2007 ($) Sudbury London Thunder Bay Ottawa Toronto 0
5
10
Source: OMBI 2007
4
15
20
25
30
Percentage Voter Turnout
Recreation Programs
Voter turnout for the 2008 Federal Election in Greater Sudbury was 57.9%. This turnout was lower than the national average of 58.8% and the provincial average of 58.6%.
In 2007, 7.4% of Sudburians participated in a registered recreational program, up from 4.7% in 2004. Sudbury’s participation rate is higher than Toronto, and lower than Thunder Bay, Ottawa, and London.
Source: Elections Canada
Source: OMBI 2007
Sense of Community Belonging In the Sudbury and District Health Region, 73.4% of the population 12 years and over reported a strong or somewhat strong sense of community belonging in 2008. This compares to 65.0% at the national level and 67.3% at the provincial level.
Charitable Donations The median value of charitable donations in Sudbury for 2007 was $220, 12.0% lower than the national level of $250 and 29.0% below the provincial level of $310. Median value of donations in Sudbury have increased 37.5% from $160 in 1997.
Sudbury Rainbow Crime Stoppers
Charitable Donors
In 2007, the Greater Sudbury Police Department received 917 tips from the public, leading to 80 cases cleared, 103 arrests, and 291 charges laid.
In 2007, the proportion of tax filers that declared charitable donations in Sudbury was 25.3%, which is above the national rate of 24.0% and below the provincial rate of 25.7% (Fig. 6).
Source: Greater Sudbury Police Services
belonging & leadership Fig. 6. Charitable donors as proportion of tax filers in 2007 (%) Sudbury Ontario Canada 23
23.5
24
24.5
25
25.5
26
26.5
citizen opinionaire 51.6% perceive real differences between candidates in elections
5
Air Quality
Mode of Transportation to Place of Work
In Greater Sudbury, the number of days above 8h Ozone was 10, down from 13 days in 2002. The 2002-2007 period average was 12.5 days. The number of days with PM 2.5 concentrations above threshold levels in 2007 was 1, compared to 0 days in 2004. The 2004-2007 period average was 1.5.
In 2006, 55,620 Sudburians drove a car, van or truck to work. This compares with 6,805 people who were passengers in a car, van, or truck, 3,710 people who took public transit, and 4,925 people who walked. 800 people reported other modes of transportation (Fig. 8).
Source: Environment Canada
Fig. 8. Mode of transportation to work in 2006 (%)
Water Use In 2007, 17,314 megalitres* of water was treated per 100,000 people in Greater Sudbury, up 3% from 2006. This compares to 17,810 megalitres for Thunder Bay and 15,730 megalitres for Toronto.
Driver Passenger Walk or bike Public transit Other
*One megalitre is equivalent to one million litres. This number includes water use by the residential sector, as well as commercial, industrial and institutional facilities.
Waste In 2007, Greater Sudbury’s Solid Waste Service land filled 113,389 tonnes of waste. This is up 13.3% from the year 2000. In contrast, 15,818 tonnes of blue box materials were voluntarily dropped off for processing at the Greater Sudbury landfill in 2007, up 37.4% from the year 2000 (Fig. 7).
environment citizen opinionaire 77.4% think that the Green Cart Residential Organic Program is an important addition to Sudbury's waste management strategy
Fig. 7. Total tonnes of landfill waste 120,000 115,000 110,000 105,000 100,000 95,000 90,000 85,000 80,000 75,000 70,000 00’
01’
02’
03’
04’
05’
06’
Source: Greater Sudbury 2006-2007 Annual Solid Waste Report
6
07’
Household Income
Use of Food Banks
In 2006, the real median after tax household income (in constant 2005 dollars) for homeowners in Sudbury was $59,200 down from $63,100 ten years earlier. The real median after tax household income (in constant 2005 dollars) for renters was $24,300 up from $20,600 ten years earlier.
In March 2008, the total number of unique people using food banks in Sudbury was 13,779, up 34.4 % from 10,252 in March 2007 (Fig. 9).
Source: Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
March 2008
Median Income of Single-Parent Families
March 2007
In 2006, the median income of 6,375 female lead single-parent families was $31,573, which is below the national median of $34,350 and the provincial median of $36,496.
