2. Who are the Millennials?
■ Born between 1980 and 2000
■ Aged 15 to 35 years old in 2015
■ 27 % of the Canadian population (Statistics
Canada, 2011 Census)
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3. Millennials are different than previous
generations
■ Getting married later
■ Having children later or not at all
■ Smaller household sizes
■ Fewer drive cars
■ Higher concentrations in downtowns and high-density
housing
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4. Millennial Housing Demand
■ Changing residential ecology of cities
■ Increase in segregation based on age
– “Youthification” of certain cities and certain areas of the city
(polycentrism)
■ Development of amenities in downtown cores
– Lead to increase in high-density residential suites
■ Not all young adults live downtown
– Many dispersed throughout the city or concentrated in the
suburbs
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7. Research Question
■ Why are Millennials deciding to live downtown, or close
to it as opposed to in the suburbs?
– What factors do Millennials aged 25-35 state as
being important in deciding where to live?
■ What are the future residential intentions of this group
of young adults?
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8. Domains of Influence on Millennial Residential Location
Millennial Residential
Location
Other
Neighborhood
attributes
Social
Network
Family-based
considerations
Personal
Security
MobilityLifestyle
Employment-related
considerations
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9. Research Method
■ Qualitative interviews
– Open-ended questions
– Semi-structured interview
– Inductive, exploratory
■ To determine important attributes and reasons
– Why young adults choose to live where they
live
– Housing attributes, neighborhood attributes
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10. ■ Explanatory understanding of housing choices
and locational preferences of Millennials in
Calgary
■ Inform ongoing development and planning
objectives
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15. Social attributes of the neighbourhood
■ Families and Children
■ Proximity to family and friends
■ Places to meet people and meet up with people
■ Friendly neighbours
■ Community engagement
■ High density living
■ Social diversity
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17. Differences between areas
■ Core
– Condo living
– Car sharing
– Sport and concert facilities
– Cycle tracks
– Limited space
– Lots of people
– Homeless people
– History
– No car
■ Area surrounding the core
– Quiet
■ Suburbs
– More families and children
– Lakes
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20. #1
Proximity to
grocery stores,
etc.
#2
Proximity to
transportation
#3
Community
feel
General well being
Belonging,
connectedness
Less time
travelling
Steve, married with 1 child, lives in city core.
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21. #1
Proximity to
amenities and
work
#2
Wide variety
of activities
#3
Modern
look
Frees up time for enjoyable
things
Vanity
If there is more to
do we will do more
Shawn, young professional, lives in area surrounding city core.
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24. Observations
■ Location is important to most people
– People have different standards for why
location is important to them
– Downtowners want walkability/bike-ability
– Suburbanites are willing to drive
■ Diversity in top priorities
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25. Observations
■ Most people want to stay close to where they
currently live
– Downtowners want to stay central
– Suburbanites want to stay in suburbs
■ Change in family status would change housing
choice more than neighborhood choice
– People might need bigger homes in same/
similar area
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Medium to high income. Decision to locate was influenced by where her boyfriend lived as she moved into the condo he owns. They are looking to move in the next couple months hopefully to Renfrew where they are close to downtown but away from the noise and traffic and they can have a yard for their dog.
Student- low income. Doesn’t have a driver’s license so she primarily bikes everywhere she goes, including a ½ commute to the university by bike. She likes old things so when she found a 1960’s era apartment with no updates she took it for a steal of a deal. She has stayed there for 8 years and plans to live there for a couple more. When asked about constraints such as cost, Beth thinks that most neighborhoods have a variety of price ranges as long as you are not picky.
Steve bikes to work and wouldn’t have it any other way. He enjoys the convenience of having a train station nearby. Also they live on a priority snow clearing route which makes getting around easier.
Shawn walks 20 minutes to work in the downtown (sometimes takes the train). He lives with his girlfriend and a roommate in a newer apartment close to a range of amenities. He is a stereotypical Millennial, enjoying entertainment amenities in the neighborhood. He likes having a wide variety of activities to do because as he says, “If there is more to do we will do more”. His #1 priority for residential location is proximity to amenities and work because he views time commuting as wasted time. He used to live in the deep south and spent 2 hours a day commuting. He says he will never again live in the deep south, even if his family status changes.
Of the downturn, Shawn says that it has certainly made him be more careful as they are aware that he or his girlfriend could loose their job at any time. They are more cautious with purchases for decorating the house, doing it gradually over several months instead of all right up front when they moved in. As well a friend planned a stag party in the country instead of booking at a vacation destination to allow other friends who may have lost their jobs to attend the party.
Lives close to husband’s work. Price point and location were attractive . She like the neighborhood as it was designed with young families in mind and they were planning on starting a family when they moved there. She enjoys the hockey rinks, community centre, splash park, pathways, playgrounds, and pre-school in the neighborhood, building elementary school when they were moving there. Lots of young families so there are lots of young kids for her kids to grow up with. She really enjoys how nice the neighbors are.
Would like to live in a place with a more diverse housing mix, bigger yard, wish it had a lake. Cost is preventing them from living in a more ideal neighborhood, as well they just had a baby so it is inconvenient to move right now.
Like the European aesthetics Shopping centre nearby, safety is a concern. She uses the pathways where she walks around a pond, off-leash area in neighboring community. Frequents the little mainstreet with pubs and shops. Lots of parks.
Would rather live in NW, closer to family and friends. but can’t get the same house for the same price. Ideally she would like a rec centre and sports facilities closer by.
Loves the feeling of being independent and able to own her own place, something that generations before would not have been possible.
People downtown mention location or proximity to amenities as their top priorities. Location is still important to those in the suburbs but they talk about having the grocery stores, restaurants and amenities within driving distance rather than within walking distance. There is a wider variety of top priorities for those living in the suburbs. Some people are making decisions based on their spouse or partner, their kids or their dog.
