Ottawa's Vital Signs® 2007 – Web Version
Checking our City's Vital Signs
Welcome to the second edition of Ottawa's Vital Signs, an annual report card on the health of our city. Following the publication of our first Ottawa's Vital Signs report in October 2006, local feedback has been gratifying in its affirmation of the value and usefulness of the report among a wide variety of people and groups. The support of the community has been invaluable in the preparation of both years' publications, and we're confident that this spirit of collaboration is what will make the report an increasingly relevant and vital tool over the coming years.
Based on Canada's first annual Vital Signs report, published by the Toronto Community Foundation in 2001, Ottawa's Vital Signs is now one of a growing number of annual checkups being published across the country. On October 2, 2007 a total of 11 Canadian communities published Vital Signs reports, including Calgary; Kitchener and Waterloo; Medicine Hat; Montreal; Ottawa; Red Deer; Saint John; Sudbury; Toronto; Vancouver; and Victoria. Also this fall, Community Foundations of Canada, our national umbrella organization, publishes the first comprehensive national Vital Signs report.
It is through extensive consultation with community stakeholders and leaders, as well as our partner community foundations, that we have selected and graded the indicators for the 11 key areas examined in the Ottawa's Vital Signs report. The data included in the report were compiled by a team of research professionals from numerous reliable and respected sources. Now that we are in the second year of producing the report, we recognize the extensive opportunities this and future editions provide to highlight fundamental trends that are affecting our community's quality of life. This, in turn, will allow us to come together as a community in addressing issues of concern, and to celebrate successes and progress in other areas.
In 2007, the report indicates that we have much to be proud of in Ottawa. In fact, in terms of our community's level of education and capacity to learn, we might even deserve a little collective swagger. According to 2006 statistics, considerably more of our population had completed a post-secondary education than anywhere else in either the province or the country. Also on the plus side was the city's safety level, as we saw a decrease in both property crimes and violent crimes, and we found that our access to physicians and medical procedures is at a relatively healthy level.
There are, however, areas in definite need of improvement. As much as we enjoy our city's green space, we are not yet measuring up as responsible custodians of our environment. The automobile still rules as the preferred mode of transportation, and both greenhouse gas emissions and residential waste levels are up. We are also experiencing high levels of obesity among both adults and youth in Ottawa, although physical activity has been on the rise. While housing prices are relatively low compared to other Canadian cities, we still have a high number of households on the social housing waiting list, and the gap between rich and poor remains a significant concern.
With the help of community graders, we have assigned each indicator in the report one of the following grades:
| In dire need of corrective action | |
| Of concern, needs attention | |
| We're doing fairly well | |
| We're doing well and headed in the right direction | |
| We're doing great |
Since the Community Foundation of Ottawa began taking the pulse of our city, there have been many encouraging developments that demonstrate the commitment of local people to improving the city's quality of life. With the community's support and participation, we hope that Ottawa's Vital Signs will continue to be a valuable and effective tool in the advancement of our collective interests and communal well-being.
|
James R. Nininger Chair, Board of Governors |
Barbara McInnes President & CEO |
Context

The focus of Ottawa's Vital Signs (OVS) is the city of Ottawa; however, where appropriate, and when only regional data is available, OVS reports on indicators in the larger Ottawa-Gatineau CMA. In some cases, the data presented are for the Ottawa CMA which is the Ontario side of the Ottawa-Gatineau CMA. The differences between the Ottawa CMA and the city of Ottawa are minimal.
In 2006, the population of the city of Ottawa was 812,130, which represented 7% of the provincial population. The population grew by 5% from its 2001 level of 774,070 1.
