Urban Poverty 2007 - updated October 18/07
A fresh batch of Urban Poverty reports has been posted to the CCSD's Urban Poverty 2007 page. They include a report on populations vulnerable to poverty, one on education and employment, another on age, gender and family, and a final one on neighbourhood poverty. There's also a new urban poverty bibliography.

"Poverty is not only about the numbers. It's about the stark realities of daily life for millions of Canadians. We hope that the numbers provided here will help communities share information, leverage resources and create solutions to the blight of urban poverty in Canada. Products in the Urban Poverty Project include community profiles, a time-series analysis of urban poverty trends over the 1990s, and a detailed snapshot of urban poverty using the 2001 Census data."

Click the link above to access the project files listed below:

* Measuring Poverty: a backgrounder
* Media Release
* A Lost Decade - Urban Poverty in Canada, 1990-2000
o Factsheet # 1: Looking Back
o Factsheet # 2: Place Matters
o Factsheet # 3: Neighbourhood Poverty
* Detailed analyses of different dimensions of urban poverty in 2000, presented in the following reports:
o Poverty by Geography
o Dimensions of Income Among Poor Households
o Employment and Education
o Populations Vulnerable to Poverty
o Age, Gender and Family
o Neighbourhood Poverty
* Community Profiles - an online database containing demographic profiles of 111 communities across Canada;
* Poverty Data Tables: Another online database, organized by levels of geography
* A summary report on the Urban Poverty Project 2007 (forthcoming)
* UPP 2007 Bibliography
* Shelter - Homelessness in a growth economy: Canada's 21st century paradox (by Gordon Laird, for the Sheldon Chumir Foundation)
* Talking about urban poverty: CCSD's Katherine Scott speaks to Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (May 10, 2007)
* From the CCSD Archives: Urban Poverty Project 2000

Related links:

* Measuring Poverty
* Media Release
* Community Profiles
* From the CCSD Archives: Urban Poverty Project 2000

Source:
Canadian Council on Social Development

Third Session of World Urban Forum closes after drawing 10,000 people
June 23, 2006
Vancouver
"Drawing some 10,000 participants from over 100 countries, the Third Session of the World Urban Forum closed on Friday paving the way for a new drive forward on the international urban agenda in a world of rapidly growing cities."
Source:
UN-HABITAT : United Nations Human Settlements Programme

Related Links:

World Urban Forum 2006 Official Website
The World Urban Forum 3 - Canadian Secretariat Website
- Program (PDF file - 2.3MB, 8 pages)
- Links to websites of key partners in the Forum
World Urban Forum:Transforming Ideas into Action [from Human Resources and Social Development Canada]

Inclusive Cities Canada releases third policy and practice paper
October 23, 2006
Inclusive Cities Canada (ICC) releases its third policy and practice paper to advance social inclusion in cities and communities across Canada . The new paper by Philip O’Hara and two earlier papers build on the recommendations of the 2005 social inclusion audit reports.

Social Inclusion Health Indicators:
A Framework for Addressing the Social Determinants of Health (PDF file - 202K, 28 pages)
By Philip O’Hara
October 2006
Drawing on the national ICC research and the results of the social inclusion inquiry in Edmonton , Mr. O’Hara’s paper explores the close link between the dimensions of social inclusion and social determinants of health. The paper suggests social inclusion health indicators for Edmonton that are based on the ICC research and our knowledge about the SDOH. Key outcomes and lead indicators will be identified for each of the ICC dimensions of social inclusion, which will point to recommendations for public policy and community practice.

The two papers released previously are:

An ICC Recommendation Comes to Life: The Municipal Youth Cabinet’s Role in Inclusion
By Kathryn Asher
This paper presents a snapshot of Saint John and its local youth community, including challenges faced by a high poverty rate, the looming youth exodus, and local young people’s feelings of exclusion. ICC’s work on social inclusion is explored, particularly in relation to youth civic engagement, and youth (dis)engagement.
(This paper is jointly published by the Saint John Human Development Council and Inclusive Cities Canada .)