Fig. 9. Total number of unique food bank users (in hundreds)
March 2006 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
The 1,445 single-parent families headed by males reported a median income of $48,756, which is slightly above the national median of $47,153 and lower than the provincial median of $50,339.* *Median income numbers in Census Canada 2006 are based on 2005 incomes.
gap between rich & poor Social Assistance
Emergency Shelters
In 2007, there were 4,168 recipients of social assistance per 100,000 households in Sudbury. This is lower than Sudbury’s 2006 social assistance caseload of 4,994. Although the caseload has decreased from 2006 to 2007, the length of time recipients stayed on social assistance increased from 17.6 months to 18.0 months. By comparison, the number of months recipients spent on social assistance in 2007 in London was 16.7, Ottawa 18.9, Toronto 20.8, and Thunder Bay 13.0.
In 2007, the average nightly bed occupancy rate of emergency shelters in Sudbury was 75.0%, down from 82.0% in 2006. Sudbury’s rate is significantly below that of London, Ottawa and Toronto, but is higher than Thunder Bay’s rate of 50%.
Source: OMBI 2007
Source: OMBI 2007
citizen opinionaire 59.5% could make ends meet for three months if they lost their income
7
Net Migration
Child Care
In 2006, Greater Sudbury’s population gained 412 people, which represented an increase of 0.25% in total population. Sudbury gained 448 persons in 2006 due to intraprovincial migration, lost 66 people due to interprovincial migration and gained 30 people due to international migration (Fig. 10)*.
The annual fee per subsidized child care space in Sudbury was $4,948 in 2007. This is consistent with the $4,951 fee per subsidized child care space in Thunder Bay. Sudbury’s child care costs are below that of Toronto but higher than the costs for child care in Ottawa and London.
Fig. 10. Net migration in 2006 (total population) Intraprovincial Interprivincial International -100
0
100 200
300 400 500
*All figures are reported on a net basis.
Source: OMBI 2007
Youth Crime In 2007, 1,248 of Sudbury’s youth were charged (or otherwise processed) with a crime. 271 youth participated in the Youth Referral Program of which 75% completed. The Youth Referral Program is a three month commitment by the youth to repair the harm caused by crime (Fig. 11). Fig. 11. Youth crime (total number charged or processed by other means) 2007 2006 2005 950 1,000 1,050 1,100 1,150 1,200 1,250 1,300 Source: Greater Sudbury Regional Police
getting started in our community Student Debt In 2008, 2,198 students at Laurentian University qualified for provincial and national loan assistance totalling over $20.5 million. This measure of student debt does not include bank loans, lines of credit, credit cards, or personal loans. Source: Laurentian University
citizen opinionaire 76.0% think that the cost of post-secondary education is too high
8
Educational Attainment In 2006, 8.6% of Sudburians aged 24-35 had no certificate, diploma or degree, compared to 8.7% of Canadians and 10.9% of Ontarians. In the same year, 20.7% of Sudburians had a university certificate, diploma, or degree, compared to 28.9% of Canadians and 32.7% of Ontarians (Fig. 13). Fig. 13. Educational attainment of youth (aged 24-35) in 2006 (%) No certificate, diploma or degree Sudbury Ontario Canada
University certificate, diploma or degree 0
10
20
30
40
Aboriginal Youth With a median age of 31.2 in 2006, 23.5% of Sudbury’s aboriginal population is between the ages of 15 and 29 compared to 19.1% of the non-aboriginal population of Sudbury. The median age of the aboriginal population in Canada and Ontario is 26.5 and 29.7 respectively.
Youth Unemployment In 2008, the youth (aged 15-24) unemployment rate in Sudbury was 11.6%. The youth unemployment rate has dropped 5.7% since 2000 to meet the national youth unemployment rate and fall below the provincial rate of 13.8% (Fig. 12).
citizen opinionaire 64.6% think that there are better opportunities for young people in other cities
Fig. 12. Youth (aged 15-24) unemployment rate (%) 20.0 18.0 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0
2000 Sudbury Canada Ontario
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
9
Wait Times MRI At the Sudbury Regional Hospital (HRSRH) in 2008, patients receiving an MRI scan in March had the longest wait time, with 9 out of 10 having their scan in 143 days. The shortest wait time was for patients receiving scans in June, with 9 out of 10 having their exam in 42 days. The provincial wait time target for an MRI scan is 28 days (Fig. 14).
