Toronto ranks first in the 2014 YouthfulCities Index. It performs well across most categories, winning the Diversity category and finishing in the top five in Digital Access, Youth Employment, Financial Access, Economic Status, Food and Nightlife, Music and Film, Fashion and Art, and Public Space, Sport and Gaming. However, it ranks 18th in Safety and Mental Health due to a high suicide rate, and performs relatively poorly in Civic Participation. The report recommends Toronto increase youth involvement in local government and improve support systems for youth mental health crises.
This special edition of the Economist -- in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation and OECD -- explores long-term living standards, crises and their impact; technology and jobs; pensions, and migration and climate change.
Suburban poverty affects over 16.4 million people across the U.S. and is growing rapidly, significantly outpacing the growth rate of urban poverty over the last decade (64% vs. 29%). Experts suggest that the problem of suburban poverty is “the new normal.” While the basic needs of the poor in the suburbs are similar to those of the urban poor (e.g. education inequity, poor access to quality healthcare etc.), there are some critical systemic differences (e.g. limited transportation options, jurisdictional challenges etc.). These challenges are further exacerbated by the lack of awareness and understanding of the problem and
potential solutions.
Our first issue of 2013 starts with three important topics that are recently receiving much attention,
but whose consequences and dynamics are difficult to grasp. These three topics deserve another
look because the visibility of some events may hinder what are their actual potential in the future.
Our first article is about various countries in the South American region organizing macro-events
in order to attract tourist and promote their service sector —where a great portion of informal jobs
and precariousness exist. Governments are investing heavily in creating infrastructure and giving
all the support that the private sector needs to organize successful events. Nevertheless, these
events are just the tip of the iceberg: governments may be losing the opportunity of having a wave
of tourist in the next ten years in order to extend benefits to a vast group of informal workers that
depend on services that tourist demand, such as retailing, restaurants, and tours, among others.
Climate change is making things worse for vulnerable population in South American countries.
Nevertheless, the rhetoric at negotiation tables still refers to the time when the Kyoto Protocol was
being designed. Such clear division of responsibilities between developed and developing countries
simply cannot hold in a post-Kyoto world. It is now that such divisions are becoming a
insurmountable barrier to reach an agreement. Nevertheless, such divisions of interests, goals and
coalitions has roots in the growing diversity of countries in the region, but they cannot be a pretext
for not reaching a shared criteria to deal with global negotiations about climate change.
Participation was, two decades ago, the flavor of the month in development policies. Giving power
to people in democracies was a correct strategy to improve social services and design public
policies. Nevertheless, the growing gap between the political discourse on what participation can
potentially bring and what actually achieves in most localities is giving ammunition to some
authorities to reverse participatory processes. Again, cities need to be creative, not only by
improving consultations with alternative techniques to reach people that has been reluctant to
participate, but also by improving their internal bureaucratic processes to become more responsive
and open to citizens’ preferences.
Smart cities-what's in it for citizens report: Smart Cities Technologies Give...DESMOND YUEN
The concept of “smart cities,” which employs Internet of Things (IoT) technologies such as connected sensors, meters and lights to collect and analyze data to improve public infrastructure and services, holds the promise to dramatically change the way citizens live, work and get around. But is there a way to tangibly measure these benefits?
Yes, there is. An Intel-sponsored study by Juniper Research estimates that smart cities have the potential to “give back” a remarkable 125 hours to every resident every year. Additionally, the study ranks the top 20 smart cities worldwide across four key areas: mobility, health care, public safety and productivity, and reveals how these cities deliver positive outcomes for increased time savings and productivity, increases in health and overall quality of life, and a safer environment.
In this deck from the HPC User Forum, Kelly Gaither from TACC presents: The Computing4Change Program.
"Computing4Change is a competition empowering people to create change through computing.
The competition is for students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds who want to work collaboratively to:
* Learn to apply data analysis and computational thinking to a social challenge
* Experience the latest tools and techniques for exploring data through visualization
* Expand skills in team-based problem solving
* Learn how to communicate ideas more effectively to the general public
Watch the video: https://wp.me/p3RLHQ-k7O
Learn more: https://www.sighpc.org/for-our-community/computing4change
and
http://hpcuserforum.com
Sign up for our insideHPC Newsletter: insidehpc.com/newsletter
This special edition of the Economist -- in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation and OECD -- explores long-term living standards, crises and their impact; technology and jobs; pensions, and migration and climate change.
