From: THE TORONTO STAR , December 9, 1999, Page A10

City struggles with influx of people

By Patricia Orwen
Social Policy Reporter

The quality of life in Toronto is declining, as a result of the city's role as a beacon for people seeking a slice of the economic boom, according to a new report. Toronto lags far behind the regions of Ottawa- Carleton, Quinte and Hamilton-Wentworth as the city struggles to absorb an influx of people looking for better opportunities, says the report by the Ontario Social Development Council. Only Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie scored lower than Toronto in the study, which looked at 12 Ontario regions.

"Toronto is a magnet for people looking for a better life, but they don't always find it," said Malcolm Shookner, author of the report and executive director of the council. The council, which is a public policy research group, used 12 indicators to measure the social, health, economic and environmental dimensions of the quality of life. For many Ontarians, the quality of life has begun to improve after years of decline, and is now approaching the levels most people enjoyed in 1990, the report says. But Shookner cautioned that the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening, particularly in the province's largest city.

"There's no doubt that the city has lost a lot of ground in the last 10 years," said Shookner. "Our politicians are not facing up to the challenges of poverty and inequality which threaten our viability as a society."

The most alarming statistics in the report are:

• A sudden increase in the number of low-birth-weight babies.
• A growing waiting list for public housing.
• More children requiring intervention by children's aid societies.

The report was funded by Health Canada, Ontario region. The council itself gets funding from various sources, including the United Way.

© Ontario Social Development Council & Social Planning Network of Ontario