THE CHALLENGES

80% of Canadians live in urban areas and almost 35% of all Canadians live in just three metropolises: Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.[1]

There are approximately 2.5 million people who live in Toronto and 5.5 million people who live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which is approximately 16% of the Canadian population. 

As the largest city in Canada, the GTA has enormous challenges in all areas of poverty and injustice.  From child poverty, homelessness, mental illness, human trafficking, refugees, violent crimes, pollution, education, immigration, health care, racism, drugs, gangs, violence, generational poverty, disease, equality, affordable housing, to unemployment and the list goes on. 

With all these challenges, the urgent need for a collaborative effort by all Christians is necessary if we are to demonstrate the love of Jesus to all who call the GTA home.  By collectively empowering charities and ministries to make a maximum impact in our cities, we will see the kind of social and gospel change that demonstrates God's love and compassion for those who face the challenges of poverty and injustice.

[1] For 1871 to 2001, Statistics Canada. Population urban and rural, by province and territory (Canada). Summary tables. http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo62a.htm (Accessed October 19, 2006); For 2006, HRSDC calculation based on Statistics Canada 2006 Census, table "Population and dwelling counts, for urban areas, 2006 and 2001 censuses.http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/popdwell/Table.cfm?T=801&SR=1&S=0&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=0&CMA (accessed March 08, 2007).