Wait Times CT In 2008, patients at HRSRH receiving a CT scan in September had the longest wait time, with 9 out of 10 having the scan in 62 days. The shortest wait time in 2008 was for patients receiving CT scans in February, with 9 out of 10 having their scan in 31 days. The provincial wait time target for a CT scan is 28 days (Fig. 15).
Fig. 14. 90th percentile wait time for MRI scans by month in 2008 (number of days) 180 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Sudbury Regional Hospital Ontario North East LHIN
Fig. 15. 90th percentile wait time for CT scans by month in 2008 (number of days) 70 60
Sudbury Regional Hospital
50
In 2008*, HRSRH managed 65,277 Emergency Department visits and 22,686 admissions, in addition to performing 151,464 x-ray tests, 3,209,884 laboratory tests, 15,882 chemotherapy treatments, 46,099 radiation therapy treatments, 451 open heart surgeries and 1,829 births.
30
Source: Sudbury Regional Hospital
40 20 10 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Sudbury Regional Hospital Ontario North East LHIN
health Surgeries In 2008*, there were a total of 862 cancelled surgeries** at the HRSRH. Of this, 170 were cancelled due to the shortage of an appropriate bed. *Data is from the 2008 fiscal year (March 2008 - April 2009). **Surgery cancellations include but are not limited to cases bumped by emergency, patient no show, patient self-cancel. infection control/occupational health exposure in operating room, incomplete/inappropriate preparation, surgeon/anesthetist cancel and nursing shortage. Source: Sudbury Regional Hospital
10
citizen opinionaire 35% think they receive health care that is equal or superior to other cities in Canada
Social Housing
Housing Starts
In 2007, there were 62 social housing units per 1,000 households in Greater Sudbury, with a total annual cost of $5,091 per social housing unit. In comparison, Thunder Bay had 76 units per 1,000 households at a total annual cost of $4,723 per social housing unit.
At 543 housing starts in 2008, Sudbury experienced a 7.5% decrease from the 587 housing starts in 2007. This compares to a national decrease of 7.6% and a provincial increase of 10.2%. In the previous year (2006 to 2007) there was a 23.1% increase in housing starts in Sudbury (Fig. 16).
Source: OMBI 2007
Source: Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Fig. 16. Housing starts from 2000 to 2008 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
00’
01’
02’
03’
04’
05’
06’
07’
08’
Homeless Shelters In 2009, there were 5 homeless shelters in Sudbury, all of which were emergency shelters. There are 123 emergency beds in these shelters. Source: Shelter Capacity Statistics
housing Rental Vacancy Rate
Housing Sales
In 2008, the rental vacancy rate of two bedroom apartments in Sudbury was 0.4% compared to 0.3% in 2007. This is lower than Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal with vacancy rates of 1.9%, 1.6%, and 2.1% respectively.
At 2,754 in 2007, the number of houses sold in Sudbury decreased 0.3% from 2006. This compares with a national increase of 7.6% and a provincial increase of 9.5%. From 2005 to 2006, there was a 1.3% increase.
Source: Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
citizen opinionaire 66.4% say that building additional social housing units should be a priority in Sudbury
Source: Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
11
University Research
Proportion of the Population with Post-Secondary Education In Greater Sudbury, 52.9% of the population (15 years and over) in 2008 had completed post-secondary education. Sudbury’s rate was higher than the national average of 50.4% and the provincial average of 51.6% (Fig. 17).
Laurentian University’s total sponsored research income in 2007 was $15,519 million. This is 55 times lower than Canada’s top research university, University of Toronto at $854,759 million. Source: Research InfoSource
Fig. 17. Percentage of population (aged 15 years and over) with post-secondary education 54.0
Ontario Canada Sudbury
52.0 50.0 48.0 46.0 44.0 42.0 2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Highest Level of Post-Secondary Achievement In 2006, 63,890 of Sudburians had a post-secondary education. Of this, 675 had an earned doctorate, 2,530 had a master’s degree and 505 had a medical degree.* * this includes medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry
learning citizen opinionaire 80.6% think that there should be more emphasis on physical education in schools
12
Educational Attainment and Employment Income In 2006, 25.7% of Sudburians did not have a high school diploma and earned an average employment income of $23,169. This compares to 13.2% of Sudburians who completed university and earned an average employment income of $61,766.
