Hamilton’s Social Landscape

This series of short reports focuses on important trends in Hamilton by theme. These reports are published by the Social Planning and Research Council with financial support from the United Way Halton Hamilton and the City of Hamilton Enrichment Fund. Join the SPRC e-newsletter in the box on the left of this page to receive in your inbox all reports as they are released.

New: Young Renters in Hamilton (2022)

• Download both reports in one PDF document
  • Rental housing market amplifies inequality for young renters
  • As cheapest units disappear, youth squeezed in shifting rental market
• Please also complete this mini-survey to let us know how useful these report are, and any comments you may want to share. Thank you!

New: Renter Growth in Hamilton (2022)

• Download both reports in one PDF document
  • 2021 Census: Rise of renter households across Hamilton’s communities
  • Growth in renter households outpacing construction of primary rental units
• Please also complete this mini-survey to let us know how useful these report are, and any comments you may want to share. Thank you!
• Read SPRC Newsletter with our analysis of Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster Act
• Register for our Conversations with SPRC virtual event Wednesday November 16 at 6pm

New: Poverty, Social Assistance and Hunger in Hamilton (2022)

• Download both reports in one PDF document
  • 2021 Census: Poverty in Hamilton by major age groups (Issue #26)
  • Inflation, Social Assistance, and Hunger in Hamilton (Issue #27)
• Please also complete this mini-survey to let us know how useful these report are, and any comments you may want to share. Thank you!

COVID-19 (2020-2021)

May 2021

•  COVID-19 and Intensification of Inequalities
• Children and COVID-19 in Hamilton
• Occupational and Employment Impacts of COVID-19
• Housing, Homelessness, and the Health Pandemic
• Equitable Vaccinations in Hamilton
• Download full May 2021 COVID-19 in Hamilton series in one document

August 2020

• COVID-19 in Hamilton
• Employment Impacts of COVID-19 in the Hamilton CMA
• Equitable Recovery from COVID-19

Hamilton’s Rental Landscape (2019-2020)

• Introduction and Executive Summary

Rising Rents and Evictions in Hamilton and Beyond

• Rents and affordability in Hamilton and Ontario

• Rents in Hamilton’s neighbourhoods

• Rising eviction rates threatening tenants and affordable housing

Trends in  Hamilton’s rental stock

• Growth in Hamilton’s Renter Households

• Rental quality concerns

• Primary private rental stock in Hamilton

• Not-for-profit housing

For additional context, also see the SPRC’s 2018 report Out of Control: Ontario’s acute rental housing crisis – Lessons from Hamilton and Quebec City

Census Quick Facts (2019-2020)

• Changing Demographics of Hamilton’s Older Adult Population
• Visible Minorities in Hamilton

Poverty and Persistence (2017)

Using new taxfiler and longitudinal data from Statistics Canada, these bulletins explore trends in poverty in Hamilton.

• Poverty among Hamilton’s Taxfilers
• Persistence of Poverty in the Hamilton CMA

Demographic Shifts Bulletins (2016)

Using a variety of data sources, the Demographic shifts series of bulletins explore differences between older and younger generations to uncover trends in a range of demographic characteristics of Hamilton’s population.

• Demographic Shifts – Complete Series: all reports in one document
• Introduction and key findings
• Age groups and generational changes
• Rise of the Millennial generation
• Population growth, forecasts and targets
• Birth rates and delayed child-rearing
• Ethnic origins, Indigenous residents and visible minority groups
• Immigration and languages

The Hamilton Spectator has published a series of articles based on the data in the Demographic Shifts bulletins, The Changing Face of Hamilton.

• The changing face of Hamilton: Where have all the kids gone? Aug 23, 2016
• The changing Face of Hamilton: The millennial takeover Aug 30, 2016
• The changing face of Hamilton: No longer the city of immigrants Sept 6, 2016
• The changing face of Hamilton: Visible minorities leading the way Sept 13, 2016
• The Spectator’s View: Lessons about Hamilton’s changing face Sept 14, 2016

Previous bulletins (2011-2013)

• • Hamilton Social Landscape Bulletin: Recession Impacts – Youth

• • Hamilton Social Landscape Bulletin: Recession Impacts – Gender, Income and Employment

• • Hamilton Social Landscape Bulletin: Recession Impacts – Employment

• Hamilton Social Landscape Bulletin: Recession Impacts – Unemployment
• Hamilton Social Landscape Bulletin: Children & Seniors
• Hamilton Social Landscape Bulletin: Trends in Basic Needs

• Hamilton’s Social Landscape – Summary Report
• Hamilton’s Social Landscape – Full Report