Research & Reports

These reports help serve as a catalyst for discussing social issues. Like our report Poverty by Postal Code, many United Way reports have far-reaching impact.

Strong Neighbourhoods report coverStrong Neighbourhoods – Supporting the Call to Action

Discussion Paper for Toronto Summit 2007

The history of our city is one of shifting settlement patterns and changing neighbourhood fortunes. This is the organic nature of cities. The newest and most desirable neighbourhoods today may be down at the heels 30 or 40 years from now. Most of our neighbourhoods are weathering this process reasonably well, as new families invest in the renovation of older homes and new business investments keep neighbourhood commercial streets flourishing. Other neighbourhoods, however, are not faring as well.

Torontonians Speak Out report cover

Strong Neighbourhoods: A Call to Action

This report is the culmination of a year’s work that focused on an issue which is vital to the future health and prosperity of our city – namely, how to restore the strength of our city’s neighbourhoods.

Our Task Force was comprised of civic leaders from the private, labour, voluntary, and public sectors in the City of Toronto. Together, we recognize the importance of strong neighbourhoods to Toronto’s standing as a worldclass city, and together, we are committed to mobilizing the attention and the resources that are necessary for Toronto to regain its reputation as a city of great neighbourhoods.

Poverty by Postal Code report

Poverty by Postal Code

The number of poor Toronto neighbourhoods is rising at a rapid rate.

In the past two decades, Toronto has changed dramatically and not all for the good. The income gap is widening and neighbourhood poverty has intensified. As the numbers of high poverty neighbourhoods increase – especially in the inner suburbs – everyone’s quality of life suffers.

United Way explores the changing geography of neighbourhood poverty in Poverty by Postal Code, its newest report. Poverty by Postal Code encourages public debate and action - the first steps in preserving Toronto as one of the best places in the world to live.

See maps of the changing geography of neighbourhood poverty over the last 20 years.

Torontonians Speak Out report cover

Torontonians Speak Out

What are Toronto's most pressing social issues? United Way's report describes the top issues according to Toronto residents. The report is based on 38 consultations in 20 neighbourhoods across the city with youth and seniors, business, faith and community leaders.

"Torontonians Speak Out," is the first step in United Way's current public priority-setting process to better understand social needs in Toronto's neighbourhoods, guide funding decisions and work with other partners to address social issues facing our city.

Torontonians Speak Out report cover

Opening the Doors - Making the Most of Community Space

United Way task force calls for improved access to community space

Toronto is experiencing a shortage of space where children can attend homework clubs, where newcomers can attend ESL classes and where seniors can meet friends and neighbours.

Access to schools and other public spaces in the community is crucial to the health of our neighbourhoods and our city. A United Way task force studying this problem released a report, Opening the Doors - Making the Most of Community Space, to prompt governments, business and the voluntary sector to preserve and promote community use of space.

Torontonians Speak Out report cover

Two Solutions for Urban Poverty

United Way President Frances Lankin participated in the TD Forum on Canada's Standard of Living, October 7-8, 2002, at the invitation of A. Charles Baillie, Chairman of TD Bank Financial Group. Frances joined a number of Canadian leaders to debate and discuss Canada's standard of living challenge.

In preparation for the Forum, Frances submitted a report, Two Solutions for Urban Poverty, which proposes solutions related to urban poverty.

Torontonians Speak Out report cover

Our Shrinking Public Space

As schools are forced to impose higher user fees and shut down buildings to after-hours use, Toronto is seeing a growing shortage of affordable and accessible community space. That means activities like after-school programs, summer day camps and sport and recreational activities for children are being threatened or cancelled altogether.

As part of its Strong Neighbourhoods, Healthy City strategy, United Way Toronto has launched a Task Force to address the issue of our shrinking public space.

Report cover: Engaging users, reducing harm.