Police Officers per 100,000
Fire
At 153 police officers per 100,000 persons in 2008, the number of police officers in Sudbury was lower than both the national average of 191 and the provincial average of 194. Sudbury’s rate was virtually unchanged from that in 2007.
In 2007, there were 187 fires in Sudbury. Of these,10 were at assembly areas, 2 at institutions, 93 were residential, 7 were commercial, 13 were industrial, 5 were at mobile homes & trailers, and 58 were classified as other. These fires resulted in 16 injuries and 1 death and $6,674,277 total dollar loss (Fig 19).
Violent Crime & Property Crime Rates At 841 per 100,000 persons in 2008, the violent crime rate in Sudbury was 9.7% below the national average of 932 per 100,000 persons and 14.9% above the provincial average of 732 per 100,000 persons. At 2,711 per 100,000 persons in 2008, the property crime rate in Sudbury was 11.9% below the national average of 3,079 per 100,000 persons and 7.2% above the provincial average of 2,530 per 100,000 persons (Fig 18).
Fig. 19. Total fires , injuries, deaths and dollar loss
Fig. 18. Violent crime and property crime rates per 100,000 persons in 2008
Year
Total fires
Injuries
Deaths
Total dollar loss ($)
Violent Crime Propery Crime
2005
150
9
1
5,078,751
Ontario
2006
197
34
0
9,815,234
Canada
2007
187
16
1
6,674,277
Sudbury
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
Source: Greater Sudbury Fire Department
safety Emergency Medical Services In 2007, the 90th percentile response time for the highest priority calls in Sudbury by Emergency Medical Services was 10 min. 54 sec. up from the 2006 time of 10. min 40 sec. The dispatch time in 2008 was 2 min. 23 sec. up from the 2006 time of 2 min. 21 sec. Source: OMBI 2007
citizen opinionaire 61.3% think that crime tends to be localized in certain neighbourhoods
13
Median Income The median income of seniors (aged 65 and over) in Greater Sudbury was $24,227 in 2005, up from $20,375 in 2000. This compares to a medium income of $20,429 in 2005 for seniors in Canada and $22,560 for seniors in Ontario (Fig. 20). Fig. 20. Total number of seniors (in thousands) by income bracket Under $9,999 $10,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $29,999 $30,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $59,999 $60,000 to $69,999 $70,000 to $79,999 $80,000 and over 2000 2005
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
seniors citizen opinionaire
Long-Term Care Access
7.8% believe that Sudbury's health care system is prepared to meet the needs of an aging population
In 2007, 12.1% of seniors over the age of 75 had access to long-term care beds in Sudbury. Sudbury’s percentage is higher than Ottawa, London, Toronto, and Waterloo.
43.3% have a job that offers / offered them a pension plan
It is important to note that it is the provincial standard for communities to provide long term care beds to a minimum of 10% of their population aged 75 and over. Source: OMBI 2007
14
9
Caring for Children
Long-Term Care Costs
In 2006, 13.5% of seniors (aged 65 and over) in Sudbury reported hours of unpaid child care over a one week period. This compares to 16.0% of seniors in Canada and 15.2% of seniors in Ontario.
In 2007, the cost* per bed day in a long-term care facility in Sudbury was $146. This is significantly lower than the costs per day of long-term care beds in London at $188, Ottawa at $185, Toronto at $181, and Waterloo at $176 (Fig. 22).
Care & Assistance In 2006, 22.4% of Sudburians (aged 15 and older) reported hours of unpaid care or assistance to seniors. This compares to 20.1% of Canadians and 20.5% of Ontarians.
Fig. 22. Cost per long-term care facility bed day in 2007 ($) Sudbury Waterloo Toronto Ottawa London 100
120
140
160
180
200
* To improve the comparability of the results, all costs have been Case Mix Index (CMI) adjusted to reflect the differences in the level and intensity of care required by residents in each long-term care home. Source: OMBI 2007
Population From 1996 to 2006, the number of seniors (aged 65 and over) in Sudbury has risen by 4,665. In 1996, seniors made up 11.74% of the total population and in 2006 they were 14.9% of the total population.
Fig. 21. Living arrangements of seniors (aged 65 and over) in 2006 (%)
Living Arrangements In 2006, 7.6% of seniors aged 65 and over in Sudbury were living in nursing homes or senior residences. This is higher than the national rate of 6.2% and the provincial rate of 6.0%. The senior population 85 years of age or older who live in nursing homes or senior residences is 32.1% which is also higher than the national rate of 26.3% and the provincial rate of 27.1% (Fig. 21).