The median age of the population of Ottawa was 38.4 years in 2006, lower than the national median age (39.5 years) and the provincial median age (39). Seniors (aged 65 or over) account for 12% of Ottawa's population, compared to 14% nationally. Youth aged 14 and under account for 18% of the population.2
In the 2001 census, 1% of Ottawa residents identified themselves as having an Aboriginal identity (defining themselves as North American Indian, Métis, or Inuit).3
English is the language spoken by the majority of people in Ottawa. In 2001, 86% of individuals reported speaking English in the home. French is the second most commonly spoken language, with 20% of people reporting French language use. Chinese languages (Hakka, Cantonese and Mandarin) and Arabic are each spoken at home by nearly 3% of Ottawans, and Vietnamese is the fifth most common language, with 1% of people saying they speak it at home.4
| Languages spoken at home Note: Multiple responses are included. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Count | % of respondents who identified this language being spoken in their home | |
| English | 686,740 | 86.4% |
| French | 155,305 | 19.5% |
| Chinese Languages | 22,285 | 2.8% |
| Arabic | 21,805 | 2.7% |
| Vietnamese | 5,430 | 0.7% |
| Source: Statistics Canada – 2001 Census | ||
The median household income in Ottawa was $80,300 in 2005, more than both the provincial ($64,500) and national ($60,600) levels. Household income in Ottawa has increased by 17% since 2000.5

Median census family income in current dollars 2000-2005
(in thousands of dollars)
In 2006, the majority of people in Ottawa worked in the services sector (88%), compared to the goods-producing sector (12%). Government is still the largest employer, with 18.9% of people working in public administration, significantly more than in the rest of the country where only 5% of people work in this sector.6
Ottawa has a distinctly rural quality with its many villages and farms. There are 26 designated villages in the city of Ottawa. The three largest villages, Manotick, Richmond and Greely, account for about 40% of the combined population of the rural villages, while there are also small hamlets of less than 500 people, such as Ashton and Fallowfield. The outlying population is growing at a faster rate than that of the city overall as more people move away from the city's central core, resulting in some hitherto rural districts being transformed into suburbs.7
The boundaries of the city of Ottawa extend far beyond the city proper to the south and to the west, encompassing a very large amount of agricultural land – more than is found in other major Canadian cities. In fact, there are 1,267 farms within Ottawa's boundaries.8
However, the number of local farms is declining. In 2001, there were 1,318 farms within the city's boundaries, and the share of the city that was used for farm land decreased slightly from 43% in 2001 to 41% in 2006. In 2006, 1,072 acres of agricultural land were lost to development.9
Gap Between Rich and Poor
Ottawa is a prosperous city, with its residents earning one of the highest income levels in the country. However, the gap between rich and poor continues to grow and almost one in five families lives below the poverty line.
In spite of growing prosperity, 70,830 families (19% of families) in Ottawa lived below the poverty line in 2005, up from 18.4% of families in 2000.10 The proportion of families living in poverty in 2005 was somewhat greater provincially (21%) and nationally (21.7%).11
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Pre-tax overall poverty rate for Ottawa
(Low-Income Measures), 2000-2005
While there was a slight decrease in the number of children living in poverty in 2005 (down from 23.7% in 2001 to 21.8%), poverty is still a reality for more than one in five children in our city. Levels of child poverty provincially and nationally were both at 24%.12
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In Ottawa, 10% of elderly persons (65 and over) lived below the poverty line in 2005, up from 8.6% in 2000. Provincially, 11.5% lived below the poverty line and nationally, 14% of seniors lived below the poverty line.13
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It is estimated that close to 40,000 people in Ottawa require emergency food assistance through one of the programs that The Ottawa Food Bank supports. 39% of those were children. The number of people accessing food banks has increased each year since 2003.14
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| Food Bank users in Ottawa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| # of People | 35,957 | 36,363 | 38,691 | 39,833 |
| # of Children | 14,275 | 14,218 | 15,143 | 15,626 |
| Source: Ottawa Food Bank | ||||
In 2000, households in Ottawa's wealthiest neighbourhood (Rockcliffe Park) had an average annual income of $225,035. This figure was six times greater than the average income in the poorest neighbourhood (located in Vanier) where the average annual household income was $36,312.15
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Safety
Despite a growing concern about crime, Ottawa is still a relatively safe city to live in. We are served quite well by emergency response teams, although certain targets are not being met.
In a 2006 Ottawa Police survey regarding perceptions of safety, most respondents believed that crime had increased in the past three years.16
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Percentage of respondents who believe that crime has increased over 3-year periods
In fact, both property crimes and violent crimes have declined significantly in recent years. In 2006, there were 3,075 incidents of property crime per 100,000 people in Ottawa. This represents a decrease of 1.3% from the previous year and 34% since 2000.17
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Property crime rate in Ottawa
Per 100,000 people
In 2006, there were 580 incidents of violent crime committed per 100,000 people. This represents a 6.3% decrease in the violent crime rate from 2005 and 22% since 2000.18
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Violent crime rate in Ottawa
Per 100,000 people
While the total numbers of crimes of violence and assaults showed a decline in 2006, homicides and attempted murders rose to peak levels, above the five-year average. There were 16 homicides (up from 11 in 2005) and 22 attempted murders (up from 14 in 2005).19
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Homicides and attempted homicides in Ottawa
2002-2006
It takes police just over nine minutes to respond to Priority One (most urgent) calls in Ottawa. This has not changed significantly since 2003.20
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The response times for ambulance service in the city of Ottawa have been drifting further away from the stated goals of 8:59 minutes in the downtown area and 15:59 minutes for low-density areas. In 2006, the reported response time for ambulance service in high-density areas was 12:32 minutes (compared with 12:00 in 2005), and 18:46 minutes in low-density areas (compared to 18:18 in 2005).21
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| Response times for ambulance service | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Time | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| High-density area | 10:50 | 11:05 | 12:06 | 12:10 | 12:32 |
| Low-density area | 16:30 | 17:16 | 19:14 | 18:40 | 18:46 |
| Source: City of Ottawa, Community Protection Services | |||||
Health and Wellness
While more people in Ottawa are physically active and fewer people are smoking, obesity levels are up among both adults and youth. There are more physicians in Ottawa than in other parts of the country. However, slightly over one in ten people do not have access to a family physician and wait times for many key medical procedures are a concern.
