Feelings of Belonging to Local Community

Stats Can continues to release data from the 2021 Census. A latest release indicates that some groups of people feel a stronger sense of belonging than others to their local community.

Highlights:

• almost half (47%) of people in Canada report a strong sense of belonging to their local community
• people in rural communities are more likely to report a stronger sense of belonging compared to urban communities
• the percentage was lower among:
  • young people aged 15-34 (37-44%)
  • 2SLGBTQ+ people (36%)
  • people who had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment in the past 5 years (38%)
  • people experiencing social or economic challenges (35%)
• sense of belonging varies among racialized communities
• people who have immigrated are more likely to feel a strong sense of belonging

What does this mean for our work?

Part of our role as a Municipality is to support the quality of life of our residents. Sense of belonging is important for quality of life and is connected to people's physical and mental health. A healthy community is one where people feel like they belong.

Chatham-Kent is a community of communities in more ways than one. There are differences between and within communities. When learning about the experiences and needs in Chatham-Kent, it's important to intentionally learn from groups and communities rather than just looking at the community as a whole.

Learn more:

Belonging & the Census: The Daily — Almost half of Canadians report a strong sense of belonging to their local community (statcan.gc.ca)

Available CK data from the Census: Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Chatham-Kent, Municipality (MU) [Census subdivision], Ontario (statcan.gc.ca)