Suburban poverty affects over 16.4 million people across the U.S. and is growing rapidly, significantly outpacing the growth rate of urban poverty over the last decade (64% vs. 29%). Experts suggest that the problem of suburban poverty is “the new normal.” While the basic needs of the poor in the suburbs are similar to those of the urban poor (e.g. education inequity, poor access to quality healthcare etc.), there are some critical systemic differences (e.g. limited transportation options, jurisdictional challenges etc.). These challenges are further exacerbated by the lack of awareness and understanding of the problem and
potential solutions.
Our first issue of 2013 starts with three important topics that are recently receiving much attention,
but whose consequences and dynamics are difficult to grasp. These three topics deserve another
look because the visibility of some events may hinder what are their actual potential in the future.
Our first article is about various countries in the South American region organizing macro-events
in order to attract tourist and promote their service sector —where a great portion of informal jobs
and precariousness exist. Governments are investing heavily in creating infrastructure and giving
all the support that the private sector needs to organize successful events. Nevertheless, these
events are just the tip of the iceberg: governments may be losing the opportunity of having a wave
of tourist in the next ten years in order to extend benefits to a vast group of informal workers that
depend on services that tourist demand, such as retailing, restaurants, and tours, among others.
Climate change is making things worse for vulnerable population in South American countries.
Nevertheless, the rhetoric at negotiation tables still refers to the time when the Kyoto Protocol was
being designed. Such clear division of responsibilities between developed and developing countries
simply cannot hold in a post-Kyoto world. It is now that such divisions are becoming a
insurmountable barrier to reach an agreement. Nevertheless, such divisions of interests, goals and
coalitions has roots in the growing diversity of countries in the region, but they cannot be a pretext
for not reaching a shared criteria to deal with global negotiations about climate change.
Participation was, two decades ago, the flavor of the month in development policies. Giving power
to people in democracies was a correct strategy to improve social services and design public
policies. Nevertheless, the growing gap between the political discourse on what participation can
potentially bring and what actually achieves in most localities is giving ammunition to some
authorities to reverse participatory processes. Again, cities need to be creative, not only by
improving consultations with alternative techniques to reach people that has been reluctant to
participate, but also by improving their internal bureaucratic processes to become more responsive
and open to citizens’ preferences.
Smart cities-what's in it for citizens report: Smart Cities Technologies Give...DESMOND YUEN
The concept of “smart cities,” which employs Internet of Things (IoT) technologies such as connected sensors, meters and lights to collect and analyze data to improve public infrastructure and services, holds the promise to dramatically change the way citizens live, work and get around. But is there a way to tangibly measure these benefits?
Yes, there is. An Intel-sponsored study by Juniper Research estimates that smart cities have the potential to “give back” a remarkable 125 hours to every resident every year. Additionally, the study ranks the top 20 smart cities worldwide across four key areas: mobility, health care, public safety and productivity, and reveals how these cities deliver positive outcomes for increased time savings and productivity, increases in health and overall quality of life, and a safer environment.
In this deck from the HPC User Forum, Kelly Gaither from TACC presents: The Computing4Change Program.
"Computing4Change is a competition empowering people to create change through computing.
The competition is for students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds who want to work collaboratively to:
* Learn to apply data analysis and computational thinking to a social challenge
* Experience the latest tools and techniques for exploring data through visualization
* Expand skills in team-based problem solving
* Learn how to communicate ideas more effectively to the general public
Watch the video: https://wp.me/p3RLHQ-k7O
Learn more: https://www.sighpc.org/for-our-community/computing4change
and
http://hpcuserforum.com
Sign up for our insideHPC Newsletter: insidehpc.com/newsletter
Global young people report (digital) 2017Anochi.com.
YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD SHARE LIBERAL VALUES, ARE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE, BUT DIVIDED ON FREE SPEECH, ACCORDING TO NEW GLOBAL SURVEY
Most up-to-date comprehensive global study of the attitudes and wellbeing of 15- to 21-year-olds in 20 countries published today by the Varkey Foundation
Tim Williams, Chief Executive of the Committee for Sydney, gave this presentation as a framing for a workshop in Sydney between U.S. and Australian economic development leaders.
2016 Social Progress Index Media Brief - Long Versionsocprog
The 2016 Social Progress Index launched June 28. It covers 133 countries with 53 indicators of social and environmental outcomes. Higher GDP per capita alone does not determine real quality of life. The Index ranks Finland the world’s most socially progressive country; Canada in second place tops the G7 nations. Economic growth is not the sole determinant of quality of life. The 2016 Index finds that while social progress—which includes measures of opportunity, healthcare, education and tolerance—does tend to rise as GDP increases, economic wealth on its own does not explain social progress outcomes. Read the full report and explore the interactive data tool at http://socialprogressimperative.org/global-index/
The Millennial Generation: Who They Are & Why You Need ThemMorgan Smith
Delivered at Longmont Startup Week 2016 by Morgan Smith. These slides focus on the generational story and profile of the Millennial Generation and outline the economics, consumption habits, politics, and workplace habits around Millennials and then answers why we need them. The slides are only part of the presentation delivered by Morgan and hearing him in person completes your understanding of the information presented.
