From: THE THUNDER BAY CHRONICLE-JOURNAL , Sunday, October 19, 1997 Page A5

Quality of life declining in Ontario

The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Ontario's quality of life has declined since 1990, according to a survey of the province's social, health, environmental and economic well-being. The survey, conducted by the Ontario Social Development Council, combines 12 indicators ranging from the number of Ontarians on welfare to the number of bankruptcies to create a quality of life index. Based on a comparison of these indicators in 1990 and 1997, the quality of life has dropped by 14 points. According to the survey the index has fallen to 86 from a base of 100 in 1990. There were "serious social setbacks" with more children in the care of Children's Aid Societies, more people on welfare and longer social housing waiting lists, council head Malcolm Shookner said. The waiting list for nursing home beds also grew and there was a "serious" rise in the incidence of low-birthweight babies, Shookner said. "This is not only a marker for poverty but a warning sign about the number of children who are at risk of a whole host of problems over the rest of their lives," he said.