State of Kitchener Neighbourhoods

Key Findings

The purpose of the State of Kitchener Neighbourhoods Report is:

1) To give residents a snapshot of their city at a specific moment in time, using a diverse set of data indicators that can help them better understand their neighbourhoods.

2) To establish a baseline of data collection and analysis that can be conducted again in the future to help measure the impact of Love My Hood.

The full report contains a vast array of data. If you’re only here for the key points, you don’t need to read the whole report. Here’s what you really need to know from each of the five categories we’re using to measure great neighbourhoods.

Data

There are two types of data featured in this report.

The first is survey data, collected by Environics Research in a statistically representative telephone survey of Kitchener residents. The survey data serves as the steady backbone of our report.

The second type is contextual data, which consists of “hard” numbers gathered from sources such as Waterloo Regional Police Service, the school boards, the census, and our Graphic Information Services (GIS) Department. This hard data provides important contextual information not found in the survey responses.

This report also includes many links to outside sources, where readers can find additional information.

Connectedness

This category includes data indicators that measure neighbourhood links between people and between people and places. Here are some takeaways:

77 per cent of Kitchener residents can identify the name of their neighbourhood, and 68 per cent perceive their neighbourhood as being a space that incorporates several blocks around their home (pg. 16-17)
More than one quarter of residents have heard of Love My Hood and 86 per cent support the city increasing investments in neighbourhoods (pg. 18)
Three in five say their neighbours work together, yet nearly half say they don’t get a lot of information about what’s happening in their neighbourhood (pg. 21)

Diversity and inclusion

This category includes data indicators that measure whether neighbourhoods have a diversity of people, places, activities, and services, and whether neighbourhoods are perceived as welcoming and inclusive. Here are some takeaways:

37 per cent of Kitchener’s total population is comprised of immigrants, with our top three countries of origin being the United Kingdom, Romania, and Poland, and our top three home languages (besides English) being Spanish, Serbian, and Romanian (pg. 24)
Although most residents trust their neighbours and feel their neighbourhood is inclusive, they are less likely to be involved in day-to-day neighbourhood life (pg. 28-29)
89 per cent of residents agree that people from all walks of life feel welcome in their neighbourhood (pg. 30-31)

Safety

This category includes data indicators that measure both the perception and reality of safety in Kitchener neighbourhoods. Here are some takeaways:

Although nearly all residents feel safe in their neighbourhood during the day, only one half feel very safe at night (pg. 32-33)
27 per cent of residents believe that crime is a problem in their neighbourhood, and most agree that neighbours are committed to keeping the area safe (pg. 35-36)
In 2016, the top five most common calls to police included instances where police had to check in on a person’s wellbeing, bylaw complaints, calls about unwanted persons, theft under $5,000, and domestic disputes (pg. 37-38)

Accessibility

This category includes data indicators that measure whether residents can equally enjoy and participate in the opportunities that their neighbourhood provides. Here are some takeaways:

More than three quarters of Kitchener residents believe that facilities and activities are accessible and affordable (pg. 40-41)
The discrepancy between general resident perceptions and the citywide reality for cyclists and pedestrians indicates a significant knowledge and understanding gap, and more data should be collected so we can gain a better understanding of transportation perceptions and realities (pg. 42-45)
As of the end of 2016, there were 1,151.02 kilometres of sidewalks and walkways, 189.16 kilometres of multi-use trails, and 225.75 kilometres of cycling routes in Kitchener (pg. 46-47)

Engagement and resilience

This category includes data indicators that measure whether and how residents are involved and committed to activities, programs, and places in their neighbourhoods. Here are some takeaways:

Nearly one half of residents are familiar with neighbourhood associations, but only 16 per cent have a good understanding of what they do (pg. 48)
Residents’ civic engagement is most likely to extend to voting, with 82 per cent claiming to have voted in a municipal election at some point in their lives (pg. 51-52)
62 per cent believe that the City adequately informs residents about decisions that impact them (pg. 52-53)

For more detailed information, please see the full State of Kitchener Neighbourhoods Report: 2017, which includes further data and analysis, as well as our conclusions and evaluation.