Regional Open House Presentation-April 2014Heartland2050
John Fregonese, Principal of Fregonese Associates and lead consultant on the project, provided the public with an update and review of the four scenarios for growth over the next 40 years.
This presentation was also presented at the April 17th Steering Committee meeting.
This year’s report is devoted to young people, to the problems they face and to their opportunities, and to their position in society as a social group. Both problems and opportunities are understood from a human development standpoint, beyond tangible material opportunities or opportunities related to livelihoods. Apart from education, employment and security, these include societal and spiritual issues for young people and opportunities to share important societal values with other generations, to feel themselves a part of society so that they can govern principles of solidarity and respect not only material but also the spiritual needs of all generations.
Normal life came to an abrupt halt in the first quarter of 2020 as the COVID-19 virus spread around the globe. Confronted by myriad unprecedented challenges, including political and economic unrest, the closure of civic space, and a decline in financial viability, CSOs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) demonstrated remarkable resilience. They reacted quickly to the constantly changing circumstances by providing critical services, thereby demonstrating their value to the societies in which they are based. In addition, CSOs increasingly adopted new technologies, allowing them to develop new ways of working, providing services to their constituents, and increasing their own capacities. The pandemic thus served as a litmus test, both exposing CSOs’ vulnerabilities and highlighting their resilience. This year’s CSO Sustainability Index for MENA, which reports on the state of CSO sectors in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen, describes both these opportunities and challenges.
ISPIM Future Agenda - Six key challenges and major innovation opportunities...Future Agenda
A keynote at ISPIM conference in Porto on 20 June 2016 sharing insights from the latest Future Agenda programme. Focuses initially on the 6 key challenges for for next decade for future of people, place, power, belief, behaviour and business. Then shares some views from global discussions on the world in 2025 before adding in 6 major innovation opportunities for the next decade include food waste, data marketplaces, sanitation, ethical machines and deeper collaboration.
This is shared with the innovation community to hopefully inspire new actions.
Gender and traditional demographics are becoming less and less relevant. Toy, influencers, education, beauty, media, and shopping trends are discussed.
Presentation of the Social Progress Index at the Organization of American Sta...socprog
Social Progress Imperative's Vice-Chair Roberto Artavia Loría presented the Social Progress Index at the Organization of American States Social Ministries Network (REMDES) event in Asuncion, Paraguay on July 13, 2016 as an optional framework for their work in the Americas.
Trinity Kings World Leadership: "Ambassador of Leadership for the World"...Ma...Terrell Patillo
1 Samuel 9:6Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 The servant said to him, “Look here, in this city there is a man of God, and the man is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Now let us go there; perhaps he can advise us about our journey [and tell us where we should go].”
Global young people report (digital) 2017Anochi.com.
YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD SHARE LIBERAL VALUES, ARE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE, BUT DIVIDED ON FREE SPEECH, ACCORDING TO NEW GLOBAL SURVEY
Most up-to-date comprehensive global study of the attitudes and wellbeing of 15- to 21-year-olds in 20 countries published today by the Varkey Foundation
Tim Williams, Chief Executive of the Committee for Sydney, gave this presentation as a framing for a workshop in Sydney between U.S. and Australian economic development leaders.
2016 Social Progress Index Media Brief - Long Versionsocprog
The 2016 Social Progress Index launched June 28. It covers 133 countries with 53 indicators of social and environmental outcomes. Higher GDP per capita alone does not determine real quality of life. The Index ranks Finland the world’s most socially progressive country; Canada in second place tops the G7 nations. Economic growth is not the sole determinant of quality of life. The 2016 Index finds that while social progress—which includes measures of opportunity, healthcare, education and tolerance—does tend to rise as GDP increases, economic wealth on its own does not explain social progress outcomes. Read the full report and explore the interactive data tool at http://socialprogressimperative.org/global-index/
The Millennial Generation: Who They Are & Why You Need ThemMorgan Smith
Delivered at Longmont Startup Week 2016 by Morgan Smith. These slides focus on the generational story and profile of the Millennial Generation and outline the economics, consumption habits, politics, and workplace habits around Millennials and then answers why we need them. The slides are only part of the presentation delivered by Morgan and hearing him in person completes your understanding of the information presented.
Regional Open House Presentation-April 2014Heartland2050
John Fregonese, Principal of Fregonese Associates and lead consultant on the project, provided the public with an update and review of the four scenarios for growth over the next 40 years.
