Description of CRUNCH
Along with various partners and collaborators, CRUNCH is interested in outcomes related to neighbourhood-level action to improve vulnerable groups in communities, training of practitioners in neighbourhood intervention research, and improving knowledge translation for decision-makers and the community. Current projects are Regent Park Redevelopment, GTA West Social Housing & Health, Hamilton Neighbourhoods, Income Inequality & Population Health, and Built Environment & Health.
"Poverty By Postal Code" Presentation
This Power Point presentation accompanies audio files. Hamilton has large neighbourhood disparities with concentrated areas of marginalized people, which often leads to a self-perpetuating “deprivation amplification”. Place-based policy has great potential to target concerns in defined areas by specifically addressing social problems, individual disadvantages, and neighbourhood disparities. While there are rationales both for and against place-based policy, Canada should learn from early-adopters (e.g. UK) to reduce the gap between deprived communities and the national average.
Poverty By Postal Code Audio 10 MB
This 56-minute MP3 file accompanies the Power Point presentation. Hamilton has large neighbourhood disparities with concentrated areas of marginalized people, which often leads to a self-perpetuating “deprivation amplification”. Place-based policy has great potential to target concerns in defined areas by specifically addressing social problems, individual disadvantages, and neighbourhood disparities. While there are rationales both for and against place-based policy, Canada should learn from early-adopters (e.g. UK) to reduce the gap between deprived communities and the national average.
Poverty By Postal Code Audio 23 MB
This high quality 56-minute MP3 file accompanies the Power Point presentation. Hamilton has large neighbourhood disparities with concentrated areas of marginalized people, which often leads to a self-perpetuating “deprivation amplification”. Place-based policy has great potential to target concerns in defined areas by specifically addressing social problems, individual disadvantages, and neighbourhood disparities. While there are rationales both for and against place-based policy, Canada should learn from early-adopters (e.g. UK) to reduce the gap between deprived communities and the national average.
"Urban Development Agreements" Presentation
Neil Bradford from the Department of Political Science at University of Western Ontario discusses the benefits of Urban Development Agreements. New Urban Poverty is spatially concentrated, complex with multiple stressors, and requires holistic solutions. While there has been much study and discussion, short-term pilot projects by the federal government, and front line work by municipalities and communities, Canada is lacking in follow-up, strategic action and a collaborative approach. Urban Development Agreements uses “multi-level governance” to work on place-based policies along with community organizations and local residents for solutions. Core features are discussed in further detail, as well as internationally recognized models in Vancouver and Winnipeg. There is great potential for a Canada-Ontario-Hamilton UDA and many opportunities and challenges. The values of UDA include improved inter-governmental relationships with the relevant support, stability for long-term planning, and funding used strategically to maximize impact.
Urban Development Agreements Audio 9 MB
This 47-minute MP3 file accompanies the presentation given by Neil Bradford.
Urban Development Agreement in Vancouver
Nathan Edelson, having worked as a planner talks in detail the internationally recognized model of the Urban Development Agreement in Vancouver, with a particular focus in the Downtown Eastside. He discusses the ways in which revitalization can occur without displacement. This audio file is 1:35:45 (hh:mm:ss) in duration.
The Spectator Speaker - Code Red: One Year Later
Dr. Michael Hayes from the University of Victoria recounts growing up in the neighbourhoods of Hamilton, dropping out of school, and how extraordinary mentors provided him opportunities to lead him back to the right direction. He relates his story to socioeconomic classes and income disparities, living in relative inequity, as well as the consequences on mortality and health. Dr. Hayes suggests that the best prescription for health for individuals in Code Red neighbourhoods is perhaps a caring community.
Canadian Marginalization Index User Guide
The user guide of a census- and geographically-based index which explores dimensions of marginalization in urban and rural Canada, and may be used for purposes of planning and needs assessment, resource allocation, monitoring of inequities and research.
Ontario Marginalization Index User Guide
The user guide of the Ontario-specific version of the Canadian Marginalization Index, which is a census- and geographically-based index which explores dimensions of marginalization in urban and rural Canada, and may be used for purposes of planning and needs assessment, resource allocation, monitoring of inequities and research.
Toronto Social Housing and Health Study Phase 1 results. Community Report
This project aims to revitalize the social housing community known as Regent Park into a mixed-income, mixed-use neighbourhood to build healthy communities to improve the health and well-being of tenants. At the first interview, all participants were living in their relocation unit, and at the second interview, all participants had been living in their new unit for at least one year. Results from Phase 1 demonstrated that participants experienced positive changes in areas related to housing and neighbourhood improvements, such as housing and neighbourhood satisfaction, personal safety and fear of crime.
2013 Interim Report: Stinson Neighbourhood - Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study
The City of Hamilton’s new Neighbourhood Action Strategy is working towards improving social, economic and health outcomes in targeted neighbourhoods in the city. The City is working with community partners, neighbourhood groups, and residents to develop neighbourhood action plans – these action plans lay out a vision for the future of each neighbourhood and the specific, concrete projects to be undertaken to get there. Another important part of this work is research and evaluation – finding out more about residents’ views and priorities, about how well the planning and neighbourhood projects are going and what might need to be changed along the way, and about what kind of impact the strategy has on residents in the neighbourhoods overall. Our research team at McMaster, led by Dr. Jim Dunn, has undertaken the Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study to help answer these questions. In this report, we’ve focused in particular on the questions we asked residents about how they feel about their neighbourhood now and their priorities and concerns. We talk about what we found in our survey in comparison to Stinson’s neighbourhood plan. We also present results on other areas that our survey asks about – housing, safety and security, and civic engagement.
