The Toronto Community Foundation released its Vital Signs 2009 report. It is a comprehensive release that basically says that Toronto is a very desirable city to live in if you can afford it.

Some key issues that are highlighted in the report include:

Toronto is rated “seriously unaffordable”, ranking 190th internationally, and 29th in Canada, with median housing prices 4.8 times median household incomes.

And we are in a country that ranks last among 14 western nations in spending on early learning, childcare, and kindergarten programs.

The average cost of basic nutritious food for a family of four in Toronto rose by 9.4% over two years. This same family on social assistance would need to spend 33% of its income on food and 72% on rent – that’s more than they have and doesn’t include other basic needs. More than 30% of children five and under are in families that are below the Low Income Cut-off and the median employment income for families in 2006 was 20% below the provincial median.

Access to affordable housing is increasingly out of reach. In the mid-1990s there were two low-income families for every one moderate-rent market unit of suitable size. By 2006, there were seven such families for every one unit.

In sum: if you’re poor, you’ve gotten poorer. If you’re old you’re more likely to be poor. If you’re new to this country the recession has hit you hardest. And if you’re young, brace yourself for what’s ahead.

To see the full report:

http://www.tcf.ca/vitalinitiatives/TVS09FullReport.pdf

Wellesley Institute research that exposes the link between poverty and poor health.