This presentation was also presented at the April 17th Steering Committee meeting.
This year’s report is devoted to young people, to the problems they face and to their opportunities, and to their position in society as a social group. Both problems and opportunities are understood from a human development standpoint, beyond tangible material opportunities or opportunities related to livelihoods. Apart from education, employment and security, these include societal and spiritual issues for young people and opportunities to share important societal values with other generations, to feel themselves a part of society so that they can govern principles of solidarity and respect not only material but also the spiritual needs of all generations.
Normal life came to an abrupt halt in the first quarter of 2020 as the COVID-19 virus spread around the globe. Confronted by myriad unprecedented challenges, including political and economic unrest, the closure of civic space, and a decline in financial viability, CSOs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) demonstrated remarkable resilience. They reacted quickly to the constantly changing circumstances by providing critical services, thereby demonstrating their value to the societies in which they are based. In addition, CSOs increasingly adopted new technologies, allowing them to develop new ways of working, providing services to their constituents, and increasing their own capacities. The pandemic thus served as a litmus test, both exposing CSOs’ vulnerabilities and highlighting their resilience. This year’s CSO Sustainability Index for MENA, which reports on the state of CSO sectors in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen, describes both these opportunities and challenges.
ISPIM Future Agenda - Six key challenges and major innovation opportunities...Future Agenda
A keynote at ISPIM conference in Porto on 20 June 2016 sharing insights from the latest Future Agenda programme. Focuses initially on the 6 key challenges for for next decade for future of people, place, power, belief, behaviour and business. Then shares some views from global discussions on the world in 2025 before adding in 6 major innovation opportunities for the next decade include food waste, data marketplaces, sanitation, ethical machines and deeper collaboration.
This is shared with the innovation community to hopefully inspire new actions.
Gender and traditional demographics are becoming less and less relevant. Toy, influencers, education, beauty, media, and shopping trends are discussed.
Presentation of the Social Progress Index at the Organization of American Sta...socprog
Social Progress Imperative's Vice-Chair Roberto Artavia Loría presented the Social Progress Index at the Organization of American States Social Ministries Network (REMDES) event in Asuncion, Paraguay on July 13, 2016 as an optional framework for their work in the Americas.
Trinity Kings World Leadership: "Ambassador of Leadership for the World"...Ma...Terrell Patillo
1 Samuel 9:6Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 The servant said to him, “Look here, in this city there is a man of God, and the man is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Now let us go there; perhaps he can advise us about our journey [and tell us where we should go].”
Can I See Your ID? The Policing of Youth Homelessness in TorontoTheHomelessHub
Homelessness, and its visibility, is back in the news in Toronto. Concerns about the scourge of panhandling have once again surfaced in local media with city councillors regularly weighing in on the ‘problem’. With little evidence that there is a dramatic increase in the numbers of people sleeping in parks or ‘aggressively’ panhandling on sidewalks, calls are once again being made for a law and order response to address this highly visible manifestation of urban poverty; to crack down on homelessness with tougher laws and stricter enforcement.
All of this raises important questions about how we respond to homelessness in Canada. What does it say about Canadians when popular thought suggests that the appropriate way to address the problem of homelessness is through law enforcement? Is the use of police in dealing with people who are homeless as much a part of the Canadian response to homelessness as is the provision of shelter beds, soup kitchens and street outreach? And perhaps most importantly, what is the impact of a law and order approach to homelessness on the lives of people who experience such extreme poverty?
This report sets out to document the criminalization of homelessness in Canada by exploring the relationship between homeless persons – in particular, street youth - and law enforcement officials (both the police and private security). Drawing from over 240 interviews with street youth in Toronto in 2009, as well as a review of official statistics on Ontario Safe Streets Act tickets in Toronto over the past 11 years, we explore the ways in which homelessness has been criminalized through a law and order agenda. Effective policy should be informed by research, not developed as a response to moral panics. Our research raises serious questions about the use of law enforcement as a strategy to address the visibility of homelessness in Canada.
Ciudades con mayor proyección de futuro 2014PwC España
+info: http://pwc.re/15ebi
El informe "Ciudades con mayor proyección de futuro" analiza un grupo de 30 grandes ciudades de todo el mundo -entre las que se encuentra Madrid- consideradas como buenos ejemplos de centros urbanos atractivos, dinámicos, llenos de oportunidades y de futuro. El análisis se realiza a partir de diez grandes indicadores y 59 subindicadores de carácter económico, social y cultural.
