Sense of Belonging
(Click graphs to enlarge)
Why it matters:
The more we feel connected to others and our communities, the more vibrant and resilient we are individually and collectively.
Sense of Community Belonging
Click to enlargeIn 2010, 71.6% of Nova Scotians aged twelve or older reported a strong or somewhat strong sense of community belonging, up 0.7% from the 2009 level of 71.1% and 9.5% higher than the national level of 65.4%. From 2003 to 2010, Nova Scotian’s sense of community belonging increased 1.0% from 70.9% to 71.6%, while nationally it increased 2.3% from 63.9% to 65.4%.
Sense of Life Satisfaction
Click to enlargeIn 2010, 92.0% of Nova Scotians aged twelve or older indicated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall life, up 0.3% from the 2009 level of 91.7%, and approximately the same as the national level of 92.1%. From 2003 to 2010, Nova Scotian’s sense of satisfaction decreased by 0.8% from 92.7% to 92.0%, while the national level increased 0.9% from 91.3% to 92.1%
Voter Turnout for 2011 Federal Elections
Click to enlargeIn 2011, the voter turnout for federal elections in Nova Scotia was 62.1%, 1.1% higher than the national rate of 61.4%, and 3.0% higher than its 2008 rate of 60.3%.
Charitable Donors as a Proportion of Tax Filers
Click to enlargeIn 2009, 22.5% of tax filers in Nova Scotia declared charitable donations, 2.6% below the national level of 23.1%. Nova Scotia’s 2009 level is 3.4% lower than its 2008 level of 23.3%. From 2001 to 2009, the proportion of Nova Scotia tax filers declaring charitable donations dropped 5.2% from 23.7% to 22.5%, compared to an 8.5% decrease nationally from 25.2% to 23.1%.
Median Charitable Donations
Click to enlargeIn 2009, the median charitable donation in Nova Scotia was $300, 20.0% higher than Canada’s median charitable donation of $250. From 2001 to 2009, Nova Scotia’s median charitable donation increased 15.4% from $260 to $300, compared to a 25.0% increase nationally from $200 to $250.
Spending on Social Clubs and Other Organizations
Click to enlargeIn 2009, 15.9% of households in Nova Scotia reported contributing and paying dues towards social clubs and other organizations, 5.9% lower than the national average of 16.9%. From 2002 to 2009, the proportion of households in Nova Scotia that reported contributing and paying dues towards social clubs and other organizations dropped 23.2% from 20.7% to 15.9%, while nationally it dropped 16.7% from 20.3% to 16.9%.
Household Spending on Arts and Culture
Click to enlargeIn 2009, the total average expenditure per household on arts and culture in Nova Scotia was $907, 5.7% lower than the national rate of $962. Of this total, $815.00 was spent on “entertainment.” Within this category, the top three expenditures were cablevision and satellite services ($590), movie theatres ($84) and live performing arts ($80).
Use of Recreation Facilities
Click to enlargeIn 2009, 37.0% of households in Nova Scotia reported using recreation facilities, 3.1% below the national average of 38.2%. From 2002 to 2009, the proportion of households in Nova Scotia that reported using recreation facilities dropped 20.9% from 46.8% to 37.0%, while nationally this proportion dropped 20.3% from 47.9% to 38.2%.