The Municipal Franchise and Social Inclusion in Toronto : Policy and Practice
By Myer Siemiatycki
This paper addresses the question: Would extending the right to vote in civic elections – for municipal council and local school board positions – significantly advance democracy, civic participation and the prospects for more responsive public policy in Toronto?

Go to the Inclusive Cities Canada Home page and click on "Publications & Perspectives" to read summaries of both of these papers and to download the complete papers.

For more information, contact:
Christa Freiler, ICC National Coordinator [ cfreiler@sympatico.ca ]
Phil O’Hara [ oharap@shaw.ca ]
John Kolkman, Edmonton Social Planning Council [ JohnKolkman@edmspc.com ]

Source:
Inclusive Cities Canada

Community Foundations of Canada
"Our mission: To build stronger communities by enhancing the philanthropic leadership of community foundations"

Community Foundations release first report cards on health of communities
Vancouver, Victoria and Ottawa join Toronto in measuring their cities’ Vital Signs
News Release
October 4, 2006
OTTAWA – Community foundations in several of Canada’s largest cities published their first report cards today as part of Vital Signs, a new national project aimed at measuring the vitality of communities on an annual basis. The report cards track and grade each community’s quality of life in key areas such as the economy, health, housing, learning and the environment.

Vital Signs
Vital Signs is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that measures the vitality of our cities, identifies significant trends, and assigns grades in at least ten areas critical to quality of life. Vital Signs is based on a project of the Toronto Community Foundation and is coordinated nationally by Community Foundations of Canada.

Related Links:

Toronto Community Foundation
The Toronto Community Foundation (TCF) is a charitable organization dedicated to improving life in Toronto. TCF helps philanthropic citizens establish endowment funds and invests charitable gifts from a range of donors into a pooled income-earning fund. Each year, TCF identifies areas of need and provides support to donors to help ensure grants from fund earnings will have the greatest impact on Toronto's vital signs.

Toronto's Vital Signs 2006
Our Toronto’s Vital Signs® report is an annual fall check-up on the health of our city that measures and monitors key issue areas that affect our shared quality of life. It is also the core of TFC’s strategy to help donors achieve high-impact philanthropy across all of their charitable areas of interest.
PDF version – (11.4MB, 32 pages)
Expanded PDF version - with additional indicators, footnote and web links

***

Community Foundation of Ottawa
The Community Foundation of Ottawa is a public, non-profit organization created by and for the people of Ottawa. As an independent centre for community philanthropy, it connects donors who care with causes that matter and serves as a trusted resource for addressing issues and leveraging opportunities in the community.

Ottawa's Vital Signs 2006
October 4, 2006
PDF version (1.9MB, 24 pages)
HTML version - includes additional indicators and footnote links
"(...)Trends show that the gap between rich and poor is widening in Ottawa, and is greater in our city than the national average. In 2000, the highest income earners in Ottawa (those in the 90th percentile) earned 12 times more in after-tax income than the lowest income earners (10th percentile). Having a job is not necessarily a ticket out of poverty. In 2001, 13% of Ottawa's unattached individuals and 11% of families were the working poor. 38,691 people used Ottawa's food banks in 2005, continuing the steady increase seen in recent years. 39% of those using food banks are children." [Excerpt]

***

Victoria Foundation
The Victoria Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in our community through the stewardship of permanent funds and other gifts and by grantmaking for charitable purposes on Southern Vancouver Island and beyond.

Victoria’s Vital Signs is an annual check-up that evaluates the Capital Region as a place to live, learn, work and grow. It measures the health of our city and assigns grades in a number of areas that are critical to Victoria’s vitality. Information included in the report has been gathered in cooperation with numerous sources that are researching and collecting data on Victoria.

***

Vancouver Foundation
Mission Statement: Through the growth and stewardship of permanent endowment funds and the distribution of income to a broad range of eligible organizations, Vancouver Foundation, in meeting community needs, provides philanthropic leadership to improve the quality of life for all British Columbians.