Sudbury Ontario Canada
With spouse / partner without children Alone With children Nursing homes / seniors residences Other 0
10 20 30 40
50 60
15
Employment Rate
Unemployment Rate
At 60.9% in 2008, Greater Sudbury had an employment rate lower than the national and provincial rates of 63.6% (Fig. 23).
In 2008, the unemployment rate in Sudbury was 5.6%. This was below the national level of 6.1% and the provincial level of 6.5% (Fig. 24).
Fig. 23. 2008 employment rate by month (%)*
Fig. 24. 2008 unemployment rate by month (%)*
66.0
7.5
65.0
7.0
64.0
6.5
63.0
6.0
62.0
5.5
61.0
5.0
60.0
4.5
59.0
4.0
58.0
3.5
57.0
3.0
56.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec *Seasonally unadjusted
Work Absence
Ontario Canada Sudbury
In 2008, full-time workers in Sudbury were absent* from work an average of 13.6 days. By comparison, in the same year, the average number of days lost in Canada was 10.0 and 9.5 days in Ontario. The average number of missed days in Sudbury has increased from 8.7 days in 2000.
*Seasonally unadjusted.
Employment Growth
Ontario Canada Sudbury
With employment growth of 0.6% in 2008, Sudbury saw growth below the national rate of 1.5% and the provincial rate of 1.4%. The 2000-2008 period saw an average annual employment growth of 0.9% which is below both the national rate of 1.9% and the provincial rate of 1.8%.
*Excluding days spent on maternity leave
work Median Earnings by Gender
citizen opinionaire
The median earnings for male Sudburians (aged 15 and over) working full-year full-time in 2005 was $53,937 which is above the national median of $46,778 and provincial median of $50,057.
47.4% believe that Sudbury has a diverse economy
Females reported a median earnings of $36,682 which is slightly above the national median of $35,830 and lower than the provincial median of $38,914. The median earnings between males and females in Sudbury amounts to a $17,255 difference.
16
Citizen Opinionaire The figures below express the percentage of opinionaire respondents in Greater Sudbury who agreed with the following statements. To review the Citizen Opinionaire in its entirety, please visit www.vitalsignssudbury.ca
Community Context
• Sudburians have adequate access to public transit: 36.9% • know my next door neighbour: 83% • I would accept an increase in my property tax to fix Sudbury's roads: 31.8%
• The industrial rail tracks downtown should be relocated and the land reclaimed for other purposes: 60.4%
Arts & Culture
• There is a link between a strong economy and a strong arts sector: 63.2%
• Sudbury needs a performing arts centre: 62.6% • Music and art are necessary parts of a child's education: 85.2% • I am more likely to attend an arts / cultural event outside of Sudbury: 36.4%
Belonging & Leadership
• The majority of Sudburians are accepting of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people in the community: 37.3%
• It is important to have a balance between men and women in leadership roles: 85.3%
• I feel I should give more to charity: 40.6% • I support a union's right to strike even if Sudbury's overall economy suffers as a result: 53.9%
Environment
• The city should ban motorized vehicles from Lake Ramsey: 54.9% • I think that I over consume: 46.5% • I often consider the environmental impacts of my actions: 84.8% • The majority of Sudburians care about the environment: 37.3% Gap Between Rich & Poor
• In Sudbury it is easier to be a single parent now than it was ten years ago: 24.9%
• I know someone who uses the food bank: 42.8% • I would accept a tax hike if it meant eliminating poverty: 57.2% • Poor people should take more responsibility for their situation: 45.1%
Getting Started in our Community
• Youth out-migration is no longer a problem for Sudbury: 6.9% • Sudbury is an attractive place for professionals to settle: 41.1% • Sudbury is a fun place for young children: 56.2% • Sudburians have adequate access to sports and recreation facilities and programs: 48.4%
Health & Wellness
• I feel comfortable taking a sick day from work: 48.4% • The Northern Ontario School of Medicine will result in more doctors practicing in Sudbury: 53%
• I feel our soil is safe to grow food: 45.2% • Sudbury's tap water is clean and safe to drink: 64.5% Housing
• My home is larger than I need: 24.9% • It is possible to end homelessness: 43.8% • My home is in walking distance of the things I require for my daily life: 50.3%
• The new development charge bylaw will inhibit housing growth in Sudbury: 18.9%
Learning
• Standardized tests are an adequate means to judge the educational performance of schools: 29%
• Our teachers are overworked: 38.2% • Education today is equal to or better than the education that I received: 33.2%
• Sudbury's parents need to take a more active role in their children's education: 77%
Safety
• I have confidence that the local police service effectively addresses community safety issues: 40.1%
• Safety in downtown Sudbury is improving: 35.9% • Job safety is valued in my workplace: 65.9% • I am concerned about bullying among Sudbury's children: 74.2% Work
• Sudbury is well positioned to make the switch to the green economy: 43.3%
• Small local businesses are important to Sudbury's economy: 91.2%
• I mostly shop at box stores / chain stores: 30.4% • Foreign ownership of major industries in Sudbury has a negative effect on the community: 72.9%
Seniors
• I have planned for my retirement: 48.4% • Seniors play an important role in society: 86.2% • Seniors in Sudbury have access to quality leisure programs: 37.8%
• It is appropriate to have mandatory retirement laws: 29.9%
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The Sudbury Community Foundation is grateful to the many organizations, community partners, reviewers, graders, and volunteers who have helped to make this report possible.