The proportion of adults who smoke has declined over time. In 2006, smokers constituted 16.7% of the adult population, down from 21% in 2002. This is lower than the proportion of the population who smoked across the province in 2005 (20.7%) and nationally (21.7%).22
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| Adult Smokers aged 19 and over, Ottawa | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Rate (%) | 21.0 | 20.8 | 19.4 | 15.2 | 16.7 |
| Source: City of Ottawa, Public Health | |||||
The proportion of Ottawa high-school smokers decreased dramatically from 20.9% in 2003 to 15.9% in 2005.23
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With 56.4% of the population (aged 12 and over) being moderately physically active in 2005, the rate of physical activity in Ottawa was higher than in the rest of Ontario and Canada (51% for both), and up from 55.1% in 2003. However, women and girls (53.2%) continued to be less physically active than men and boys (59.8%).24
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The rate of adult obesity increased significantly in 2006. 16% of the adult population in Ottawa reported that they were obese, compared to 12% in 2003.25
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In 2005, 18.3% of Ottawa youth aged 12 to 17 reported height and weight ratios that would classify them as overweight or obese. This was up slightly from 16.4% in 2003.26
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The number of active physicians (family practitioners and specialists) per 100,000 people in Ottawa was 294 in 2005. This number has remained stable since 1998 when it was first collected. Ottawa's physicians-to-population ratio exceeds that of the province's (177/100,000) and of Canada's overall (191/100,000).27
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Physicians in Ottawa
Per 100,000 people
In Ottawa and Eastern Ontario (the jurisdiction of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network), 88.5% of people over 18 years old reported having regular access to a family doctor in 2006. Provincially, 91.6% of residents reported having regular access.28
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Citizens in the Ottawa area are served reasonably well in terms of wait times for some medical procedures, such as angioplasty and neurological cancer surgeries. However, we still lag behind the rest of the province in 12 of 19 procedures, including MRIs, breast cancer surgeries, prostate cancer surgeries and hip replacements.29
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| Wait Time (days) February - March 2007 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Champlain LHIN | Province | |
| DIAGNOSTIC SCANS | ||
| MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) | 149 | 108 |
| CT(Computerized Tomography) | 73 | 61 |
| CANCER SURGERIES | ||
| Bone, Joint and Muscle Cancers | 398 | 92 |
| Breast Cancer | 46 | 38 |
| Eye Cancer | NV | 72 |
| Gastrointestinal Cancers | 49 | 46 |
| Genitourinary Cancers | 70 | 75 |
| Head and Neck Cancers | 98 | 76 |
| Liver and Pancreatic Cancers | 37 | 61 |
| Gynaecological Cancers | 60 | 72 |
| Lung Cancers | 21 | 39 |
| Neurological Cancers | 36 | 74 |
| Prostate Cancers | 113 | 92 |
| Thyroid and Endocrine Cancers | 97 | 118 |
| CARDIAC | ||
| Angiography | 27 | 24 |
| Angioplasty | 8 | 18 |
| Bypass Surgery | 45 | 42 |
| CATARACT SURGERY | ||
| Cataract Surgery | 265 | 159 |
| JOINT REPLACEMENT | ||
| Joint Hip Replacement | 317 | 252 |
| Joint Knee Replacement | 496 | 391 |
| Source: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care | ||
Learning
Ottawa has one of the most highly educated populations in the country and is well served by its educational institutions and public library.
In 2006, 60% of Ottawa's population (15 and over), had completed a post-secondary education (university degree, post-secondary certificate or diploma). This is up from 55% in 2001 and 44% in 1990. The proportion of our population with this level of schooling is substantially higher than that for Ontario (50%) and Canada (49%).30
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In 2006, 14.6% of the population (15 and over) in Ottawa had not completed high school. The rate was down from 24% in 1990 when these data were first available. Ottawans are doing better than those in the rest of the province (21.6%) and the country (23%).31
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In 2006, the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) saw a 32% increase in total library visits over 2005. An increase in physical visits was complemented by a substantial increase in virtual visits, which skyrocketed from 2,250,266 to 4,135,550.32
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Although overall usage of library services is on the rise, the number of people attending OPL programs fell for the second year in a row.33
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| Library service usage | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Items Circulated (#) | 9,019,513 | 9,210,315 | 9,711,880 |
| % change from previous | 2.12% | 5.45% | |
| Physical Visits (#) | 5,045,820 | 4,390,150 | 4,615,050 |
| % change from previous | -12.99% | 5.12% | |
| Virtual Visits (#) | 1,839,206 | 2,250,266 | 4,135,550 |
| % change from previous | 22.35% | 83.78% | |
| Total Visits (#) | 6,887,030 | 6,642,421 | 8,752,606 |
| % change from previous | -3.55% | 31.77% | |
| Program Attendance (#) | 201,878 | 191,828 | 188,176 |
| % change from previous | -4.98% | -1.90% | |
| Source: Ottawa Public Library | |||
According to the 2007 Composite Learning Index, the overall lifelong learning index score for the city of Ottawa was 91. The national score was 76 and the provincial score was 80.34
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The Composite Learning Index provides an annual measure of Canada's performance in a number of areas related to lifelong learning. The CLI is based on statistical indicators that reflect the different ways Canadians learn, in school, in the home, at work and within their community.