Vancouver's Vital Signs
"The online version of Vancouver’s Vital Signs provides comprehensive data, as well as source information links on indicators of the city’s livability and wellness in 12 key areas. Our citizen panel of nearly 200 individuals, with deep knowledge of Vancouver issues, provided Citizen Grades and Priorities in each key area."

Third Session of World Urban Forum closes after drawing 10,000 people
June 23, 2006
Vancouver
Drawing some 10,000 participants from over 100 countries, the Third Session of the World Urban Forum closed on Friday paving the way for a new drive forward on the international urban agenda in a world of rapidly growing cities." [more...]

---------------

World Urban Forum 2006 Official Website
June 19-23, 2006, Vancouver, Canada
"The World Urban Forum was established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies and policies. It is projected that in the next fifty years, two-thirds of humanity will be living in towns and cities."
Source:
UN-HABITAT : United Nations Human Settlements Programme

Related Links:

The World Urban Forum 3 - Canadian Secretariat Website
- co-produced by United Nations HABITAT and the government of Canada.
"The WUF will be a unique opportunity for citizens, community groups, academics and governments from around the world to meet and work together to find new solutions to the complicated problems facing our quickly growing cities."
- Program (PDF file - 2.3MB, 8 pages)
- Links to websites of key partners in the Forum

World Urban Forum:
Transforming Ideas into Action
June 19-23, 2006, Vancouver, Canada
"The rapid increase in urbanization is a world-wide challenge. That is why Canada is proud to be hosting the World Urban Forum 3 (WUF3), a UN-HABITAT sponsored event, where key players from all over the world will gather to share experiences and transform ideas into action to improve the quality of life in urban areas. Almost 80 percent of our population lives in communities, making Canada one of the most urbanized countries in the world. The annual global survey on urban quality of living ranks Canadian cities among the best in the world."
Source:
Human Resources and Social Development Canada

University of British Columbia (UBC) contribution to the World Urban Forum (October 2005 through June 2006)
- incl. links to info about : Living the Global City * Planners for Tomorrow * Sustainability by Design * Sustainability Street * The Greater Vancouver Green Guide * Global Urban Sustainability Solutions Exchange (GUSSE) * Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability: CIRS Seed Funding * Sustainability Planning Report and Market Network * University Town Bicycle Tours * Weaving Worlds Together: World Urban Forum & National Aboriginal Day * UBC Special Lectures * Earthblog
Source:
University of British Columbia (UBC) - Official World Urban ForumWebsite

Google Web Search Results:
"World Urban Forum 2006, Vancouver"
Google News search Results:
"World Urban Forum 2006, Vancouver"
Source:
Google.ca

The central theme of the 2006 Forum is Sustainable Cities: Turning Ideas into Action.

More Info on the World Urban Forum (PDF file - 206K, 1 page)
Info on the World YOUTH Forum (PDF file - 190 pages, 1 page)
Source:
Environmental Youth Alliance (Canadian)

Running on Empty: A Proposal to Improve City Finances (PDF file - 237K, 36 pages) February 2006
"Canada’s cities already have adequate taxation powers to put their finances in order, says a new Commentary by the C.D. Howe Institute. Rather than resorting to new tax fields to raise revenue, cities should make greater, smarter use of existing fields like property taxes, user fees or excise taxes, says the Urban Issues study, Running on Empty: A Proposal to Improve City Finances. Written by Jack Mintz, President and CEO of the Institute, and Tom Roberts, C.D. Howe Fellow for 2004-05, the study says a sensible approach to municipal funding problems would be to:
1. shift most social service costs to the provinces;
2. pursue municipal property tax reforms to reduce the scope for tax competition and exportation;
3. raise more municipal revenue from user fees where reasonable; and
4. reduce provincial transfers to municipalities.
However, they note that Ontario and Alberta may be special cases, for differing reasons, where further alternatives could be considered.

