Waterloo is losing children as it stops building single homes and adds high-rises and apartments.
New results from the 2011 census show the city has lost 1,035 children aged 14 and younger since 2006. That’s a decline of six per cent.
It’s the largest drop in children across the region and it comes as Waterloo’s population growth almost grinds to a halt, up just 1.3 per cent to 98,780. (This number excludes many university students.)
Census-watchers say families are avoiding high-priced Waterloo because they can’t find affordable suburban homes they covet.
“You’ve got a thousand fewer children,” said Cameron Rapp, Waterloo’s general manager of development services. “A big part of it I would suggest is because of the reduction in the available singles.”
Construction of detached homes is down more than half in Waterloo since 2006. Fewer than 200 were built over 2010 and 2011. Meanwhile apartment and condominium construction has soared more than 80 per cent.
This has made Waterloo a showcase for so-called smart growth. Urban planners promote it as a way to restrain suburban sprawl, build denser neighbourhoods and get more people out of cars and onto transit.
“I think this really does show that the trend for intensifying cores is not appealing to people with young families,” Mayor Brenda Halloran said. “They still want to be able to have a backyard and the streetscape for their children to grow up on.”
Census results suggest a city that stops building suburbs sends families outside its borders to hunt for backyards. In finding outlying homes they may drive even farther to work.
“The unintended consequence of this push toward what the consumer doesn’t want is that we’re now commuting more instead of less, and that goes against the principles of smart growth,” said suburban developer Peter Armbruster, a vice-president with Activa Group.
The 2011 census found more children in every community surrounding Waterloo. Woolwich added 785 children, Kitchener added 730, Wilmot added 300 and Wellesley added 195. Many reside in fast-growing subdivisions in Breslau, Baden, Elmira and Kitchener.
Statistics Canada released new census findings Tuesday on age and gender. Waterloo Region added 605 children younger than 14, against the provincial trend. Since 2006 Ontario has lost 30,025 children.
Halloran says children add vitality to a community. But she’s not alarmed that Waterloo has 1,000 fewer. She and others point to new Waterloo suburbs that are just being developed and are expected to draw families ahead of the 2016 census. “I think in the next five years we’ll see a substantial change.”
These may be Waterloo’s final subdivisions as the city runs out of vacant land. After that, apartments and condominiums will help Waterloo grow, Rapp and Halloran argue. They contend aging residents will downsize from suburban homes and move into condos, freeing up homes for new families.
“I just see it then as a constant revitalization of neighbourhoods,” Halloran said.
Armbruster suspects aging residents may be put off by high condominium prices and may choose to stay where they are, renovating suburban homes to meet their new needs.
“The big question mark is what will happen to the empty-nesters,” he said. “I still see aging-in-place as being very significant and it’s going to keep people in their single detached homes.”
Where the children are
Residents 14 and younger in 2011 (compared to 2006):
Kitchener: 38,645 (up 730)
Cambridge: 24,365 (down 220)
Waterloo: 16,775 (down 1,035)
Woolwich: 4,795 (up 785)
Wilmot: 3,690 (up 300)
Wellesley: 2,940 (up 195)
North Dumfries: 1,760 (down 160)
Source: Statistics Canada 2011 census
jouthit@therecord.com
New results from the 2011 census show the city has lost 1,035 children aged 14 and younger since 2006. That’s a decline of six per cent.
It’s the largest drop in children across the region and it comes as Waterloo’s population growth almost grinds to a halt, up just 1.3 per cent to 98,780. (This number excludes many university students.)
Census-watchers say families are avoiding high-priced Waterloo because they can’t find affordable suburban homes they covet.
“You’ve got a thousand fewer children,” said Cameron Rapp, Waterloo’s general manager of development services. “A big part of it I would suggest is because of the reduction in the available singles.”
Construction of detached homes is down more than half in Waterloo since 2006. Fewer than 200 were built over 2010 and 2011. Meanwhile apartment and condominium construction has soared more than 80 per cent.
This has made Waterloo a showcase for so-called smart growth. Urban planners promote it as a way to restrain suburban sprawl, build denser neighbourhoods and get more people out of cars and onto transit.
“I think this really does show that the trend for intensifying cores is not appealing to people with young families,” Mayor Brenda Halloran said. “They still want to be able to have a backyard and the streetscape for their children to grow up on.”
Census results suggest a city that stops building suburbs sends families outside its borders to hunt for backyards. In finding outlying homes they may drive even farther to work.
“The unintended consequence of this push toward what the consumer doesn’t want is that we’re now commuting more instead of less, and that goes against the principles of smart growth,” said suburban developer Peter Armbruster, a vice-president with Activa Group.
The 2011 census found more children in every community surrounding Waterloo. Woolwich added 785 children, Kitchener added 730, Wilmot added 300 and Wellesley added 195. Many reside in fast-growing subdivisions in Breslau, Baden, Elmira and Kitchener.
Statistics Canada released new census findings Tuesday on age and gender. Waterloo Region added 605 children younger than 14, against the provincial trend. Since 2006 Ontario has lost 30,025 children.
Halloran says children add vitality to a community. But she’s not alarmed that Waterloo has 1,000 fewer. She and others point to new Waterloo suburbs that are just being developed and are expected to draw families ahead of the 2016 census. “I think in the next five years we’ll see a substantial change.”
These may be Waterloo’s final subdivisions as the city runs out of vacant land. After that, apartments and condominiums will help Waterloo grow, Rapp and Halloran argue. They contend aging residents will downsize from suburban homes and move into condos, freeing up homes for new families.
“I just see it then as a constant revitalization of neighbourhoods,” Halloran said.
Armbruster suspects aging residents may be put off by high condominium prices and may choose to stay where they are, renovating suburban homes to meet their new needs.
“The big question mark is what will happen to the empty-nesters,” he said. “I still see aging-in-place as being very significant and it’s going to keep people in their single detached homes.”
Where the children are
Residents 14 and younger in 2011 (compared to 2006):
Kitchener: 38,645 (up 730)
Cambridge: 24,365 (down 220)
Waterloo: 16,775 (down 1,035)
Woolwich: 4,795 (up 785)
Wilmot: 3,690 (up 300)
Wellesley: 2,940 (up 195)
North Dumfries: 1,760 (down 160)
Source: Statistics Canada 2011 census
jouthit@therecord.com
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