First-year tuition for students entering post-secondary institutions in Ottawa increased for the 2007-2008 academic year. The average tuition for general Arts and Science programs at Ottawa's universities is currently about $4,600, an increase of 3% over last year. To attend one of the city's colleges, students can expect to pay approximately $2,686, an increase of 4% over last year.35
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Overall, Ottawa children are doing very well with regards to school readiness to learn. In 2005/2006, children attending senior kindergarten scored higher on all early development measures compared to the average score of children across the country.36
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| Early Development Index Domain Scores collected across the country | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domain | Ottawa 2005/2006 | Average score of children across Canada over time 2000 – 2004) |
|||
| Physical Health and Well Being | 8.94 | 8.79 | |||
| Social Competence | 8.46 | 8.29 | |||
| Emotional Maturity | 8.12 | 8.05 | |||
| Language and Cognitive Development | 8.59 | 8.36 | |||
| Communication Skills and General Knowledge |
7.77 | 7.73 | |||
| Source: Parent Resource Centre of Ottawa | |||||
In 2005, 74% of homes in Ottawa were connected to the internet, well above the national average of 61%.37
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The average adult literacy score for reading in Ottawa was 295 out of 500 in 2003. (The average prose or reading literacy score is defined as the ability to understand and use information from texts.) This score was higher than both the provincial (270) and national (272) scores.38
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Housing
Affordable housing is a standard measure of a city's well-being. While housing remains relatively affordable for most people in Ottawa, there is still a large segment of the population for whom safe or affordable housing is out of reach.
In 2006, the average house price (resale market) in Ottawa was $257,481. This represents an increase of 3.7% from 2005. House prices in Gatineau increased more sharply over the same period (5.1%) to an average of $172,527. In Toronto, the average price for a house climbed to $352,388, representing an increase of 4.8% from 2005.39
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People in Ottawa spent an average of three times their household income on a house in 2005. In Ontario and Canada overall, people spent four times their household income on a house.40
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The average monthly rent of a two-bedroom apartment in Ottawa in 2006 was $941, a slight increase from 2005 ($920). In Gatineau, rent remained relatively stable, increasing slightly from $660 to $667.41
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In 2006, there were 23,160 social housing units available in the Ottawa area, up from 22,921 in 2005. Nonetheless, there were still 10,055 households on the social housing waiting list, up from 9,914 in 2005.42
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Ontario Works income for a single person is $548 per month; the average rent for a bachelor apartment in Ottawa is $663.
The number of people accessing Ottawa's emergency shelters continues to rise. 9,010 individuals used shelters in 2006, an increase of 2% over 2005 and 4% over 2004. The number of children using shelters increased by 12% and the number of single women accessing shelters rose by 15%.43 ![]()
| Shelter usage | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |||
| # of individuals in an emergency shelter |
8,664 | 8,853 | 9,010 | ||
| Single men | 4,845 | 4,905 | 5,007 | ||
| Single women | 1,221 | 1,267 | 1,451 | ||
| Youth | 509 | 543 | 607 | ||
| Families (Children & Adults) |
631 (1,092 children & 997 adults) |
668 (1,035 children & 1,103 adults) |
615 (1,163 children & 782 adults) |
||
| # of times shelter beds were used | 323,612 | 310,299 | 323,625 | ||
| Source: Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa | |||||
Getting Started in the Community
New immigrants are entering the city with strong educational and professional qualifications. Their challenge, however, has been to secure employment in their fields once they arrive.
Nearly half (48%) of immigrants to the city of Ottawa in 2005 had completed a post-secondary education, including 37% who had completed a university degree.44
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In 2003, 50% of immigrants (to the Ottawa-Gatineau CMA) were working in their chosen field within two years of arrival. This was higher than in the rest of Canada, where only 42% of newcomers were working in their chosen field within two years of arrival.45
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The unemployment rate of recent immigrants to Ottawa has declined over time from 24.4% in 1996 to 13.9% in 2001. The national average in 2001 was 12.7%. The unemployment rate of recent immigrants was still much higher than that of non-immigrants, which was only 4.9%.46
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In 2006, the youth (15 to 24 years old) unemployment rate for Ottawa was 11%. This was lower than the provincial (13%) and national (12%) rates.47
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Arts and Culture
Ottawans are highly engaged in the city's arts and culture community. However, adequate support for this sector continues to be a preoccupation in Ottawa.