Etude PwC "Cities of Opportunity" (2014)PwC France
www.pwc.com/cities
Avec un recul de 2 places, Paris quitte le peloton des 5 premières villes mondiales (avec Stockholm). Elle demeure néanmoins parmi les 10 meilleures pour 7 de nos 10 indicateurs, avec une amélioration dans les domaines de la santé et de la sécurité.
El estudio analiza treinta grandes urbes de todo el mundo -a partir de 67 variables agrupadas en diez grandes indicadores-, consideradas buenos ejemplos de cómo debe ser una ciudad moderna y atractiva. Londres vuelve a ocupar la primera posición por delante de Singapur y Toronto. Madrid se sitúa en el lugar número 16 y destaca por su capacidad e influencia económica.
Foreign Policy for an Urban World: Global Governance and the Rise of Citiesatlanticcouncil
In the latest FutureScape issue brief from the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security's Strategic Foresight Initiative, author Peter Engelke discusses the long-term economic, environmental, and policy implications of urbanization. Entitled "Foreign Policy for an Urban World: Global Governance and the Rise of Cities," the brief examines how urbanization is hastening the global diffusion of power and how cities themselves are increasingly important nodes of power in global politics.
The Global Cities Index (GCI) provides a comprehensive ranking of the leading global cities from around the world. It is designed to track the way cities plan as their populations grow and the world continues to shrink.
A new Ericsson ConsumerLab report looks at what makes a city a desirable place to live.
Among the findings is that people in megacities give mobile network coverage the fourth-highest satisfaction rating, alongside water distribution and the availability of social spaces, ranging from cafés to entertainment facilities. On the other hand, poor air quality and lack of parking lead to dissatisfaction.
Youth demands for the New Urban Agenda (Habitat III)Alice Junqueira
This document’s goal is to contribute to the international conversation about youth and cities governance and it’s importance to the urban sustainable development agenda.
The work is specially aimed to contribute to the discussions of The Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) - The New Urban Agenda (NUA), but it should not be restricted to it. Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, Population and Development Agenda, Human Rights Agenda, and other international agendas are also agendas to which the urban issue is central, since we live in an urban world and cities are core to achieve more just and sustainable societies.
The purpose of this report is to take 50 of the world’s most prominent cities and look at how viable they are as places to live, their environmental impact, their financial stability, and how these elements complement one another.
All 50 of these brilliantly different cities are in various stages of evolution – some being further along the sustainability journey than others. Each possesses its own geolocation and cultural distinctions but shares common urban challenges in the areas of job creation, mobility, resiliency and improving the quality of life of its residents.
NB: Press Cutting Service
This article is culled from daily press coverage from around the world. It is posted on the Urban Gateway by way of keeping all users informed about matters of interest. The opinion expressed in this article is that of the author and in no way reflects the opinion of UN-Habitat
Author: ARCADIS
Category: Report
2. 02
Youth (15-29 yrs.) are at the centre of urbanization. They add energy, vibrancy, creativity
and digital age talent to cities. Youth build a city’s competitive edge, stimulate development
and find new solutions. They are the future of cities... now. But which cities are taking
advantage of this positive economic, social and political potential? Which cities will get
ahead?
YouthfulCities has worked with thousands of youth in 25 mega cities across the five
major global regions to build a way to measure and map cities from a youth perspective.
With more than 100 different indicators and 2500 points of data we are building an
unparalleled base of knowledge about cities and youth. This ranking sets up a unique urban
competition between the world’s great cities. YouthfulCities also amplifies the voice and
creativity of youth to build better, smarter, greener, more prosperous, ingenious, respectful,
playful, more dynamic cities.
Experience behind YouthfulCities - Decode founding partner www.decode.net
Since 1994, Decode has worked with global corporations and NGOs to create ideas and initiatives built by youth that
truly engage youth. Now with the founding of YouthfulCities, Decode, its global partners and a network of dedicated young
social entrepreneurs in the biggest cities in the world are creating better cities with youth in the drivers seat.
And that’s just the start.
Next year we will rank 100 cities
More than 50%
of the world’s
population is
under 30
More than 50%
of the world’s
population lives
in cities.
ShA
TOk
JbG
kiN
CA
iS T
LAG
LON
PA R
bRL
ROM
MuM
MNA
LA
TOR
NYCChi
DAL
NAi
SeO
MXC
bOG
LiM
SP
bA
3. 03
Toronto finishes as the most youthful city overall in the 2014 Index with
a score of 843.85 out of a possible 1353. Toronto’s top place finish is
a result of its broad strengths in the majority of the 16 categories. It wins
the Diversity category outright and finishes in the top five of eight other
categories: Digital Access, Youth Employment, Financial Access, Economic
Status, Food and Nightlife, Music and Film, Fashion and Art, and the Public
Space, Sport and Gaming category. When ranked by theme, Toronto
finishes 4th overall in live, 5th in work and 2nd in play.
