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On Tuesday, January 12, our club had the privilege of hearing Elizabeth Bonkink, Communications Advisor, Edmonton Community Foundation speak about their Vital Signs report. And, little did we know, she is also a proud Rotarian and a member of the Gateway Club!
The Edmonton Community Foundation was formed in 1989 with three, very generous, $5 million gifts from the Stollery and Poole families here in Edmonton. Since then, the assets have grown to over $450 million and in 2015, they distributed $20 million throughout the Edmonton community.
Edmonton Vital Signs is an annual check-up conducted by the Edmonton Community Foundation, in partnership with the Edmonton Social Planning Council, to measure how the community is doing with a focus on a special topic. This year, the focus was Edmonton's Urban Aboriginal population. Here are some highlights:
- Edmonton's Aboriginal community is 10 years younger than the national average
- Edmonton has the second largest Aboriginal population second only to Winnipeg
- Edmonton's Aboriginal population is expected to increase by 89% by 2036
- In 2001, 62.6% of the Aboriginal population had a high school diploma by the age of 25; in 2011, 75.7% have completed high school
- In 2015, 22.5% of Aboriginals lived in poverty compared to 10.8% of general population
- The October 2014 Homeless Count found that Aboriginal people in Edmonton are 9 times more likely than the overall population to be experiencing homelessness
- In July 2015, 5.5% of the labour force were Aboriginal a growth of 152% (as compared to 2001)
Other interesting Edmonton facts:
- Edmonton's population in 2014 1, 328, 290
- Edmonton is 5th among Canadian Urban Centres of new Canadians settling here
- Living wage per hour in Edmonton is $19.33 (defined as hour wage needed by those working full time for the entire year to have a modest or basic life)
- Primary mode of transportation in Edmonton is by car (80%)
- There has been a 61.7% increase is cost of eating healthy in Edmonton
- 60% of Edmontonians agree that poverty is a significant problem in Edmonton
And so much more!
Thank Elizabeth for coming out to our club presenting the Vital Signs Report and the many good things the Edmonton Community Foundation is able to do here in Edmonton.
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This is The University of Alberta Rotaract Club's annual fundraising event in partnership with the Roots of Change Foundation.