In 2006, 12,800 Ottawans were employed in cultural industries, which represented 2.65% of total employment in all industries. The proportion of people working in this sector in Ottawa was greater than that of the province (2.20%) and of the country overall (1.95%). In fact, employment in this sector in Ottawa was up 80% from 7,100 people in 1987, the earliest year for which data are available.48
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| Persons employed in cultural industries in 2006 (as a percentage) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | 1.95 | ||||
| Ottawa | 2.65 | ||||
| Toronto | 2.95 | ||||
| Montreal | 2.36 | ||||
| Source: Statistics Canada | |||||
In 2005, the average annual household expenditure on arts and culture in Ottawa was $1,244. This was well above the Canadian average of $900 per household.49
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In 2005, 50% of people in Ottawa reported having attended concerts. Proportionally, this was greater than people in the cities of Montreal (46%), Toronto (45%) and Calgary (43%), but lower than in Victoria where 51% attended concerts. Nationally, 44% of people attended concerts.50
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The local scene continues to be vibrant. On July 7, 2007 the Ottawa Citizen newspaper listed 168 different cultural activities taking place in the city. These activities included art shows, museum exhibitions, literary events, dance, music, and theatre performances. The count in the same Saturday edition last year was 131.51
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In 2005, among Canada's seven largest cities, Ottawa ranked last in municipal arts and festival funding at $3.64 per capita. This figure does not include the city's most recent injection of funds in the arts. In recognition of the fact that municipal funding for arts and festivals had historically been below that of other major Canadian cities, Ottawa's City Council set aside substantial new funding in its 2007 budget.52
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Environment
There is growing concern for the environment and decisions made today by residents and governments will have a lasting impact on our quality of life. Greenhouse gas emissions and waste creation are areas in need of citizens' attention.
In 2001, greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and trucks in the Ottawa-Gatineau CMA were 2.56 tonnes per capita. For comparative purposes, Victoria's rate was 1.7 tonnes per capita and Sudbury's was 3.44.53
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| Chart: Green House Gas Emissions for Transportation for selected CMAs, 2001 (tonnes per capita) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 1.7 | ||||
| Vancouver | 2.08 | ||||
| Montreal | 2.37 | ||||
| Ottawa-Gatineau | 2.56 | ||||
| Toronto | 2.63 | ||||
| Calgary | 2.75 | ||||
| Sudbury | 3.44 | ||||
| Source: Transport Canada / Environment Canada | |||||
In 2006, Ottawa's residential solid waste diversion rate was 32.4%. Waste diversion refers to household waste that is diverted through various Reduce, Recycle and Reuse programs. This was essentially unchanged from 2005 (32.3%), and is below the City's goal of 40% and the provincial target of 60%.54
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Solid waste collected per person in 2006 was 371 kg, up 3.3% from 2005.55
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In 2006, there were two smog alerts which lasted a total of five days. This was considerably lower than in 2005, when there were seven alerts which lasted a total of 25 days. In 2004, there was one alert which lasted one day.56
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Ottawa has four beaches within the city limits. Each beach has unique physical features that contribute to water quality results. During the summer of 2006, Britannia Beach was open all summer long, while no-swim advisories were posted for 29 days at Westboro Beach, 10 days at Mooney's Bay Beach and 45 days at Petrie Island Beach.57
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| Beach closings Number of days closed |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Britannia Beach | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Westboro Beach | 20 | 11 | 22 | 22 | 29 |
| Mooney's Bay Beach | 4 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 10 |
| Petrie Island Beach | n/a | n/a | n/a | 15 | 45 |
| Total | 42 | 20 | 23 | 57 | 84 |
| Source: City of Ottawa, Public Health | |||||
In 2005, 27.8% of land within the urban area boundary (excluding the National Capital Greenbelt) was shaded during the summer by tree canopy.58
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Work
Employment opportunities are growing in the city but increased supports, such as accessible child care, are necessary to support working parents.
In 2006, the unemployment rate in Ottawa was 5.1%, the second-lowest rate for years in which data were available (1987). This was well below the national and provincial levels (both at 6.3%).59
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Unemployment rate in Ottawa and Canada
1987-2006
With full-time employment growth of 4% in 2006, Ottawa experienced growth above the national rate of 1.9%, as well as the provincial rate of 1.5%. The rate exceeded the average growth of 1.5% between 1987 and 2006.60
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The proportion of total workers that worked part-time in Ottawa in 2006 was 19.1%. Involuntary part-time workers (for whom this was not a choice) accounted for 4.3% of all workers. This was down from 5.9% in 1997. It is comparable to the national average of 4.3% and just below the provincial average of 4.5%.61
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The number of children on waiting lists for licensed childcare increased dramatically from 8,183 in 2005 to 10,979 in 2006. This is an increase of 34% in just one calendar year.62
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However, the percentage of those waiting for subsidized childcare dropped from 50% to 39%.63
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Belonging and Leadership
A measure of a community's vitality is the degree to which people are involved in their community. Ottawa residents volunteer and make charitable donations more than most, but more could be done to fully engage a larger proportion of the population.