Engaging Users, Reducing Harm

Over the past decade, social service agencies have begun to experiment with the concept of harm reduction – “the attempt to ameliorate the adverse health, social, or economic consequences associated with the use of moodaltering substances without necessarily requiring a reduction in the consumption of these substances.”1 While use-related harm reduction interventions such as needle exchanges, safe crack kits and condom distribution have attracted the greatest attention, the initiatives documented by this Toronto-based research project have adopted a more complex and comprehensive focus: on the exclusion of many low-income drug and alcohol users from mainstream social services and entitlements. These initiatives have applied the principles of harm reduction to resolve the problem of inappropriate and inaccessible services for users.

Report cover: Enough Talk

Enough Talk: An Action Plan for the Toronto Region

The Toronto City Summit Alliance represents a coalition of over 40 civic leaders from the private, labour, voluntary and public sectors in the Toronto region.

We formed this alliance because we care about the future of the region. In June of last year, many of us participated in the Toronto City Summit – a conference of leaders representing the city’s diverse communities – to assess our urban region’s strengths and challenges, and shape a Framework for Action that could move us forward over the next five to ten years.

Report cover: TD Economic Special Report

A Choice Between Investing in Canada's Cities or Disinvesting in Canada's Future - TD Economics Special Report 2002

In a series of speeches in 2001 and early 2002, A. Charles Baillie, TD Bank Financial Group Chairman and CEO, put forward an ambitious goal for Canadians - to surpass the U.S. standard of living within 15 years. Mr. Baillie noted that the fortunes of our cities will be critical in meeting this challenge. While acknowledging that Canada's cities are held in high regard around the world, he noted that many are showing signs of strain. To contribute to a national discussion on this issue, Mr. Baillie asked TD Economics to undertake a study of Canadian cities.

report cover: UW's deputation to the Romanow Commission

United Way's Deputation to the Romanow Commission

Our member agencies know from years of experience, the devastating impact of homelessness, poverty, family violence, and persistent unemployment on the health of their clients. They also witness the tremendous positive change that support service have on the physical and mental health of their clients – seniors, for example, whose strength is regained after joining meal programs; whose mental health is improved upon participation in regular social programs; and whose personal safety and well-being are restored with the provision of personal care and homemaking services.

report cover: Strong Neigbhourhood

United Way announces Strong Neighbourhood; Healthy City

Social need in the inner suburbs: Etobicoke, North York, York, East York, and Scarborough




report cover: decade of decline

Decade of Decline: Poverty and Income Inequality in the City of Toronto in the 1990s

This report provides important new data on the financial circumstances of Torontonians in the 1990s. While other research studies have examined income trends at the national and provincial levels in the 1990s, and in Toronto in the first half of the decade, this study is the first to focus on what happened to Torontonians during the entire decade. Tax filer data were used to track income over the 10-year period, confirming that at the decade's end, the financial situation of Torontonians had worsened significantly.

logo: 211

United Way and partners launch 211 phone service

211 is the first of its kind in Canada – a free, confidential, multilingual information line connecting callers to community, social, health and government services in Toronto. It’s the first call for information about child care, language classes, job search, housing, health services and more.

report cover: A commitment to care

A Commitment to Care: Community Support Services for Seniors

United Way Toronto has a long tradition of support for seniors’ services that goes back to the 1950s, when three community agencies with an exclusive seniors’ focus became members. Today, UWT has 41 member agencies that deliver seniors’ programming, 21 of which focus primarily on seniors, and 20 that also serve other client groups.

report cover: Turning Point

Toronto at a Turning Point

The City of Toronto has long held the enviable reputation as one of the best cities in the world in which to live and do business. This reputation is built on a foundation of rich cultural diversity, healthy neighbourhoods, clean and safe streets, a modern and efficient infrastructure, and social cohesion supported by a strong network of social services. As Toronto competes on the global stage with other major North American cities for investment and jobs, the strength of this foundation becomes increasingly important. However, this foundation is under stress, and social need has become more acute and visible.