Expert Panel Tim Beadman, City of Greater Sudbury Amanda Chodura, Restorative Justice Scott Fisher, City of Greater Sudbury Marlene Gorman, YWCA Sudbury Narasim Katary, Retired member, Ontario Municipal Board Michael King, Epidemiology Consultant, Sudbury & District Health Unit Maureen Lacroix, Laurentian University Ron Lange, Laurentian University Allan Lekun, City of Greater Sudbury Maureen Luoma, Sudbury Metro Centre David Munch, Finlandia Village Joseph Nicholls, City of Greater Sudbury Mark Palumbo, Music & Film in Motion Mark Simeoni, City of Greater Sudbury Mitch Theriault, City of Greater Sudbury Susan Thompson, Downtown Village Corporation
contributors Design & Cover Photography
Supporters
Greg Duval
OraclePoll Research Limited Northern Ontario Business Vale Inco
Photography Harriet Carlson Greg Duval IDEANORTH Kirsti Kivinen-Newman Northern Life
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SCF Vital Signs Staff Laura Chipp Chris Kivinen-Newman George Pabisz Carmen Simmons
SCF Board of Directors Elyse Clements, President Robert Blais Tom Blake Mike Buchowski Jon Cole Lee Ferguson Bruce Hennessy Brian Koivu Paul Lefebvre Patricia Mills Tina Montgomery Will Morin Paul Seccaspina Guy Venne Tom Zsolnay
Greater Sudbury Vital Signs Steering Committee Gisèle ChrÊtien, Honourary Chair Tom Blake, Co-Chair Paul Seccaspina, Co-Chair Elyse Clements Michael Cullen Helen Ghent Will Morin Debbi Nicholson Guy Venne Floyd Laughren Vital Signs is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that measures the vitality of our communities and identifies significant trends in areas critical to quality of life. Vital Signs is coordinated nationally by Community Foundations of Canada. The Vital Signs trademark is used with permission from Community Foundations of Canada.
