Return of the Rural?
Waves of young adults: coming soon to Niagara
I recently spent a week in downtown Toronto and what I saw convinced me – the bottom is certainly falling out for young people there.
Walking around the same spots I did just one year ago (the Toronto Eaton Centre, etc.) I noticed a much higher rate of homelessness and general discontent, particularly amongst the city’s youth. Speaking with several on the street I was told time and again that the city has many great attractions but just isn’t a viable place to live for most young people anymore.
They have to go elsewhere, somewhere.
The “suburbs” – Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Oshawa, etc. – if such a concept exists anymore, used to be a great bet for those wanting to work in the city but live in an affordable area, but even the ‘burbs are rarely an option anymore. Many young people are being priced out of the GTA housing market, and even if the bubble bursts, with 100,000 or so people moving into the GTA every year the prices will eventually skyrocket again.
So, where will they go? Many have already gone to the Kitchener-Waterloo area to seek tech jobs, and recently others have been flocking to Hamilton, though I must say their desire to live in Hamilton and commute to Toronto every day takes far more stoicism and resilience than I, for one, possess.
The Niagara region has already seen a wave of young people start to arrive, many brought by Brock University and Niagara College, and others because they realize that if they ever want to own anything bigger than a shoebox they need to go outside the GTA.
Is it possible we are going to see a “return to the rural” in southern Ontario? Are young people going to return to the farm after having seen Paree?
Clearly the GTA population will always far outweigh the rural areas, but I believe we are going to see a resurgence of youth and a growing population of former Torontonians in Niagara in the coming years.
What this means for the region, though, is a whole different question. More people means more apartments condos, and houses, and if Niagara is going to see a significant “spill-off ” from the GTA it once again means that Niagarans must monitor the effects carefully.
Moneyed interests will be thinking of lining their pockets in the name of “progress” and “prosperity” as they always do. Niagarans must ensure that the beautiful ecosystem is protected and, simultaneously, that house prices don’t become unaffordable for the young and the elderly - those most at risk of facing headwinds as our post-industrial economy puts more people out of decent jobs and continues to create unstable, minimum-wage labour instead.
When brainstorming this piece I had more questions than answers, so I hope you’ll forgive the rambling nature of it. What I do believe, though, is that Niagara can capitalize on the influx of youth coming to the region to ensure that the region’s amazing landscape is protected and ensure the GTA’s mistakes are not repeated elsewhere.
Most young people today are deeply concerned about the future, and why wouldn’t they be when they’ve inherited such an awful mess? Organic farming, the arts, and various clubs and associations can benefit from the arrival of young blood wanting to make a difference in their community and fight back against the very undemocratic way that those with vested interests are bleeding the population and environment dry.
Many young adults are already being forced to give up their dream of living in Toronto and the surrounding area as the housing market continues its erratic but inevitable ascent into an absurd and unaffordable territory.
Let’s help them create a new dream in a region that can use both their fresh thinking and passion for community. As Niagara’s population continues to age youth will be needed even more.
If we keep an eye on affordability and environment - an admittedly very delicate balance - the future looks bright for both Niagara and those wanting to make it their new home.