Cybergeo (Apr 2013)
La répartition de la population âgée dans huit métropoles canadiennes de 1981 à 2006 : un groupe de moins en moins ségrégué
Abstract
Recent studies have shown for countries other than Canada that the intra-metropolitan distribution of seniors is changing significantly. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of the residential segregation of the elderly population in eight Canadian metropolitan areas from 1981 to 2006. Our analysis was guided by the following research questions. What is the level of segregation of the elderly population, and how has this segregation changed over time? Within these eight metropolises, where are the concentrations of seniors located, and how did these concentrations change between 1981 and 2006? Finally, in 2006, are the patterns of segregation similar across the eight metropolitan areas? In order to answer these questions, various residential segregation indices (evenness, exposure, concentration, clustering, and centralization) are calculated at the census tract level using data from six Canadian censuses for the period 1981-2006. The changes in the values of the location quotients are also mapped to portray the evolution of the spatial distribution of seniors in the three largest metropolises. The changes in the values of the different indices show a decrease in segregation levels in the eight metropolises studied over this period. Moreover, analysis of the changes in the location quotients indicates a relative dispersion of seniors towards the inner suburbs over time. In 2006, we also observe different segregation profiles among the eight metropolises. Finally, several hypotheses are formulated concerning the factors contributing to the changes observed in the spatial distribution of elders.
Keywords
