Certain trends will influence services required by residents in the future. The Region can use its understanding of trends to respond effectively to changing needs with high-quality services and programs.

This will be an increase of approximately 500,000 people over 2001, an annual growth rate of 2.1 %.

By 2026 there will be more than three times as many people over 50 living in York as there are today.

In 1986, 44% of families in York Region were considered high income, 42% middle income and 14% low income. By 1996, the proportion of low income residents had increased to 19% and the middle income group had dropped to 37% of the total population, with the high income category unchanged.

Providing adequate and appropriate services to people who can be considered vulnerable, particularly seniors, children and those who are homeless, will continue to pose challenges as their numbers grow.

York Region will have a wider variety of household types due to an increase in non-family household types such as single people living alone.

Immigration policies have increased Canada's ethnic diversity, bringing large multicultural communities to York. More ethnic origins are represented now in the York Region population than ever before.

In 1991, York Region had 248,000 jobs, a total that rose to 390,000 jobs by 2001. Forecasts are that by 2026, York will have 696,000 jobs.

The mix of employment will continue to change as the traditionally common occupations in manufacturing, construction, warehousing and transportation are replaced by new jobs in business services and the office sector.

Rapid changes in technology will transform communications, service delivery methods and how people will live and work in the future.

Since 1993, York Region has assumed responsibility for new services, including Ontario Works, social housing, child care, transit and emergency medical services.

York Region residents are more involved in their communities than ever before, as interested parents, volunteers and informed taxpayers. This involvement and these high levels of participation contribute to our overall high-quality of community life in York.

York Region is a large corporation as well as a community. Its government developed sophisticated multi-year planning processes to manage its complex range of programs and services. Continuing to provide strong leadership will require visionary thinking and innovative planning. Performance monitoring and continual improvement will be standard functions of the Region's operations.