Toronto Population:
2.6 million
Toronto Area (km²):
630
Youth Population:
20.85%
Density (people/km²):
4,150.89
T O R O N T O
Live
312.86
work
240.96
play
287.15
843.85
1st Overall
4. 04
Overview
Toronto has a reputation for being one of the world’s most multicultural cities,
a reality that is confirmed as it tops the diversity category. Here it wins the
Number of Voting Languages indicator outright, with 26 languages to vote in,
scoring 40% higher than Chicago, the 2nd place city. Another strength exists
in Toronto’s 3rd overall finish in the economic status category. Torontonians
find themselves among the highest minimum wage earners, earning an
average $10.20 per hour and finishing in 4th place. Elsewhere, Toronto’s
strong performance in the public space, sport and gaming category comes
as a result of its 4th place finish in per capita number of public libraries, with
98, and its 5th place finish in per capita number of municipally maintained
recreation facilities, with 596. According to Bruce Wayne Yip, Toronto
entrepreneur and sport and gaming enthusiast, “Toronto boasts hundreds
of sports clubs for youth outside of school and work. With Toronto’s ever-
changing weather, new amateur sports leagues/clubs begin each quarter,
and for top-tier athletes, Toronto has some of the most renowned coaches in
the world for track and field, swimming, martial arts and hockey.” Toronto has
over 60 sports leagues and clubs, which include some very unique sports such
as dodgeball, hang gliding, and underwater hockey.
Despite its wealth of assets, the Index also reveals that Toronto’s challenges
lie largely in the areas of civic participation, where it finishes with a relatively
low number of youth engaged formally with city council (36), and safety and
mental health, where it finishes 18th overall and has the 3rd highest number
of suicides per capita, at 598. This last liability brings to light a serious issue
faced by youth in Toronto, and reflects the possibility that young people in
the city find themselves without the necessary supports when working through
mental health distress.
Despite these liabilities, Toronto’s broad strengths in the majority of areas
researched indicates that it is a city that benefits immensely from its diversity
and remains a place that can both actively attract mobile youth as well as
secure its current youth population.
T O R O N T O
Recommendations
As mentioned, Toronto shows weakness in both the safety and mental health as
well as the civic participation categories. Each of these exist as opportunities
for relationships between government and society to be better fostered, in order
to initiate and/or maximize the potential for projects serving these important
public interests.
The high number of suicides in the city reflects a need for crisis intervention
measures and processes that ensure individuals can access support when it
is needed. While Toronto boasts Canada’s largest mental health facility - the
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - it houses a modest 12 beds for youth
in crisis, which could bear an increase. Crisis intervention also comes from
organizations like Distress Centre, which handled over 133,000 calls in 2012.
While encouraging, the statistics show that the city nonetheless has the 3rd
highest suicide rate per capita. This suggests that more programs like Distress
Centre are needed, and overall that a more coordinated service delivery model
for youth in mental health crisis might be necessary.
Regarding Toronto’s weakness in the civic participation category, as mentioned,
one key reason for this is the relatively small number of youth engaged formally
with city council. There are at present a maximum of 36 youth involved at
any given time. At certain times this is lower. One recommendation would be
to increase this to a full-time 44 youth at minimum, which would line up with
the number of wards in the city. Having one youth per ward would be key to
enabling the system to more promptly assess and provide for the varied needs
of youth in the city. This would in turn nurture a larger youth population that will
emerge from youth council better suited to flourish in civic and political life.
5. 05
T O R O N T O
Toronto finishes 1st in Diversity
“It’s exciting to find out that Toronto is not only a multicultural city, but one that
values the voice and political participation of its hugely varied ethno-lingual
groups. Toronto is a city that makes space for any individual regardless of
age, gender, sexual orientation, or language, which is in part reflected by
the fact that the city has the highest number of languages to vote in, when
measured against the remaining 24 cities on the YouthfulCities Global Index.”
- Gabriella Penev
Key Comments
M o l l y L e a t h e m - Urban Decoder
Molly is a recent graduate from the Arts and Contemporary Studies program at Ryerson University,
specializing in History. She is interested in combining her passion for urban histories with city
building.
G a b r i e l l a P e n e v - Urban Decoder
Gabriella recently received her Bachelor’s degree from Ryerson University in Global Studies and
has experience leading international community development projects. She hopes to pursue a
Master’s degree in contemporary cross-cultural histories.
