Quote:
Originally Posted by Dion
Guess we'll agree to disagree on this subject.
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Agreeing to disagree is appropriate for matters of opinion. However, the argument is more a matter of fact than opinion, and unfortunately the facts say you're wrong.
2006 census place of work numbers for select towns that have come up in this discussion. Let's compare the work-in-municipality-of-residence vs. work-elsewhere splits.
Airdrie
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...B1=All&Custom=
Percentile Split:
35/65
Cochrane
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...B1=All&Custom=
Percentile Split:
46/54
Chestermere
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...B1=All&Custom=
Percentile Split:
7/93
Okotoks
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...B1=All&Custom=
Percentile Split:
37/63
High River
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...B1=All&Custom=
Percentile Split:
65/35
Calgary
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...B1=All&Custom=
Percentile Split:
97/3
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Conclusions
- Calgary dwarfs its neighbours in terms of residents being employed in the municipality in which they live
- Although the numbers aren't available to tell the particular destination municipalities people from the origin municipalities (bedroom communities) are employed in, it is very obviously Calgary
- Numbers from High River are in a bit of a different category than the rest of the examples, however it should be noted that the numbers are from 2006. The trend for the "next communities out" in all directions has been for more and more residents to commute elsewhere for work. Crossfield (north), High River (south), and Strathmore (east) would be included here.
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I should preface this by saying that I've tried to stick to stating the facts and debunking misconceptions in this debate thus far, and this part goes a bit beyond that.
Not to get too personal about this Dion, but how are these things not apparent to you? Do you not talk with your neighbours and discuss where they work and shop? Do you not see the cars on the highway headed north out of town in the morning and south in to town in the evenings? Do you not have an approximate sense of the ratio of businesses to residential units in your town and compare it to that of Calgary?
On any level, how can you seriously make the argument that Okotoks or your own town has a proportion of people that both live and work there that is anywhere close to that of Calgary. How can you then go even further to suggest that Calgarians are "flocking" to Okotoks so they can both live and work in that community?
Please don't think I'm insulting your character or that of the community which you clearly enjoy. However, I must implore you to look at the facts and not act so surpised when people dare to classify your town, or ones like it, as a bedroom community of the City of Calgary.