Cities still waiting for financial help
February 25, 2006
"Toronto Mayor David Miller has long and properly argued that cities in Ontario are being unfairly forced to spend millions of dollars on welfare services, public health and other programs that should, by rights, be fully funded by the province. Surprisingly, Premier Dalton McGuinty agrees. And a new report this week from the C.D. Howe Institute came to the same conclusion."
Source:
The Toronto Star

Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion:
Cross-Canada Findings and Priorities for Action (PDF file - 344K, 47 pages)
Prepared for the national symposium on Building a New Canada:
Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion
Gatineau, November 27- 28, 2005
By Peter Clutterbuck, Christa Freiler and Marvyn Novick

Related Links:

National Symposium on Building a New Canada:
Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion

National Symposium on Building a New Canada:
Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion
November 27 - November 28, 2005
Holiday Inn Plaza la Chaudiere, Gatineau, Quebec
The national symposium on Building a New Canada: Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion is part of an initiative funded by Social Development Canada to enhance social inclusion in cities and communities across Canada. It will focus on two questions:
§ How can governments and communities meet the civic challenges of social inclusion so that all people are able to participate in the social and economic life of their cities and communities?
§ What is the federal government's role in supporting the social infrastructure of cities as an essential part of a Canadian urban strategy?

The national symposium is intended for federal government representatives from various departments, civic panel members and social planning councils, municipal governments, national organizations, and community leaders. For more information, contact Mary Micallef at (416) 351-0095, ext. 251 or via e-mail at mary@inclusivecities.ca. Registration fee is $75.00.

Symposium Information
* Program
* Accommodation
* Registration

Source:
Inclusive Cities Canada

What's New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

September 21, 2005
Study: Trends and conditions in census metropolitan areas: Final assessment
During the past 16 months, Statistics Canada has released a series of eight reports shedding light on economic and social issues of importance for the nation's 27 largest metropolitan centres. Based primarily on census data, this series provided substantial information and analysis on topics such as low income, health, immigration, culture, housing, labour markets, industrial structure, mobility, public transit and commuting, and Aboriginal people. This final assessment summarizes the major findings of the eight reports, and evaluates what has been learned.
Complete report:
Trends and Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas
Ten Things to Know About Canadian Metropolitan Areas: A synthesis of Statistics Canada’s
Trends and Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas Series (PDF file - 458K, 42 pages)
Related Links:
Trends and conditions in census metropolitan areas
- incl. links to all eight reports in this series:
--- Aboriginal conditions in census metropolitan areas, 1981-2001
--- Work and commuting in Census Metropolitan Areas, 1996 to 2001
--- Labour markets, business activity and population growth and mobility in Canadian CMAs
--- Evolving housing conditions in Canada's census metropolitan areas, 1991-2001
--- Census metropolitan areas as culture clusters
--- Immigrants in Canada's census metropolitan areas
--- Health of Canadians living in census metropolitan areas
--- Low-income in Census Metropolitan Areas, 1980-2000
[NOTE: Click "View" beside the title of a report to access the HTML version or the PDF file]

June 23, 2005
Study: Aboriginal people living in metropolitan areas, 2001
Aboriginal people living in the nation's largest metropolitan centres were faring better overall in 2001 than they were two decades earlier. Nevertheless, these Aboriginal urban dwellers still faced many challenges, especially those living in western urban centres
Complete study:
Aboriginal Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas, 1981 to 2001 (PDF file - 255K, 39 pages)

June 21, 2005
Study: Social relationships in rural and urban Canada, 2003
The differences between Canada's urban and rural residents are smaller than they are often perceived to be, according to a new study which examines the two groups in terms of various aspects of social engagement, cohesion and participation.
Complete study:
Social Engagement and Civic Participation:
Are Rural and Small Town Populations Really at an Advantage? - PDF file - 176K, 24 pages)
Rural and Small Town Canada Analysis Bulletin - Vol. 6, no. 4

Reports provide wake-up call on future of Canada’s cities
Media Release
March 23, 2005
"‘Social inclusion’ reports were released today in five cities -- Saint John, Toronto, Burlington, Edmonton and Vancouver. They are the work of Inclusive Cities Canada, a unique, participatory research initiative that uses a social inclusion framework to build people-friendly cities, promote good urban governance and develop strategies for supporting urban diversity. The federally-funded initiative set up Civic Panels made of community and municipal leaders to conduct social inclusion ‘audits’. Over 1,000 participants contributed to the findings. The research examined important dimensions of social inclusion, such as how cities respond to diversity, levels of civic engagement, living conditions, opportunities for human development and community services."

