Tegan Buckingham
Using Cluster Statistics to Determine the Relationships between Disadvantaged Populations and Air Polluting Facilities in Toronto, Canada © 2013
Environmental justice studies examine spatial patterns of inequality across many different census levels of geography, focusing on a range of ethnic and socioeconomic groups. This study examines the significance of relationships between air polluting facilities and (1) visible minority populations and (2) average personal income in Toronto, Canada. To achieve these objectives, this study determines the spatial patterns of the two population variables by using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial statistic tools: Local Moran's I and Getis-Ord Gi * Statistic. The results from the spatial statistics and distance to the nearest facility are used as variables in correlation analyses to determine their statistical significance. Eight of 12 correlations produce significant relationships; six negative correlations for the visible minority clusters and two positive correlations for the personal income clusters. The findings of this study have implications for residents and policy makers within the City of Toronto.