A Children's Agenda There is a growing body of evidence to suggest the need for a children's agenda in the City of Ottawa. Fully 25% of children under 12 years of age (29,350) are considered to be living in low income families according to Statistics Canada (see Appendix I Map 3). Many of these children are in families of "the working poor". Approximately 11,000 children (age 0-17) in Ottawa are in receipt of Ontario Works (Ontario's social assistance program) equating to 44% of the entire Ontario Works caseload in Ottawa. In 1995, the province rolled back the social assistance rate by 21.6%. In today's dollars, without any subsequent cost of living increase to social assistance rates, families in receipt of Ontario Works are living on 30% less than low-income families did eight years ago. Compelling evidence supports the investment in early childhood development. Studies show that significant brain development occurs between conception and age one, that stimuli encountered before age three greatly influence the wiring of the brain, and that most critical periods for brain development are over or waning by age six. (McCain and Mustard 1999). Population health literature also indicates that maternal nutrition, and good nutrition and nurturing during the early years impact significantly on indicators of the child's health later in life (McCain and Mustard 1999:42). A number of programs and services are in place to serve families and children in Ottawa. For example, the recent Success by Six initiative led to the development of parenting centers that focused on the early years. Another example is the City's recreation fee subsidy program which helps children in families on low-income participate in City recreation programs. However, a number of service gaps continue, particularly with respect to meeting the needs of children aged 6-12. In particular, children in poor families must have better access to nutritional food, recreational activities, winter clothing, school programs requiring fees (e.g. physical education, arts, field trips, and other school-based activities), out of pocket medical/health expenses (e.g. over-the-counter-medication such as acetaminophen), and all children must have adequate opportunities to be healthy, safe, and physically active. A number of statistics point to the need to take action to address issues that affect children's health. More than half of children and youth ages 5 to 17 do not have enough physical activity to support optimal development; the incidence of juvenile obesity doubled between 1981 and 1996; and every year 10% of children are seriously injured. These statistics indicate that there is still much that needs to happen to support the needs of children in our community. Aboriginal Population The City of Ottawa is home to a richly diverse group of Aboriginal peoples including Inuit, Métis and many more First Nations such as Algonquin, Mohawk, Ojibway, and Mi'kmaq. Currently, the Aboriginal population residing in the City of Ottawa is estimated at 35,000 and is the fastest growing and diverse urban Aboriginal population in Canada. To some degree, the Aboriginal community is not unlike the non-Aboriginal population in that it is neither wholly marginalized nor uniformly disadvantaged. Nevertheless, there is a tendency for Aboriginal persons who live in urban centres to be statistically more disadvantaged than even newly arrived immigrants. Data indicates that, in Ottawa, 27% of the homeless population is Aboriginal, and 48% of the urban Aboriginal population in Ottawa is under the age of 25 (in direct contrast to the general trend of an aging population). These statistics signal increased urgency to the current situation of Aboriginal people living in Ottawa. Although issues of poverty and social dislocation are extremely important, the agenda of Aboriginal people living in urban centres must focus on more than these disadvantages. Issue of culture, recognition and identity, practices and institutions, having a voice that is heard and an opportunity to help shape the future city of Ottawa, are all significant for the Aboriginal population in Ottawa. Aboriginal people are essential to the development of our municipal culture. Existing Aboriginal organizations, community leaders, and elders have the experience and knowledge to build successful programs, develop effective strategies, and provide valuable insights into the improvement of socio-economic conditions and issues of governance. Women The Women's Access to Municipal Services 2002 report provided compelling evidence that the City must approach communications, collaboration, and service delivery in a way that takes gender into account. The principle finding of the report was that many women do not know about the City's programs and services. Some lessons learned include the need to:
Women's safety is also a concern and while there are a number of excellent programs in place (e.g. at OC Transpo) there is a need for greater advertisement of these features. City Safety Audits must continue to take into account the particular safety needs of women. Residents Who Are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) In July 2001, the Ottawa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning (GLBTQ) Wellness Project identified the needs and strengths of Ottawa's GLBT residents and service providers. All safe and healthy cities must emphasize the need to breakdown barriers of isolation, strengthen mutual support and provide adequate services to its citizens. For example, the City recognizes the considerable strengths already offered to Ottawa by its GLBT residents and the City is collaborating with its community providers to better meet the needs of GLBT residents. An example of efforts to make the city safe for all is the ongoing and effective communications established by the "Ottawa Police Liaison Committee with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Community". Next: Achieving Access |
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