Download the reports (all in PDF format):

St. John
* Full Report (895K, 49 pages)
The Human Development Council (HDC) is a local social planning council working with citizens to improve the overall quality of life in Greater Saint John. It was formed in 1979 and seeks to coordinate and promote social development in the region. Our goals are to: study and identify social needs within the community, and the services that exist to meet those needs; advise and assist in planning and developing new services and improving existing ones; initiate opportunities for joint action in the development, coordination, and delivery of services appropriate to community needs; and facilitate local citizens’ access to information about community programs and services.

Toronto
* Full Report (287K, 64 pages)
* Executive Summary (74K, 11 pages)
The Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (CSPC-T) is a not-for-profit community organization. The CSPC aims to promote equitable, effective and inclusive policies for improving the quality of life in Toronto. Collectively, the predecessor organizations have over 100 years of experience in social planning, community development, policy analysis and research, advocacy, and service coordination. The work of CSPC-T is fuelled by the efforts and commitment of highly qualified staff and dedicated volunteers from the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. The Community Social Planning Council of Toronto also serves as project sponsor (as an incorporated charitable organization) and provides administrative support for the ICC initiative.

Burlington
* Full Report (1.1MB, 138 pages)
* Executive Summary (138K, 16 pages)
Community Development Halton (CDH) is an intermediary organization that through social research, needs identification, volunteerism and education serves the voluntary sector, municipal and regional government and local grass roots organization. Our purpose is to build the capacity of our community to improve the quality of life for all residents of Halton.

Edmonton
* Full Report (655K, 45 pages)
The Edmonton Social Planning Council (ESPC) is a non-profit, independent social research and advocacy organization. The ESPC provides leadership to the community and its organizations in addressing social issues and effecting changes to social policy. Our work includes the definition of the scope and nature of social issues (social research), facilitation of community based solutions to social problems (social planning), the promotion of strategies which will reduce the long term costs and problems caused by unresolved social issues (advocacy), information and referral regarding human service and health programs, and the demonstration of new models of service delivery (innovation).

Vancouver/North Vancouver
* Preliminary Findings (975K, 25 pages)
The Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) works with communities to build a just and healthy society for all. Founded in 1966, SPARC is a non-partisan organization whose members and directors are drawn from throughout British Columbia. SPARC BC is guided by the values of social justice, integrity, learning and inclusion and as such we conduct research, consulting, public education, and advocacy on issues of accessibility, income security, and community development.

Federation of Canadian Municipalities
[Inclusive Cities Canada works in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities]
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is a national organization of 1000 plus cities in Canada. Comprised of locally elected politicians, FCM endeavours to support local governments through conferences, research and information and acts as a lobby for the interests of cities with the Federal Government. Over the past 15 years besides issues of local infrastructure, FCM has advocated for a better quality of life in our local communities. To achieve our goals, FCM liaises and works with numerous other Canadian groups and organizations.

Source:
Inclusive Cities Canada
"Inclusive Cities Canada: A Cross-Canada Civic Initiative is a unique partnership of community leaders and elected municipal politicians working collaboratively to enhance social inclusion across Canada. The goals of Inclusive Cities Canada (ICC) are to strengthen the capacity of cities to create and sustain inclusive communities for the mutual benefit of all people, and to ensure that community voices of diversity are recognized as core Canadian ones."

Risk of homelessness rises as shelter costs squeeze low-income earners
News Release
November 17, 2004
"OTTAWA -- Rising shelter costs are making some of Canada’s large urban areas too expensive for low-income people and raising the risk of homelessness. That’s one of the principal findings of “Quality of Life in Canadian Communities, Incomes, Shelter and Necessities,” Theme Report I of the 2004 Quality of Life Reporting System (QOLRS) Report, released today by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). (...) The report finds that low vacancy rates, dramatically rising rents, and lengthening waiting lists for social housing are the results of a 50 per cent drop in rental-housing construction between 1991 and 2001. As a result, the gap between rents and incomes widened, and rents generally exceeded what low-income earners could afford."

