OTTAWA – Income disparity among neighbourhoods in Ottawa has investigators seeing higher rates of hospitalization, emergency room visits and teen pregnancy in low-income areas according to a University of Ottawa psychology professor.
Professor Elizabeth Kristjansson spoke to the city’s equity and diversity advisory committee last week about the dangers of income disparity, raising red flags in the neighbourhoods Bayshore, Centertown and Rochester Heights.
“Poor neighbourhoods have fewer resources for health, maybe less recreation, maybe less opportunity to buy good food and less social cohesion so they provide fewer of the basic needs,” said Kristjansson.
The professor spoke as the lead investigator of the citywide project Ottawa Neighbourhood Study which began in 2005 to gather information and map social and economic disparity between neighbourhoods.
Kristjansson cited data from Ottawa Public Health and the long-form census to show unequal access to public services between high and low income communities, such as access to a family doctor.
Presenting with Kristjansson, south east Ottawa community health centre director, David Hole, urged committee members to talk with city council and encourage citizen participation to add to the flow of information.
“The people living and working in these neighbourhoods know pretty much better than anyone what is working and what isn’t,” said Hole. “We want to keep this information alive.”
The Committee Chair, Awad Loubani, said his committee will promote the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study to city council as well as their own neighbourhoods.
“I bet you I will be the first one to go and add to your information, and I encourage my colleagues to as well.”
Check out the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study by clicking on this image
Wander Woman 