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Table of Figures Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 Fig. 13 Fig. 14 Fig. 15 Fig. 16 Fig. 17 Fig. 18 Fig. 19 Fig. 20 Fig. 21 Fig. 22 Fig. 23 Fig. 24
Labour force by sector in 2008 (%) p. 2 Gross domestic product (in millions of constant 2002 dollars) Bankruptcy percent change from 2007 to 2008 p. 3 Arts grants per capita in 2007 ($) p. 4 Cost of cultural programs in 2007 ($) Charitable donors as proportion of tax filers in 2007 (%) p. 5 Total tonnes of land filled waste p. 6 Mode of transportation to work in 2006 Total number of unique food bank users (in hundreds) p. 7 Net migration in 2006 (total population) p. 8 Youth crime (total number charged or processed by other means) Youth (aged 15-24) unemployment rate (%) p. 9 Educational attainment of youth (aged 24-35) in 2006 (%) 90th percentile wait time for MRI scans by month in 2008 (number of days) p. 10 90th percentile wait time for CT scans by month in 2008 (number of days) Total number of housing starts from 2000 to 2008 p. 11 Percentage of population (aged 15 years and over) with post-secondary education p. 12 Violent crime and property crime rates per100,000 persons in 2008 p. 13 Total fires, injuries, deaths and dollar loss Total number of seniors (in thousands) by income bracket p. 14 Living arrangements of seniors (aged 65 and over) in 2006 (%) p. 15 Cost per long-term care facility bed day in 2007 ($) 2008 employment rate by month (%) p. 16 2008 unemployment rate by month (%)
Statistical Notes Details of the report and sources can be found at www.vitalsignssudbury.ca Research Sources All statistics were retrieved from Statistics Canada unless otherwise indicated in the report. All Statistics Canada data is from Greater Sudbury, Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) consists of one or more adjacent municipalities situated around an urban core. To form a CMA, the total population must be at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more live in the urban core. Adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the central urban area. All data from the Ontario Municipal CAO’s Brenchmarking Initiative (OMBI) are municipal data. Citizen Opinionaire The Citizen Opinionaire was conducted OraclePoll research for the Sudbury Community Foundation and represents the findings from
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an online panel survey. For more information on the Citizen Opinionaire please visit www.vitalsignssudbury.ca. Dollar Amounts Dollar amounts unless otherwise stated, represent the dollar amount for the given year and do not express the amount in the current dollar amount or a constant dollar amount.
Glossary 8 h Ozone refers to an 8 hour period with greater than 65 parts per billion ground level ozone which is a reactive, unstable form of oxygen. Canada-Wide Environmental Standards have been developed for ground-level ozone. The standard to be achieved by 2015 is 65 ppb. This is based on the 4th highest measurement annually (8-hour means), averaged over 3 consecutive years. CT refers to Computed Tomography, a non-invasive medical test using x-ray equipment and advanced computer technology to help physicians with diagnosing certain medical conditions, such as lung, liver and pancreatic cancers, etc. Physicians will also use CT to plan surgeries and assess their results, among other uses. Employment Rate is the number of employed persons expressed as a percentage of the population. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the unduplicated value of all goods and services produced in a year within Canada’s borders measured at market prices. It is the standard measure of the overall size of the economy. The growth in real GDP—that is, GDP after inflation has been taken into account—is often used as an indicator of the general health of the economy. An increase in real GDP is interpreted as a sign that the economy is doing well, while a decrease indicates that the economy is not working at its full capacity. Real GDP is linked to other macro economic variables such as employment, economic cycles, productivity and long-term economic growth. Library Circulation reports the annual total number of items checked out for all formats, e.g. books, videos, CDs, DVDs, periodicals, etc. This includes all renewals (in-person, telephone and electronic) whether a staff member was involved or not. MRI refers to Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a non-invasive medical test that allows physicians to diagnose certain medical conditions, such tumours, some heart problems, blockages of blood vessels, etc. Using a magnetic field and radio frequency pulses, a computer creates pictures of organs, soft tissues, and other parts of the internal body. PM 2.5 refers to particulate matter with an effective diameter of 2.5 microns or less Property Crime includes breaking and entering, all theft, possession of stolen goods and all fraud. Unemployment Rate is the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force.
Sudbury Community Foundation Profile The Sudbury Community Foundation is an independent public foundation and registered charity. The Foundation has been a gateway to the community since 1996, enabling donors to create philanthropic legacies that will benefit Sudbury and its people both now and in the future. The Foundation's unique combination of grant-making expertise, knowledge of community needs, professional financial and fund management expertise, and knowledge of donor philanthropy, provides donors with higher impact for every dollar donated. In addition, it gives local charities access to a permanent flow of grant dollars. SCF nurtures a sense of community reinforcing shared values, encouraging mutual respect, developing practices of shared concern, and enabling people to realize their full potential. In this spirit, we strive to be a catalyst for the community. For more information about the Sudbury Community Foundation, please visit www.sudburycf.ca.
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GREATER SUDBURY’S
VitalSigns
®
Greater Sudbury’s Vital Signs is an initiative of Sudbury Community Foundation 218-40 Elm Street, Sudbury ON P3C 1S8 Tel: 705.673.7770 Fax: 705.673.8727 email: reception@sudburycf.ca www.sudburycf.ca This Vital Signs report and an expanded version with data sources and links is available on-line at www.vitalsignssudbury.ca
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