Quality of Life Theme Report I: Incomes, Shelter and Necessities (PDF file - 1.4MB, 36 pages)

Backgrounder: QOL Theme Report I (HTML)

Backgrounder: Homelessness (HTML)

Moving Forward:
Refining the FCM Recommendations for a National Affordable Housing Strategy (Word file - 420K, 84 pages)
October 2004

Source:
Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Inclusive Cities Canada
"Inclusive Cities Canada: A Cross-Canada Civic Initiative is a unique partnership of community leaders and elected municipal politicians working collaboratively to enhance social inclusion across Canada. The goals of Inclusive Cities Canada (ICC) are to strengthen the capacity of cities to create and sustain inclusive communities for the mutual benefit of all people, and to ensure that community voices of diversity are recognized as core Canadian ones. A concern about children, youth and families, particularly those from diverse and vulnerable populations, is at the heart of the initiative."
[Civic Panel Members (participating cities) are: Burlington ON - Edmonton AB - Saint John NB - Toronto ON - Vancouver / North Vancouver BC]
- incl. links to:
About ICC (Who We Are - What We Do and Why - ICC Partners - National Steering Committee - Civic Panel Members)
Publications & perspectives (ICC Research - Canada - International)
Current Developments (section not yet developed)
Contact ICC

Background Paper and Project Overview, Phase 1 (PDF file, 107K)
November 2004
"A 13-page background and overview paper that describes ICC and its work and situates the initiative within the larger context of social inclusion in Canada and abroad"

Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Local Government:
Provincial-Territorial Ministers Urge Immediate Negotiations on Federal Funding
News Release
November 12, 2004
"TORONTO, November 12, 2004 - Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Local Government met today in Toronto and unanimously reaffirmed the principles agreed to last September in Québec City, that should underlie federal initiatives regarding municipalities. Ministers stressed their individual readiness to begin bi-lateral negotiations immediately with the federal government."

Principles Underlying Federal Government Initiatives Regarding Municipalities

Source:
Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat

From the Federation of Canadian Municipalities:

Big city mayors call for “new deal” partnership to solve housing crisis:
Housing and infrastructure two priorities needing quick action and partnership say mayors
News Release
Toronto, Ont., Nov. 5 – Emphasizing that “everybody needs a home,” the mayors of Canada’s 22 largest cities said today they are ready to work with the federal government to develop solutions to the housing problems in their communities and get money flowing quickly to create more affordable housing across the country."

Moving Forward: Refining the FCM Recommendations
for a National Affordable Housing Strategy (PDF file - 1MB, 87 pages)
October 2004
"Housing affordability and homelessness, the most visible manifestation of the lack of affordable housing, are a significant concern to Canadian municipalities. On behalf of its members, FCM has sought to identify and promote strategies to address this persisting problem."

Big city mayors agree to work with feds on addressing housing crunch
Canadian Press
November 5, 2004
"TORONTO -- The mayors of Canada's 22 largest cities agreed Friday to create a working group that will collaborate with the federal government to design a strategy for building affordable housing.The mayors met with federal Housing Minister Joe Fontana at the Big City Mayors' Caucus to negotiate for a seat at the table with provincial and federal partners to address the affordable housing crunch facing many Canadian cities."
Source:
Canada.com

Infrastructure Canada: New Deal for Cities and Communities
October 6, 2004
"The New Deal is composed of four key components: Vision - Relationships - Funding - Cities and Communities Lens."
Source:
Infrastructure Canada

Related Links:

The New Deal: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Source:
Liberal Party of Canada