In 2004, 54% of people in Ottawa volunteered. This was higher than in Ontario and Canada where the volunteer rates were 50% and 45%, respectively.64
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| Volunteer Rate (as a percentage) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal | 32.5 | ||||
| Toronto | 46.2 | ||||
| Calgary | 44.6 | ||||
| Vancouver | 42.6 | ||||
| Victoria | 43.7 | ||||
| Ottawa | 53.7 | ||||
| Saskatoon | 55.9 | ||||
| Sudbury | 56.9 | ||||
| Source: Canadian Council on Learning, based on Statistics Canada | |||||
30.5% of tax filers in Ottawa made charitable donations in 2005, down slightly from 31.3% in 2004. This was higher than the national (25%) and provincial (27.1%) rates.65
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A traditional purpose of youth camp programs in Canada is leadership development. The City of Ottawa offers various camps for children and youth in the summer months. The average weekly price of these camps is $200. Camp prices rose between the summers of 2006 and 2007 by 4%.66
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In 2006, 53.5% of eligible voters voted in the municipal election. This result was a significant improvement over the previous election when only 32.4% of voters went to the polls.67
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Belonging to a religion is an indicator of belonging in a community. In 2001, 85% of Ottawa residents identified themselves with a religion, consistent with the national average of 84%.68 However, only 28% of residents aged 15 and over in Ottawa-Gatineau attended church at least once a month in 2001, a decrease from 35% a decade earlier.69
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In Ottawa in 2001, 28.1% of the population 65 years and over lived alone. This is a slight decrease from 1996, when the percentage was 29.2%.70
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Getting Around
Public transit is becoming more accessible for people with disabilities, however Ottawa residents overall still under-utilize the public transportation system. Persuading more people to take public transit continues to be a challenge.
In 2006, OC Transpo had 626 low-floor accessible buses out of a total of 942 buses on the road. This represented an increase to 66.5% from 58% in 2005.71
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In 2007, the City issued 40 new accessible taxi licenses, bringing the number to 65. This is still far from the target of the 185 licenses required to meet local demand.72
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Ottawa residents still love their cars. In a one-day period in the fall of 2005, people made 71% of their trips by car (58% as drivers, 13% as passengers). A trip is defined as any excursion from an origin to a destination, for a single purpose.73
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During the same one-day period, people used public transit for 13% of their trips. Overall, transit use has decreased from the 1986 rate of 15%, but is higher than the 1995 rate of 10%.
- The proportion of people walking or bicycling was about the same in 2005 as in 1995 (with 1% bicycling and 11% walking).
- Finally, 4% got around by using other modes of transportation, such as Para Transpo, school buses, motorcycles, taxis and ferries, among others.74

Ottawa residents used the bus an average of 119.3 times in 2006, a 1.3% increase over 2005. OC Transpo carried 91.8 million passengers in 2006, representing an increase of 2.6% over 2005.75
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Travel by mode in the National Capital Region
2006, over 24-hour period
Suburban growth is the primary driver for increased lane-kilometres of roads. In 2006, there were 120 total new lane-kilometres of road, representing an increase of 1% over 2005.76
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Sources
Map
- Statistics Canada, Community Profiles.
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/
Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01
&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada
&SearchType=Begins
&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= - Statistics Canada, Community Profiles, Census 2001.
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/
Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01
&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count
&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins
&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=
and
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/table-XI-1-b.pdf
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/table-XI-2.pdf - Statistics Canada, Census 2001
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/AP01/Details/
Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008
&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa
&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All
&GeoLevel=&GeoCode=3506008 - Statistics Canada, Census 2001
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/
standard/themes/RetrieveProductTable.cfm
?Temporal=2001&PID=55536&APATH=3&METH=1
&PTYPE=55440&THEME=41
&FOCUS=0&AID=0&PLACENAME=0
&PROVINCE=0&SEARCH=0&GC=99
&GK=NA&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&FL=0&RL=0
&FREE=0&GID=431578 - Statistics Canada. Income Trends in Canada 1980-2005. Table 202-0605 titled "Median after-tax income, by economic family type, 2005 constant dollars, Canada, provinces and select CMAs". Based on SLID. Accessed through CD-ROM.
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/
table-XI-6-a.pdf - Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey Estimates. Cansim Tables 282-0008, 282-0057, 181-0061.
