North Central improving since critical 2007 magazine article

Almost eight years after a controversial article about North Central Regina, the neighbourhood seems to have modestly improved, though experts and residents say it has a long way to go.

Theres still lots of problems, said Doug Elliott of Sask Trends Monitor, which tracks social and economic trends in the province.

Its just theyre not as bad as they used to be.

After examining a wide range of statistics about the neighbourhood gathered by CBCs iTeam, Elliott concluded the fact that weve got 25 indicators here and 20 of them are better is enough to say, Yeah. Things are better.

Magazine article rocked North Central

On January 15, 2007, the Macleans Magazine cover story called North Central Canadas Worst Neighbourhood and cited a litany of statistics and anecdotes that painted the neighbourhood in an unflattering light.

A community leader was quoted as saying Were living in a third world country here.

The story prompted angry reaction from many people including Reginas former mayor, Pat Fiacco.

"It tore the heart right out of [North Central residents] like it tore the heart out of me, he said.

North Central report card

For 30 years, Elliott has been tracking trends in Saskatchewan and he said the progress in the neighbourhood caught him off guard.

It wasnt just a couple of numbers that got better. Almost all of them did, Elliott said.

Violent and property crime have dropped, in some cases significantly.

For example, between 2007 and 2013 arrests for threats of violence dropped by 28 per cent and residential break and enter offences have plummeted by 63 per cent.

Despite the improvement, Regina still had the highest crime rate in the country in 2013 because crime in all major metropolitan areas has also been declining.

Over the same period of time there were 15 per cent fewer people relying on social assistance.

The Housing Standards Enforcement Team that monitors the condition of inner-city rental housing said the number of complaints it receives has plummeted from a high of 130 in 2009 down to 55 in 2013.

Unemployment down, income up

Elliott attributes many of these changes to an improving employment picture.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2006 the unemployment rate in North Central was 13 per cent, but by 2011 that had dropped to eight per cent.

During that same period, the average household income in North Central grew from $34,957 to $48,986.

If youve got a job, your income is going to go up, Elliott said. Youre less inclined to be in trouble, less inclined to go on social assistance.

He said the improvements are even more impressive when compared with the city of Regina as a whole over that period of time.

Over that five year stretch, North Centrals average household income grew by 40 per cent while the city of Reginas grew by 28 per cent.

The gap between North Central and the rest of Regina is closing. But that isnt to say that things are all rosy there, Elliott said.

Education is the key

Elliot is concerned about the neighbourhoods educational trend.

In 2006, just 68 per cent of 25 to 64-year-olds had achieved a minimum of grade 12. By 2011 that number had gone up just one point, to 69 percent.

Elliott points out thats well behind the city of Regina as a whole where 89 per cent of residents 25 to 64-years-old have graduated.

Elliott said ultimately things dont improve in a neighbourhood if educational achievement doesnt change. He worries this recent improvement may be short lived if its not supported by better educational outcomes.

Whenever theres low levels of education you have problems, Elliott said. Whenever education levels increase all of these other problems seem to go away.