Toronto finishes 2nd in Music and Film
“Toronto’s film industry is one of the most robust in North America. The Toronto
International Film Festival has come to the fore as one of the industry leaders
in supporting young and up-and-coming filmmakers. The city itself boasts a
huge industry of post production, prop and equipment rental along with the
skilled trades necessary for producing major feature productions down to
the smallest types of films and music videos. The Canadian Film Centre has
a program almost like grad school for filmmakers. Toronto International Film
Festival has TIFF Talent Lab, Jump Cuts for high school kids, TIFF Studio for
young producers and TIFF Rising Stars for young actors. It’s not surprising to
me that Toronto does so well in this category.” - Joseph Clement, Documentary
Filmmaker
A very special thank-you goes out to Ryerson University, our academic partner and supporter in
Toronto, through which we were extremely fortunate to have access to a number of students. This group
contributed to the Toronto data collection over the summer of 2013.
Special Thanks:
6. 06
The 2014 YouthfulCities Index ranks the performance of 25 of the world’s most
populous cities from a youth perspective. It evaluates how youth LIVE, WORK
and PLAY in their urban settings, in order to determine how cities are serving
their youth, and discover how youth can be better integrated and engaged in
their cities. YouthfulCities provides municipalities, businesses and individuals
the chance to asses how they can better support young people in their cities
and engages youth to take initiative in joining with these partners to create
exceptional urban communities.
Between January and November 2013, youth analysts collected and evaluated
data on 80 indicators across 16 categories and 3 themes. There are two types
of indicators that were “normalized” across the cities: those that measure the
cost of an item and those that measure the per capita number of an item.
M e t h odology
Thirteen indicators reflect the cost of a given item. The data for these
indicators was normalized and compared by expressing it relative to one hour
of minimum wage labour in the given city. For example, if a movie ticket cost
$15 and minimum wage was $10, then 1.5 would be the city’s score in this
indicator. All local currencies were normalized to US dollars. Where cost data
is referred to below, the costs expressed are the amount of a given item in US
dollars, before being expressed as a unit of minimum wage.
Fourteen of the indicators are evaluated per capita. Where per capita data is
referred to below, the numbers are expressed as absolutes, taken before per
capita calculations. Expressing the results of these insights, this year’s Index
largely reflects information current for 2012.
7. 07
Live
Civic Participation
Percentage of population 15-29 years old
Voting age
Volunteer opportunities
Political influence
Diversity
Languages to vote in
Diversity of food
Openness to LGBT
Openness to immigrants
Openness to religion
Internal Transport
Kilometers of public transportation
Hours per week dedicated transit operates
Bike rentals
Kilometers of bike paths, per capita
Driving age
Commuter time by car
Commuter time by transit
Commuter time by foot
Walkability
Transit cost monthly
Digital Access
Extent of WIFI free at universities
Extent of WIFI free in public transit
Extent of WIFI free in libraries
Extent of WIFI free in public squares
Extent of WIFI free in cafes
Cost per minute prepaid cell service, no plan
Mobile phone infrastructure
Cost per hour of internet access in web cafe
Environmental Sustainability
Water scale
Quantity of recycled waste, per capita
Carbon emissions, per capita
Number of types of recycled materials
Total cars, per capita
Safety & Mental Health
Homicides, per capita
Suicides, per capita
Work
Education Access
Post-secondary institutions, per capita
Tuition fees
Youth Employment
Youth unemployment rate
Youth employment centers
Student debt
Entrepreneurship
Age to register a business
Early stage entrepreneurial activity
Entrepreneurship incubators
Financial Access
Age to open a business bank account
Number of chartered banks
Age for personal banking availability
Financial literacy
Economic Status
Minimum wage
Annual income
Housing
Student housing
GINI coefficient
Consumption tax
Play
Food & Nightlife
Number of nightclubs, per capita
Number of restaurants, per capita
Cost of fast food meal