2013 Interim Report: Stipley Neighbourhood - Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study
The City of Hamilton’s new Neighbourhood Action Strategy is working towards improving social, economic and health outcomes in targeted neighbourhoods in the city. The City is working with community partners, neighbourhood groups and residents to develop neighbourhood action plans – these action plans lay out a vision for the future of each neighbourhood, and the specific, concrete projects to be undertaken to get there. Another important part of this work is research and evaluation – finding out more about residents’ views and priorities, about how well the planning and neighbourhood projects are going and what might need to be changed along the way, and about what kind of impact the strategy has on residents in the neighbourhoods overall. Our research team at McMaster, led by Dr. Jim Dunn, has undertaken the Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study to help answer these questions.
2013 Study Update: Stinson Neighbourhood - Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study
As part of a McMaster research study, we did surveys with residents in Keith, Stinson and Stipley neighbourhoods. Here are some highlights from Stinson.
2013 Study Update: Stipley Neighbourhood - Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study
As part of a McMaster research study, we did surveys with residents in Keith, Stinson and Stipley neighbourhoods. Here are some highlights from Stipley.
Toronto Social Housing and Health Study Phase 2 results. Community Report
This report is the second phase of a study on the revitalization of the Regent Park community, and follows up with residents who have lived in their new Regent Park homes for one year. Regent Park started as a social housing community, and is being transformed to a mixed-income, mixed-use neighbourhood. Results from Phase 2 indicate that participants who moved in to new units with Regent Park felt more satisfied with their home and with their neighbourhood, that they felt safer in their neighbourhoods, and that they experienced less distress.
"Building Stability" A Housing First Program for Men in Hamilton
Full report of the Transitions to Home evaluation in Hamilton, Ontario. This comprehensive document outlines the program, methodology, and major findings of this year-long evaluation in to a Housing First program for men who have experience long term homelessness.
Summary Report --Building Stability: A Housing First Program for Men in Hamilton
8 Page summary of the Transitions to Home (T2H) program evaluation. Established in 2010, T2H helps men experiencing long-term shelter use and homelessness acquire and maintain safe, affordable and long-term housing in the community. T2H follows the Housing First model, an evidence-based approach to addressing homelessness. Researchers have suggested there is a need to understand the impacts of Housing First in different communities and populations. Our study was designed to respond to the need for a locally based evaluation of Housing First in Hamilton.
2-Page Fact Sheet: Transitions to Home Evaluation
To find out about the impact the Transitions to Home (T2H) Program was having in Hamilton, we asked people who had experienced longterm homelessness to talk about their experiences. We also talked to the T2H case management team and senior social services workers in the city, and analyzed data from T2H’s case management database and Hamilton’s Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS). The study lasted one year. This fact sheet contains our key findings and recommendations.
« La Création de la Stabilité » Programme de logement d’abord pour les hommes à Hamilton
Rapport final d'évaluation du programme « Transitions to Home » à Hamilton, en Ontario. Ce document de synthèse présente le programme, la méthodologie et les principaux résultats de cette évaluation d'un programme du logement d'abord pour les hommes qui ont une expérience sans-abri à long terme.
2014 Interim Report: Keith Neighbourhood - Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study
The City of Hamilton’s new Neighbourhood Action Strategy is working towards improving social, economic and health outcomes in targeted neighbourhoods in the city. The City is working with community partners, neighbourhood groups and residents to develop neighbourhood action plans – these action plans lay out a vision for the future of each neighbourhood, and the specific, concrete projects to be undertaken to get there. Another important part of this work is research and evaluation – finding out more about residents’ views and priorities, about how well the planning and neighbourhood projects are going and what might need to be changed along the way, and about what kind of impact the strategy has on residents in the neighbourhoods overall. Our research team at McMaster, led by Dr. Jim Dunn, has undertaken the Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study to help answer these questions.
2014 Study Update: Keith Neighbourhood - Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study
As part of a McMaster research study, we did surveys with residents in Keith. Here are some highlights.
Great Neighbourhoods Visualization Project information package
This 4 page information package includes a description of the project, an info-graphic, and a 2-page question and answer sheet.
Revitalization of Public Housing for Senior Citizens
Poster for a research seminar held on March 2, 2015
Evaluating Hamilton’s Neighbourhood Action Strategy: A collaborative, multi-method approach
This is a poster describing the multi-pronged approach to evaluating Hamilton's Neighbourhood Action Strategy, and was presented at the Ontario Public Health Association Conference in April, 2015.
Hamilton Neighbourhoods Study brochure
GTA West Participant Summary
McQuesten Community Newsletter
CRUNCH Brochure
A two-page, trifold brochure which explains the history of CRUNCH and its current projects and facilities.