So a few days ago the UN came out with the results of the new “UN development Index” and our great country came in fourth, and in Mercer’s 2009 Quality of Living Survey we placed 15th out of 215 global cities for the fourth year in a row. Sounds great, right? Well, how does Toronto itself stack up to the rest of the country and other global cities for that matter?

Unfortunately, according to stats cited in Toronto Community Foundation’s newest “Toronto’s Vital Signs 2009 report”, Toronto is rated ‘seriously unaffordable’, ranking 190th internationally, and 29th in Canada, with median housing prices 4.8 times median household incomes. We are also in a country that ranks last among 14 western nations in spending on early learning,childcare, and kindergarten programs. Layer those stats with the research United Way Toronto has done in “Losing Ground” (2007 report) and you will see that we are losing the battle in the City of Toronto.

In comparing the downtowncore to suburban areas such as the 905, median family incomes are lower and the cost of living is higher. It’s no wonder that my friends who have married and had kids live in the eastern ‘boonies’ of Markham … a long drive up the 401 and across the 407 away from the downtown core. How can you afford a decently sized house otherwise!? I love living downtown... near my office, the arts, great restaurants, and walking distance to everywhere, but I really question what this city might be like by the time I’m ready to have kids. The stats are deteriorating rapidly and I’m just wondering when the government will wake up and put a proper poverty reduction plan into effect. I don’t know about you but I’m NOT fond of the idea of living in the burbs.