Waterloo ‘shines’ as Canada’s top city to attract newcomers

[ookpik]

Waterloo ‘shines’ as Canada’s top city to attract newcomers, economic think says

Waterloo is Canada's most attractive city for newcomers, says the Conference Board of Canada. Neghbouring cities, however, don't fare anywhere near as well in an analysis of 2011 Census and National Household Survey data, the economic think tank says. Guelph ranks 25th, Kitchener follows at 28th and Cambridge was 49th out of the 50 cities analyzed...

Waterloo received top grades education and innovation category, and was given A grades in economy, housing, and innovation. It was one of two cities that received an A for education, but received a D for health as it was in 48th place overall in that category. Kitchener, Cambridge, and Guelph also received D grades in health, because of the low number of specialist physicians.

[panamaniac]

I haven't read the Conference Board piece, but what a misleading result if Waterloo and Kitchener are ranked as two different cities with respect to matters like education, health, housing, and Innovation. Locals can only shake their heads and chuckle.

[ookpik]

I haven't read the Conference Board piece, but what a misleading result if Waterloo and Kitchener are ranked as two different cities with respect to matters like education, health, housing, and Innovation.

That's partly why I posted this. It seems odd that as soon as you cross the border from Waterloo to Kitchener you go from #1 to #28 overall. Yet the D grade on health seems to cross borders. That too is odd because while Waterloo has two universities to Kitchener's none, Kitchener has two hospitals to Waterloo's none.

[panamaniac]

Exactly. We may have two municipal administrations, but for people born and raised here (more recent arrivals to Waterloo sometimes seem to feel otherwise, I've noticed), K-W is a single city in terms of daily life.

[Shawn]

Exactly. We may have two municipal administrations, but for people born and raised here (more recent arrivals to Waterloo sometimes seem to feel otherwise, I've noticed), K-W is a single city in terms of daily life.

I completely agree - I was raised in Elmira and we would say we were going "to the city" or "KW" - not really making the distinction between the 2 cities. I've lived in both Kitchener & Waterloo (currently Kitchener but I feel the same way - it's a single city in terms of my daily life)

[Spokes]

I would guess the majority of people couldn't draw the border between Kitchener and Waterloo on a map.

[DanHerman]

What's perhaps most interesting in this ranking is that both W & K ranked very low on the health index. This was measured in large part via patient beds + physicians per capita. When you combine this with the fact that KW has the 2nd longest wait hospital wait times in the country, you can't help but wonder if population growth in the region has far outstripped what our hospitals are built to provide.

[panamaniac]

What's perhaps most interesting in this ranking is that both W & K ranked very low on the health index. This was measured in large part via patient beds + physicians per capita. When you combine this with the fact that KW has the 2nd longest wait hospital wait times in the country, you can't help but wonder if population growth in the region has far outstripped what our hospitals are built to provide.

It is, I think, more the fact that Kitchener/Waterloo does not have a teaching hospital. We have always been "poor cousins" in that regard, compared to cities like London, Hamilton, and Kingston. It has always made it harder for us to attract and retain top medical talent.

[DanHerman]

That would certainly explain physicians per capita. The UW/McMaster teaching clinic should begin to address the issue somewhat, however it won't address the issue of beds/capita.

[Spokes]

What's perhaps most interesting in this ranking is that both W & K ranked very low on the health index. This was measured in large part via patient beds + physicians per capita. When you combine this with the fact that KW has the 2nd longest wait hospital wait times in the country, you can't help but wonder if population growth in the region has far outstripped what our hospitals are built to provide.

I've been arguing for a while after talking to people in the health care industry, we really need a NEW hospital. Not to keep expanding those that we already have, we need another.

[panamaniac]

I'm holding out for a UofW medical faculty! Seriously, I wonder how much bigger K-W would need to be to merit a third hospital? Or is it more likely that Grand River and St Mary's will continue to be expanded?

[DanHerman]

I've begun to wonder the same thing re a third hospital. Based on the waiting times and beds per capita there seems to be a growing gap in service delivery.

[ookpik]

I've been arguing for a while after talking to people in the health care industry, we really need a NEW hospital.

Contrast with a mere 15 years ago when St Mary's almost became a fatal casualty in Mike Harris' "uncommon nonsense" revolutionary war against health care.

[Spokes]

I'm holding out for a UofW medical faculty! Seriously, I wonder how much bigger K-W would need to be to merit a third hospital? Or is it more likely that Grand River and St Mary's will continue to be expanded?

My guess is that with the McMaster medical faculty, you won't see UW get one.

I hope a 3rd one gets built before money is spent on more expansions. Those in the industry feel the same.

[mpd618]

I've been arguing for a while after talking to people in the health care industry, we really need a NEW hospital. Not to keep expanding those that we already have, we need another.

I don't understand what problem this would solve.