Wednesday, October 01, 2014
United Way Perth-Huron
Social Research and Planning Council Releases New Report on "The Quality of Life in Perth and Huron County"
There is enormous value in understanding how our local communities operate as a whole and how that affects our day to day quality of life. The Social Research and Planning Council (SRPC) have done just that in their newly released research report entitled ‘Quality of Life in Perth and Huron County’.
Quality of life refers to the general wellbeing of individuals and society, and is defined in terms of health and happiness, rather than wealth. The SRPC was pleased to discover that although in some areas of our Counties we fall behind provincial averages, in many areas we excel.
One of the areas we are above provincial averages is that we live in a very safe place. Since 2009, the Crime Severity Index rates have decreased by 35% in Stratford, 19% in Wingham and 13% in Exeter.
Like many rural areas across Ontario, Huron and Perth are experiencing a number of similar challenges. The population is aging, and seniors (over age 65) now make up a higher percentage of the populace than children (under age 15). Voter turnout rates are on the decline, and citizens are less likely to vote in municipal and school board elections, than in federal and provincial ones.
Other interesting findings reveal that the quality of the local surface water and forested areas are below provincial standards. On an encouraging note, the quality of our air has improved significantly with only one smog alert being released this year as opposed to 12 smog alerts issued in 2005.
In terms of our overall health, physical activity rates are starting to go up, yet there is room for improvement and over half of the population reported they were obese or overweight.
Something that is unique to Huron and Perth County is that there is a high out-migration of young adults, who are leaving the community for employment and/or post-secondary education opportunities.
The unemployment rate sits at 2-percentage points below the provincial average, however many of the top occupations in the local economic region are categorized as low skill level, requiring minimal education and training. The wages associated with these jobs are typically low, resulting in incomes that were approximately $13,000 lower than Ontario’s average income.
There are also a greater percentage of low- to moderate-income households earning between $20,000 - $60,000 annually, and a smaller share of households in the top income ranges in Perth and Huron. Possibly as a result of this at least one in 10 residents is living in poverty, struggling to pay for rising food and shelter costs.
Despite these challenges however the Quality of Life report found many areas where Perth and Huron did far better than provincial averages.
The rural environment that characterizes Perth and Huron contributes positively to quality of life, bringing strong friendships, attachments, and a willingness of neighbours to lend a helping hand. Three-quarters of the population reported a strong sense of belonging to the community – consistently well above the provincial average, and over 90% of people saying they are satisfied or very satisfied with life in general.
For more information on the Social Research and Planning Council, or to view a copy of the report online, please visit www.socialresearchandplanning.ca or call 519 271-7730 or 1-877-818-8867.
Media Contacts:
Ryan Erb
Executive Director- United Way
519-271-7730
rerb@perthhuron.unitedway.ca
Ken Clarke
Quality of Life Sub-committee Chair
519-273-9082
kenc@pcfk.on.ca
Tracy Birtch
Social Research and Planning Council Coordinator
519-271-7730 ext 228
tbirtch@socialresearchandplanning.ca
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