More people, more problems

It seems that many Albertans, caught in the crunch of our long running population boom, really, really want the new migrants gone:

Turned off by traffic jams, increasing crime and housing costs, the majority of Calgarians polled by the city said their quality of life has deteriorated in the past three years.The 2007 Citizen Satisfaction Survey found 61 per cent of those polled said their quality of life had declined since 2004, compared to 51 per cent in the 2006 survey.Overall, 67 per cent said life in Calgary was good or very good, a drop from 85 per cent just two years earlier and 77 per cent in 2006.

But does quality of life really decrease as population increases or are native Albertans ill equipped to dealing with the change? Well, let’s look at the minuses of Calgary’s growth. The rapid increase in Calgary’s population has led to urban sprawl, meaning the city is spreading into rural lands, mostly with sparsely spaced, single dwelling family homes several kilometres away from the nearest gas station, grocery store, etc. With Calgary so spread out, people have come to rely heavily on their cars, causing, in some people’s minds, adverse health effects. Back in 2003, the American Journal of Health found that, due to reliance on automobiles, people get fatter in suburbs than inner cities, where amenities are within walking distance. The city’s growth has also resulted in absurd home prices, making it almost impossible to buy or rent unless equipped with a high paying job. For a growing number of Albertans this seems too much to handle. 

About 30,000 people moved to Alberta in June — and nearly 23,000 packed up and left, according to Statistics Canada. 

Once again, does all this suggest quality of life is dropping? I say “yes” and “no.” Although the urban sprawl issue is bothersome – I mean, nobody really wants to spend an hour in their car everyday – and annoy me half to death, it is, at best, a nuisance. The real problem lies in homelessness and home prices. It’s sad we have so many homeless (especially since nearly half of them work) but I believe the situation is somewhat overstated. Only 12 per cent of homeless people live in the streets. This, I believe, shows we are doing at least an average job of making sure as few people as possible are left out in the cold. By the way, this survey was taken in spring, when the climate is a little kinder. During winter months, Calgary opens more emergency beds such as the new Mustard Seed facility in the S.E. Also, only one child below the age of 12 was found in a homeless facility the night of the survey. There were none under five. Now the bad news: homelessness has increased 32 per cent since 2004. However, I don’t agree the blame for this problem lies with Calgary itself as opposed to our government refusing to put our surplus to anything other than oil subsidies. As for home prices, those are set by the market. If someone thinks they can get a cheaper home while maintaining their income, then it on them to move to that place.

Calgary Wages and Inflation

 I pulled the following facts from the AM77 CHQR breaking news page:

The cost of living in Calgary continues to be one of the highest in Canada. The latest inflation report from Statistics Canada shows the cost of living in Calgary jumped by just over .5 per cent in October.
It is costing us 4.6 per cent more to live in Calgary than it did a year ago. Edmonton’s inflation rate is even higher, at 5.4 per cent.
The provincial rate comes in at 5 per cent.
The national inflation rate for october is 2.4 per cent

When we compare the average Albertan wage increase to Alberta’s soaring inflation, the cost of living in Canada’s oil and gas epicenter has unforeseen costs. Your average Calgarian experienced a measly 6.6 per cent family median wage increase in the last ten years. So, the median Calgary family increases their earnings by an average of 0.6 per cent a year, while inflation rises by 4.6 per year. However, it does seem, now the oil and gas boom is in full bloom, median income may be on the rise. In 2004 median income increased 2 per cent from 2003, not even half of inflation but at least it’s a start.

Why isn’t this growing prosperity gap a problem? Little is said on the news and we allow, for better or worse, the PC Party to reign unchecked because the economy is bursting. The issue is possibly not given much attention because the people who account for the top 10 per cent of yearly earnings are keeping pace with inflation. Those who are falling behind (83 per cent of Calgarians below the poverty line) are single women – hardly important enough to illicit the Conservative government’s concern. What amazes me is that those getting left behind take their paycheck at face value so long as the wage is high, while ignoring a growing prosperity gap.

Homeless question

Despite the Mustard Seed’s opening of a new emergency shelter in a S.E. warehouse, the coming winter signifies a fresh round of homeless debate. When most think of homelessness, the image that springs to mind is that of an unshaven, urine soaked wino, begging for change outside the local Wal-Mart. However, this archetype of homelessness is only a subculture of a larger problem – particularly in Calgary. Lured by the prospect of oil money, many flock from the rural corners of Canada, with their families in tow and realize, the jobs aren’t exactly being handed out to those with no oil and gas experience or education. An estimated 45 per cent of homeless people work (put hyperlink here).

Taking into account Calgary’s size and provincial wealth (we’re sitting on a billion dollar surplus) some feel Calgary’s response to homelessness is not only inadequate, it is embarrassing.

The question is, do the well off have a moral responsibility to help the homeless? Or is their poverty a by product of their own bad luck, laziness, personal demons, etc?

First Post

Let me start by first saying I’m a very paranoid person. That one sentence should, I hope, put my following blog rants in proper perspective. I’m in love with conspiracy theories, almost to the point of obsession. I salivate at the thought of a shadowy man, obscured by a silk black curtain, tugging the puppet strings of our economy, our legal system, etc. I think our elections are rigged, and our government corrupt. I do not, however, believe Princess Di was killed by the British secret service using a remote steering device, though I am intruged by the idea.

I say this because being a paranoid conspiracy theorist is akin to suffering from a disease. It excuses all inapproriate behaviour, and I hope my socialist, pinko, tree-hugging posts will be taken lightly and dismissed just as easily.

Anyway, this blog fulfills a portion of my Web Writing and Design requirements, though I may keep it running afterward. The quality of writing will then bottom out (even further than it already is, if you can imagine) but who even expects good writing from a blog anymore.