Want to Know About Edmontonians?

Hockey Parents

September 29, 2009

Read Who We Are!

Almost one-third of Edmontonians live alone, we're becoming more ethnically diverse, we like being physically active and we want a safe community that's a great place to raise children. Those are some of the insights of the City of Edmonton's newly published Who We Are: A Snapshot of Edmontonians, now available at The Way We Live.

"Who We Are gives Edmontonians an easy to read snapshot of our demographics, values and priorities," says Paul Loosley, Director, Community Strategies, Community Services. "Edmontonians can use this information to begin our city-wide conversation about how people services contribute to the livability of our city.” 

The discussion will get underway at the Community Conversation being held on Oct. 3 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Grant MacEwan University’s downtown campus. Edmontonians are asked to pre-register by going to The Way We Live .

The input of Edmontonians will help shape The Way We Live: Edmonton's People Plan, a 10-year strategic plan that will set direction, establish priorities and guide decisions about people services contributing to the health, safety and well-being of Edmontonians. People services include everything from recreation centres and parks, to police and fire services and arts and cultural events.

Who We Are: A snapshot of Edmontonians is one of the background documents informing Edmonton’s People Plan. It is a compilation of current statistics and the results of a June 2009 community values survey of 500 Edmontonians. Highlights include:

  • Just over half of those surveyed (55%) say they regularly stop and talk with people in their neighbourhood.
  • 30.1% of those surveyed say they get involved in neighbourhood events or activities.
  • 61.7% say they could count on people in their neighbourhood to help out in an emergency.
  • About 46% of Edmontonians volunteer their time for various organizations.
  • The percentage of Edmonton tax filers making charitable donations is decreasing (24% in 2007 down from 31% in 1991), but the average amount donated $1923 is higher than the national average.
  • The past 10 years has seen an increase in the proportion of us working in construction, education services, professional, scientific and technical services.
  • The number of Edmonton households earning more than $100,000 a year increased from one in eight in 2001 to one in five in 2006.
  • Edmonton has the second largest urban Aboriginal population in Canada after Winnipeg. From 1996 to 2006 Edmonton's Aboriginal population grew by 18.4%.
  • We place a high priority on providing supports for seniors and those with physical disabilities.
  • We want a great place to raise our kids. In 2006, one in six Edmonton children (25,010) lived in poverty. That compares to one in eight (28,420) in Calgary and one in 10 (77,595) in Alberta overall.

Edmontonians can obtain additional background, join the conversation online and get information about other public involvement opportunities by going to The Way We Live.

“Ultimately, we want Edmontonians to see themselves in this plan. If you're passionate about our city and want to make it even better now's the time to join this conversation,” says Loosley.

For more information:

Paul Loosley

Community Services

Title Director, Community Strategies
Telephone

780-496-3539
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