Budget 2004: Health Care, Learning and Communities
March 23, 2004

National leadership and vision vital to a "new deal" for cities--Report
September 10, 2004
"OTTAWA--An effective 'New Deal' for cities requires a coherent National Urban Strategy to reinforce and redirect current levels of federal involvement in community development and sustainability, according to a briefing paper released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives."
More Than Money:
The New Deal for Cities and a Federal Urban Lens (PDF file - 256K, 14 pages)
Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Google.ca Web Search Results: "New Deal for Cities and Communities"
Google.ca News Search Results: "New Deal for Cities and Communities"
Source:
Google.ca

Canadian Urban Institute (CUI)
"The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in urban areas across Canada and internationally. Here you can access discussions on Canadian and programs. You can find information about upcoming events such as Conferences, Roundtable Breakfast Seminars and the Urban Leadership Series, which provide stimulating discussions on current urban issues. You may also access the various research publications, take advantage of our services and benefits of membership."
- incl. links to : CUI Services - Become a Member - Get Involved - Publications - Japan Local Gov. Ctr. - CUI Offices Abroad - Corporate Members - Job Opportunities - Media Releases - Urban Resources - What is CUI - Mission/Vision - Board Members - Staff Profiles

Current Research - Canadian Programs
" The CUI is involved in a variety of projects across a broad range of topics. Find out about our projects in these principal areas of interest:
Urban Governance, Systems and Infrastructure - Economic Development and Environment - Urban Planning, Housing and Growth Management - Heritage and Culture"

Toronto City Summit Alliance
"In 2002-2003, the CUI was the lead consultant to the Housing Work Group of the Toronto City Summit Alliance – a partnership of private sector, corporate and community-based agencies providing leadership on critical urban issues in the GTA. The full report, titled Enough Talk – An Action Plan for the Toronto Region

Enough Talk: An Action Plan for the Toronto Region (PDF file - 579K, 76 pages)
Toronto City Summit Alliance
April 2003
- incl. links to: A Vision for the Toronto Region - A Snapshot of the Regional Economy - A New Fiscal Deal for Cities - Shoring Up Our Physical Infrastructure - Reviving Tourism in Toronto - Creating a World-Leading Research Alliance - Investing in People (• Early Childhood Development • Public Education • Post-Secondary Education) - Becoming a Centre of Excellence in Integrating Immigrants - Strengthening Our Social and - Community Infrastructure (• Affordable Housing • Community Services) - Supporting the Arts and Culture - A Time for Action

International Programs Office
"The CUI has extensive international experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of local government capacity development and urban management programs. Projects have been implemented in several countries within the following regions: Central Europe, The Balkans, The Americas and Asia."

Cities in decline
April 14, 2004
Globe and Mail Update
"Canadian cities are becoming increasingly fragile, with the gap between the haves and have-nots widening as a burgeoning population of immigrants struggles to enter the work force and the cost of living rises, a new report says. The report, entitled Quality of Life in Canadian Municipalities, documents the findings of a study examining changes in the economic, environmental and social conditions of 20 Canadian municipalities from 1990 to 2002."
Source:
The Globe and Mail

From the Federation of Canadian Municipalities :

Quality of Life Highlights Report 2004 (PDF file - 2.3MB, 36 pages)
"In general, this report finds that progress on Quality of Life has been mixed, with the benefits not shared by all. Despite a recovery from the recession of the early 1990s, there are clear indications of continuing income inequality and social exclusion, as well as pressure on the environmental. As a result, Quality of Life in these communities remains fragile."
(Excerpt from the report's Conclusion)
News Release (April 14, 2004)

Related Links:

Quality of Life Reporting System
"Developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), the Quality of Life Reporting System (QOLRS) measures, monitors and reports on the quality of life in Canadian urban municipalities using data from a variety of national and municipal sources."

