38 



COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



The congestion occurs chiefly in the larger centres such as the cities 

 of Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg. The housing statistics of the 

 two former cities in 1901 were as follow: 



In the table no allowance is made for streets, squares or parks, 

 or playgrounds. In Montreal, however, in that year the density of 

 population by wards varied from 8.1 to 111.2 per acre; while in 

 Toronto, on a similar basis, it ranged from 9.0 to 34.9 per acre. The 

 houses per acre ranged from 1.2 to 19.8 in the former city and from 

 1.85 to 6.05 in the latter. From more recent statistics it would ap- 

 pear that the area of Toronto has been extended to 17,920 acres, 

 the' population being estimated at 325,280.* Notwithstanding this 

 material increase in acreage, Toronto, and no doubt Montreal also, 

 compares unfavourably with some of the larger cities of the United 

 States of about the same population. Their areas are as follow : 



Buffalo, 26,880 acres; Cincinnati, 27,840 acres; Detroit, 23,040 

 acres; Indianapolis, 19,840 acres; Minneapolis, 34,080 acres. 



For purposes of comparison, the following information in re- 

 gard to England and Wales may be of interest: 



In statistical memoranda presented to the Local Government 

 Board, dated May, 1909, by a committee of its medical officers, the 

 density of population in England and Wales is given as follows: 

 For 1901, 75 urban districts (including London) with a population 

 of 50,000 and over, 25.3 per acre. For 361 districts with a popula- 

 tion under 50,000 and over 10,000, it was 5.5. In 686 districts with 

 a population less than 10,000, it was 1.7; and in the rural districts 

 .2 per acre.f 



In a paper like this it is impossible to dwell at length upon the 

 subject of density of population or to compare one city with another. 

 Indeed, it is most difficult to do so because municipalities differ in 

 the amount of open spaces and vacant land they possess. 



That density of population has an effect, however, upon the 

 health and lives of the people is well established. Mortality is high- 

 est in districts towards the centre of a city and lower in the outskirts. 



* Financial Post. 



t Public Health and Social Conditions, 1909. 



