Social isolation on the rise while civic engagement has dropped in Toronto, study finds

Civic engagement among Torontonians has fallen markedly in recent years while the proportion of city residents who feel socially isolated has risen.

That's according to the Toronto Social Capital Study 2022, a sweeping report released Tuesday that explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the wellbeing of people who live in the city through a wide range of perspectives.

"The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic put communities around the world under tremendous stress. In the City of Toronto, the pandemic created widespread economic hardship, while limiting opportunities for residents to connect with family, friends, neighbours and organizations," the study says.

You can read the full report at the bottom of this story.

The report is based on results from a survey of 4,163 people aged 18 and older in Toronto, conducted both online and by telephone, during the summer this year. The data was weighted by age, gender, educational attainment, immigration background, racial identity and neighbourhood within the city. 

The survey was modelled on a previous 2018 version, so the results from both years could be directly compared. It was lead by the non-profit Toronto Foundation and the Environics Institute, along with a host of other partners. 

While "social capital" is an esoteric concept, says Sharon Avery, president and CEO of the Toronto Foundation, it is fundamental to the wellbeing of people and communities. It includes things like our relationships with each other, our sense of belonging and our sense of trust in the people in our lives, Avery told CBC Radio's Metro Morning in an interview.

LISTEN | More Torontonians have withdrawn from civic life in recent years:

A key takeaway from the survey is that civic engagement in the city has dropped markedly since 2018.

"People have stopped volunteering. They've stopped joining groups and clubs. They've stopped going to their local community centre," Avery said.

Participation declined most significantly in sports and recreation organizations, cultural organizations, and union and professional associations, the study found — and that effect was most pronounced in those aged 55 and older.

"These declines in group participation are concerning, because group participation is associated with many other positive outcomes," the report reads. "People who participate in groups have higher life satisfaction, more trust in society and others, have more people they can rely on and have broader social networks."

The results also suggest that about 25 per cent of adult Torontonians are currently volunteering, down from nearly 40 per cent four years ago. The percentage of adults in the city who donate to charity also fell, to 63 per cent down from 75 per cent in 2018, "translating to a potential loss of more than 300,000 donors in Toronto," according to the study.

Similarly, nearly every demographic group surveyed said they were less interested in local politics than in 2018. The effect was strongly tied to income, the study says, with the lowest earners least politically engaged.