WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington North has the highest rate of poverty of Wellington County’s seven municipalities, according to a new Statistics Canada dashboard measuring some quality of life indicators.
Using data from the 2021 Canadian Census, the municipal quality of life dashboard shows Wellington North has a poverty rate of 7.3 per cent. This is the highest poverty rate in the county followed by Mapleton at 6.6 per cent and Minto with 5.8 per cent.
The county’s southern municipalities had lower poverty rates compared to its northern counterparts.
Erin’s poverty rate was said to be 4.2 per cent, Centre Wellington’s 3.4 per cent, Guelph/Eramosa at 3.1 per cent. Puslinch has the lowest rate at 2.8 per cent.
Statistics Canada uses the market basket measure — a threshold on the cost of specified qualities and quantities of food, clothing, shelter, transportation and other necessities for a family of two adults and two children — to determine the poverty level. Households making less than the indicated market basket measure threshold would be considered to be living in poverty.
The northern municipalities also had lower rates of post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree attainment.
Mapleton had the lowest of the municipalities with 36 per cent followed by Wellington North at 39.2 per cent and Minto with 40.4 per cent.
Meanwhile, Centre Wellington, Erin, Guelph/Eramosa and Puslinch had rates of post-secondary graduates at 55.6 per cent, 56.3 per cent, 58.9 per cent and 59.7 per cent respectively.
Wellington North also had the lowest percentage of households living in “acceptable housing” with 26.3 per cent of residents living in housing considered not acceptable.
The dashboard considers acceptable housing to be in adequate condition not requiring major repairs, suitable in size with an appropriate number of bedrooms for the household and affordable in that the cost is equal to or less than 30 per cent of total before tax household income.
The Town of Erin followed with a not acceptable housing rate of 24.2 per cent, then Centre Wellington with 21.5 per cent, Minto with 21.1 per cent, Mapleton with 20.6 per cent, Guelph/Eramosa with 20.1 per cent and Puslinch at 18.4 per cent.