Statistics Canada Report on Canadians’ Perceptions of neighbourhood Disorder

Ststistics Canada has released a report on Canadians’ perceptions of neighbourhood disorder, 2014:

"The neighbourhood is an important component of the daily lives of many citizens, and neighbourhoods with visible signs of disorder can contribute to perceptions of vulnerability and fear of crime (Pain 2000). Indeed, data from the General Social Survey on Victimization show that Canadians who perceive one or more indicators of neighbourhood disorder are more likely to report being afraid when walking alone after dark, using or taking public transportation, or when home alone in the evenings. Canadians who perceive disorder in their neighbourhoods also report lower average life satisfaction than those who do not. Conversely, cohesive neighbourhoods can foster a sense of belonging, community, perceptions of safety, and create connections and increased social capital (Forrest & Kearns 2001; Martin 2003)."

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"This report examines Canadians’ perceptions of neighbourhood disorder based on results from the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS) on Victimization. An overview of the perceived prevalence of neighbourhood disorder is presented by province and census metropolitan area (CMA), and differences by demographic characteristics are explored. In addition, perceptions of neighbourhood disorder and selected neighbourhood-level characteristics, based on data from the National Household Survey (NHS) and the Census, are examined at the national level and for Canada’s eight largest CMAs..."

Among the highlights of the report:

• Just under one-quarter (23%) of Canadians aged 15 and over perceived disorder in their neighbourhood, down slightly from 2004 (25%).
• The most commonly identified neighbourhood disorder was people using or dealing drugs, which was considered a big or moderate problem by 10% of Canadians.
• Compared to the national average, residents of Alberta and Quebec were more likely to perceive neighbourhood disorder
• A higher proportion of those who live in the population core of a census metropolitan area perceived disorder compared to those who lived outside the core, such as in suburbs or rural areas.
• Generally, perceptions of neighbourhood disorder decrease with age, as Canadians between the ages of 25 and 34 were most likely to perceive disorder.
• Canadians who live in neighbourhoods with higher median household incomes, regardless of individual income, are less likely to perceive neighbourhood disorder.
• Residents of neighbourhoods with a relatively high proportion of low-income families and lone-parent families were more likely to perceive neighbourhood disorder, while those living in areas with higher proportions of homeowners and lower levels of resident turnover were less likely to perceive disorder.