Earlier Quality of Life Reports by FCM - 1999, 2001, 2003

Building Inclusive Communities:
Cross-Canada Perspectives and Strategies
Prepared for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
and The Laidlaw Foundation
by Peter Clutterbuck and Marvyn Novick
April 2003
Source:
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
The Laidlaw Foundation

Policy Options - February 2004
- The State of Canadian Cities
"Canada's cities: ten experts assess the state of Canadian cities and what lies ahead. Plus, Rod McQueen reflects on the life of Robert Stanfield, a special dossier on trade policy, an excerpt from Roy MacSkimming's The Perilous Trade: Publishing Canada's Writers and much more."
Back Issues of Policy Options (back to 1997, full text of hundreds of articles)
Source:
Institute for Research on Public Policy

Beyond the Money: The Challenge of Collaboration in Canada's Cities
February 27, 2004

Beyond the Money: The Challenge of Collaboration in Canada’s Cities (PDF file - 108K, 1 page)
News Release
February 27, 2004
"Much of the recent attention to cities has centred on the question of resources – where will they get the revenue base needed to match their responsibilities? It’s an important challenge, but by no means the only one if we are to make the most of the creative, social and economic potential of Canada’s urban centres."

Complete Report:
Place Matters and Multi-level Governance: Perspectives on a New Urban Policy Paradigm

Source:
Family Network
[ Canadian Policy Research Network ]

Strengthening our communities
The role of the local government in social development (PDF file - 471K, 12 pages)
Perspectives - Winter 2004
- Perspectives, a publication of The City of Calgary (Community Strategies) is published three times per year.
In this issue:
Strengthening Our Communities - A World of Cities - Back on the Agenda - Cities are More Than Bricks and Mortar - Federal,Provincial &Municipal Roles - Through the Seasons of Life - Family and Community Support Services - Federal Government unveils an urban strategy - Playing Its Part - Reaching Out to Families in Crisis - Independence:The City Provides The Link - Coming Events
Source:
Community Strategies [ City of Calgary ]
"Community Strategies supports fledgling community issues and initiatives, works with The City of Calgary's not-for-profit partners and provides research, planning and marketing for community vitality and protection-related services at The City."

Urban income gap still growing, says FCM study
November 26, 2003
"OTTAWA - The gap between those with the most income and those with the least continues to grow in Canada’s cities, says a report released today by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The report, Falling Behind: Our Growing Income Gap, focuses on three cities – Calgary, Toronto and Saskatoon – to investigate the growing income gap, which was first identified in FCM’s 2001 Quality of Life (QoL) Report."
Income Gap Overview (PDF file - 2.1MB, 12 pages)
Full document (PDF file - 1.2MB, 76 pages)
Source:
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
NOTE to the FCM: this is excellent content, but you could reduce the size of your PDF files significantly by toning down the graphics in your PDF files.
NOTE to visitors using a dial-up connection: you might as well go for the full report - it's a smaller file to download than the flashy, colourful 12-page overview...

Speech by the Honourable John Manley, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance,
to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Winnipeg, Manitoba
June 1, 2003
"It is important that we, federal and municipal politicians, come together like this to talk about how together we can meet the interests of 21st century Canadian communities. It is increasingly obvious that the old top-down form of governance—federal down to provincial, then down to municipal, and citizens somewhere at the bottom—is simply wrong. (...) we need to strengthen the federal role as a partner to municipalities and provinces in sustaining livable and workable Canadian communities, which are critical to advancing our nation’s economic, social and cultural interests."
Source : Finance Canada

Prime Minister's Caucus Task Force on Urban Issues
- incl. links to : Final Report | Interim Report | Press Releases | Have Your Say | Photos | Acknowledgements | Question Period
Canada’s Urban Strategy : A Blueprint for Action
Final Report of the Prime Minister’s Caucus Task Force on Urban Issues (PDF file - 431K, 41 pages)
Chair: Judy Sgro, MP
November 2002

Canada’s Urban Strategy: A Vision for the 21st Century (PDF file - 500K, 80 pages)
Interim Report
May 2002

Local Government Links
40+ links to excellent resources in Canada and other countries
- incl. links to : Canada's Local Government Information Centre (ICURR) - Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) - Council for Urban Economic Development - Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Great Cities Institute - Metropolis (Canadian Sites) - National City Government Resource Center - Municipal Governments [in Canada] - Munisource.org - Canadian Municipal Profiles - Neighborhoods Online - and much more...
Source : University of British Columbia Library