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/
table-XI-3-b-appendix.pdf
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/
table-XI-3-b-iii-appendix.pdf - City of Ottawa
http://www.ottawa.ca/city_services/statistics/counts/
rural/index_en.html - Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/
95-629-XIE/4/4.4-1_C.htm - Ibid
Gap Between Rich and Poor
- Statistics Canada. Small Area Administrative Data. Family characteristics, Low Income Measures (LIM), by family type and family type composition, annual. Table 111-0015
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/table-I-2-a.pdf - Ibid
- Ibid
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/table-I-3-a.pdf - Ibid
http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/rpt2007/table-I-5-a.pdf - The Ottawa Food Bank
http://www.theottawafoodbank.ca/EN/index.html - Statistics Canada, Census 2001.
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc
?catno=95F0492X2001005
Safety
- City of Ottawa, Ottawa Police Service
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/resources/publications/pdf/
HighlightsReport-V5-Final.pdf - City of Ottawa, Ottawa Police Service
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/resources/publications/
activity_index.cfm - City of Ottawa, Ottawa Police Service
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/resources/publications/
activity_index.cfm - Ibid
- City of Ottawa, Ottawa Police Service, Annual OPS Statistics Report
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/resources/
crime_analysis_statistics/pdf/
Annual%20OPS%20Statistics%20Report%202005-2006.pdf - City of Ottawa, Community Protective Services
Health and Wellness
- City of Ottawa, Public Health
- Ibid
- Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey, CANSIM Table 105-0433
http://cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.exe?Lang=E
&ArrayId=1050433&Array_Pick=1&Detail=1
&RootDir=CII/&ResultTemplate=CII\CII
Leisure-Time Physically Active or Moderately Active for Vital Signs by CMA and Health Regions, Per cent, 2003 and 2005 - Canadian Community Health Survey, Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 105-0292.
Obesity Rates for Vital Signs by CMA and Health Regions, 2003 and 2005 - City of Ottawa, Public Health
- Canadian Institute for Health Information, Health Indicator Reports.
http://secure.cihi.ca/hireports/ - Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2007 Report on Ontario's Health System.
http://www.ohqc.ca/pdfs/final_ohqc_report_english.pdf - Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Wait Times Information Office, 2006.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/wait_times/public/
wt_public_mn.html
Learning
- Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050705.
Proportion of the Population (15 years and over) with a Post-Secondary Education (University Degree; Post-Secondary Certificate or Diploma) for CMAs and Economic Regions - Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey by special request, program A050705.
Proportion of the Population (15 years and over) that have not Completed High School by CMA and Economic Region, 1990, 2000-2006 - Ottawa Public Library
- Ibid
- Canadian Council on Learning, 2007 CLI and Pillar Scores.
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/CLI2007/
Resources.htm?Language=EN -
Carleton University
http://www.carleton.ca/tuition/Current/fees/undergrad/
07FWDomUndergrad.html
University of Ottawa
http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/regist/fees/
fees2007_en.htm
St. Paul University
http://www.ustpaul.ca/Admission/
TuitionFees2007-2008_e.asp
Algonquin College
http://www.algonquincollege.com/RegistrarsOffice/fees/
La Cité collégiale, Finance Department
http://www3.lacitec.on.ca/ - Parent Resource Centre, Ottawa.
http://parentresource.on.ca/DACS1_e.html - Statistics Canada
http://cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/CNSMCGI.EXE?regtkt=
&C2Sub=&ARRAYID=3580122&C2DB=&VEC=
&LANG=E&SDDSLOC=&ROOTDIR=CII/
&RESULTTEMPLATE=CII/CII_PICK&ARRAY_PICK=1
&SDDSID=&SDDSDESC= - Canadian Council on Learning, based on International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey 2003.
Prose score values are from The Atlas of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, based on the 2003 International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey.
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/peopleandsociety/literacy/
literacy
Housing
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation based on data from CREA Average residential prices found through Canadian Housing Observer, Table 6.
http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/about/cahoob/loader.cfm
?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=96839 -
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation based on data from CREA Average residential prices found through Canadian Housing Observer, Table 6.
http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/about/cahoob/loader.cfm
?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=96839
Median household income data acquired through Statistics Canada. Based on tax data. http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/famil107a.htm
Ratio of MLS Average Residential Prices and Median Census Family Pre-Tax Income for Vital Signs CMAs, 2000-2005 - Canada Mortgage and Housing corporation, Housing Market Information: Rental Market Statistics, Tables 9 and 10 on pages 27 and 28, respectively.
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64725/
64725_2006_A01.pdf
Average Annual Rent for 2 bed room apartments as a Percent of Median Yearly Income in Vital Signs Communities, 2000-2005 - Alliance to End Homelessness, Report Card on Homelessness, 2006.
http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/documents/
ReportCardonEndingHomelessnessinOttawaJan-
Dec2006webemail.pdf - Ibid
Getting Started in the Community
- Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Special request.