Cost of 12 large eggs
Music & Film
Film festivals, per capita
Number of cinema seats per capita
Cost of movie ticket
Music festivals
Cost of music concert
Fashion & Art
Graffiti and street art
Is there a youth fashion showcase
Is there a fashion incubator
Number of design schools, per capita
Regional & Global Connectivity
Number of cities connected by direct flights
Getaway city train cost
Getaway city train distance
Getaway city train frequency
Getaway city bus cost
Getaway city bus distance
Getaway city bus frequency
Getaway city plane cost
Getaway city plane distance
Getaway city plane frequency
Cost of hostel stay
Public Space, Sport and Gaming
Municipally operated green space, per capita
Number public libraries, per capita
Municipally maintained recreation facilities, per
capita
Gatherings of gamers
C at e gory Ind i cators
TOR
NYC
CHI
DAL
LA
MXC
LIM
BOG
SP
BA
TOK
SEO
MNA
MUM
SHA
LON
BRL
ROM
PAR
IST
CAI
NAI
JBG
KIN
LAG
NORTH AMERICA
Toronto, Canada
New York City, USA
Chicago, USA
Dallas, USA
Los Angeles, USA
LATIN AMERICA
Mexico City, Mexico
Lima, Peru
Bogota, Colombia
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Buenos Aires, Argentina
ASIA
Tokyo, Japan
Seoul, Korea
Manila, Philippines
Mumbai, India
Shanghai, China
EUROPE
London, UK
Berlin, Germany
Rome, Italy
Paris, France
Istanbul, Turkey
AFRICA
Cairo, Egypt
Nairobi, Kenya
Johannesburg, South Africa
Kinshasa, DRC
Lagos, Nigeria
Geographic Regions
8. 08
0
5
1
0
1
5
2
0
2
5
3
0
3
5
4
0
4
5
5
0
5
5
6
0
6
5
7
0
7
5
8
0
8
5
9
0
9
5
1
0
0
TOR
27.11
LA
30.81
DAL
31.46
Chi
33.57
NYC
40.80
SP
45.32
LiM
46.06
MXC
62.23
0
5
1
0
1
5
2
0
2
5
3
0
3
5
4
0
4
5
5
0
5
5
6
0
6
5
7
0
7
5
8
0
8
5
9
0
9
5
1
00
DA L
51.46
LA
51.86
NY C
54.48
Ch i
66.00
LO N
77.25
TO R
78.32
0
5
1
0
1
5
2
0
2
5
3
0
3
5
4
0
4
5
5
0
5
5
6
0
6
5
7
0
7
5
8
0
8
5
9
0
9
5
1
00
bRL
73.46
PAR
72.39
bA
62.77
NYC
60.71
Chi
59.98TOR
53.06
DAL
52.96
LA
48.63
0
5
1
0
1
5
2
0
2
5
3
0
3
5
4
0
4
5
5
0
5
5
6
0
6
5
7
0
7
5
8
0
8
5
9
0
9
5
1
00
PAR
93.57
LON
85.79
TOk
74.32
TOR
71.88
LA
68.61
Chi
67.39
DAL
65.86
NYC
65.57
0
5
1
0
1
5
2
0
2
5
3
0
3
5
4
0
4
5
5
0
5
5
6
0
6
5
7
0
7
5
8
0
8
5
9
0
9
5
1
00
Se O
71.86
MN A
67.30
bA
65.66
NY C
61.21
TO R
53.79
LA
42.30
Ch i
36.77
DA L
32.04
0
5
1
0
1
5
2
0
2
5
3
0
3
5
4
0
4
5
5
0
5
5
6
0
6
5
7
0
7
5
8
0
8
5
9
0
9
5
1
00
LiM
94.58
kiN
94.57
LAG
94.36
NYC
85.16
TOR
73.54
DAL
64.78
Chi
60.32
LA
59.69
Live HIGHLOW
Civic Participation
Diversity
Internal Transportation
Digital Access
Environmental Sustainability
Safety & Mental Health
3rd
1st
2nd
3rd
1st
2nd
3rd 1st
2nd
3rd
1st2nd
3rd
1st
2nd
3rd
1st
2nd
11. 11
The 2014 YouthfulCities Index is an ambitious
collaborative effort to analyze 25 cities around the
world from a unique youth perspective. Our venture
aims to add another 75 cities over the next year, in
order to bring the total number of cities ranked to
100 for the second iteration of our Index.
Want to join the global
effort to create better cities
built by youth?
Add Your City to the global initiative to rank the world’s top cities from a youth
perspective.
Here’s how it works:
Our innovative City Package will build unprecedented knowledge about
Your City, helping to move local urban development in a groundbreaking
new direction. We employ unique and innovative measures to calculate and
harness the real potential of today’s youth. By combining our passion for
seeking out ever-changing urban youth perspectives with a hybrid approach
to gathering information, creating insights and fueling youth-oriented local
ventures, the YouthfulCities City Package will transform Your City into a
dynamic and engaging hub for youth to live, work, and play.
Our strategy involves four interconnected steps to bridge the gap between
youth and Your City. We initiate the process by:
• Sourcing and developing a local candidate to act as Your City’s
Urban Decoder
• Launching a locally customized Urban Youth Survey
• Developing a city specific YouthfulCities INDEX
• Establishing the 30Network to harness the creativity and expertise of
leading young professionals in Your City.
From building a diverse network of young leaders, to creating a comparable
city database, the City Package will connect you to the global network of
youthful cities and give you the edge to attract and retain youth to make Your
City better.
Click here for more details about how to get your city involved.
Get your city involved in the
next Youthfulcities index