- Statistics Canada - Longitudinal Study of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC)
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-616-XIE/2006001/
t004_en.htm - Statistics Canada, Census 1996 and 2001.
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/
standard/themes/RetrieveProductTable.cfm?Temporal=2001
&PID=60338&APATH=3&GID=431515&METH=1&PTYPE=55440
&THEME=46&FOCUS=0&AID=0&PLACENAME=0&PROVINCE=0
&SEARCH=0&GC=99&GK=NA&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=
&FL=0&RL=0&FREE=0 - Statistics Canada. Obtained by special request.
Unemployment Rates for Youth (15 to 24 Years) for Vital Signs by CMA and Economic Region, 1987-2006
Arts and Culture
- Statistics Canada. Obtained by special request.
Employment in Cultural Industries for Vital Signs by CMA and Economic Region, 1987, 2000-2006 - Survey of Household Spending by special request R26728, 2005.
Additional reports on cultural statistics include:- Statistics Canada. David Coish Trends and Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas. "Census Metropolitan Areas as Culture Clusters."
http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/
89-613-MIE/89-613-MIE2004004.pdf - Statistics Canada. Vik Singh. Culture Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics. “Economic Contribution of the Culture Sector in Ontario.”
http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/
81-595-MIE/81-595-MIE2004024.pdf, - Statistics Canada. Vik Singh. Culture Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics. “Economic Contribution of the Culture Sector in Canada.”
http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/
81-595-MIE/81-595-MIE2004024.pdf,
Statistics Canada. Vik Singh. Culture Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics. “Economic Contribution of the Culture Sector in Canada.”
http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/
Statcan/81-595-MIE/81-595-MIE2004025.pdf, en français - Statistics Canada. Culture, Tourism and the Center for Education Statistics. Culture Statistics Program “Canadian Framework for Culture Statistics.”
http://www.statcan.ca/english/
research/81-595-MIE/81-595-MIE2004021.pdf
- Statistics Canada. David Coish Trends and Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas. "Census Metropolitan Areas as Culture Clusters."
- Statistics Canada, General Social Survey,2005. Obtained by special request
Attendance At Cultural Events for Vital Signs CMAs, per cent, 2005 - Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 2007, pp. K11-K12. and July 8, 2006, pp. K11-K12.
- City of Ottawa, Cultural Services and Community Funding.
Environment
-
"The Impact of Transit Improvements of GHG Emissions: A National Perspective." March, 2005 Transport Canada.
http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/
policy/docs/Summary.pdf
Environment Canada, National Inventory Report,1990-2004-Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada.
http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/
2004_report/2004_report_e.pdf
Green House Gas Emissions for Transportation1 for Vital Signs CMAs, 2001 - City of Ottawa.
- City of Ottawa.
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment
http://www.airqualityontario.com/reports/aqisearch.cfm?
stationid=51001&Submit=2006+History&this_date=2006-12-31
&startmonth=all - City of Ottawa, Public Health.
- City of Ottawa.
Work
- Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 282-0053 and Table 282-0055.
Unemployment Rate (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1987-2006 - Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 282-0053 and Table 282-0055.
Employment Growth in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1988-2006 - Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050704. Obtained by special request.
Involuntary Part-Time Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997, 2006 - City of Ottawa.
- Ibid
Belonging and Leadership
- Canadian Council on Learning, 2006 , based on Statistics Canada, National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating. CLI interactive.
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/CLI2007?Language=EN
Volunteer Rate for Vital Signs, 2000 and 2004 - Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 111-0001.
Charitable Donors as a Proportion of Tax Filers for Vital Signs Communities, 1997-2005
Charitable Giving in Vital Signs Communities from the Canadian Council on Learning, 2003 and 2005 - City of Ottawa
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/parks_recreation/programs/
guides_pdf/summer_camps_en.pdf - City of Ottawa
- Statistics Canada, Census 2001
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/
Religion/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CMA&View=2a&Code=50535
&Table=1&StartRec=1
&Sort=2&B1=50535&B2=1 - Statistics Canada, Census 2001
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc
?catno=11-008-X20020046493 -
Statistics Canada, Census 2001 and 1996
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/
products/standard/themes/RetrieveProductTable.cfm?
Temporal=2001&PID=59156&APATH=3&METH=1&PTYPE=55430
&THEME=39&FOCUS=0&AID=0&PLACENAME=0
&PROVINCE=0&SEARCH=0&GC=99&GK=NA&VID=0
&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&FL=0&RL=0&FREE=0&GID=431578
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census96/data/profiles/
DataTable.cfm?YEAR=1996&LANG=E
&PID=35682&S=A&GID=255149
Getting Around
- City of Ottawa.
- Ibid
- Origin Destination, 2005 National Capital Region Travel Survey
http://www.ncr-trans-rcn.ca/index.php?toc=content&ID=208 - Ibid
- City of Ottawa
- Ibid



