Quilchena Lifestyle & Demographics

Grey Pride
Midscale suburban apartment-dwelling seniors

The top-ranked cluster for retirees, Grey Pride represents a middle-class mix of over-60 singles, couples, widows and widowers living in urban- and suburban-fringe apartments. Getting by on comfortable fixed incomes, cluster residents maintain a relaxed lifestyle, sewing and gardening at home, and socializing with friends at the theatre and art gallery. But the chief form of entertainment is television, and residents are big fans of cultural programs on Bravo, sports championships and American sitcoms like "Ed" and "Becker." Concerned about aging - one in four residents is over 75 - this cluster's residents score high for buying prescription drugs, using cosmetics to help them feel younger and having a will.

Middle $48,990
Mature
Ethnic Presence: Low

Grey Pride residents have average educations an live in detached houses and apartment complexes built since the 1970s. Those who are still working have white collar and service jobs. Those who have retired, however, aren't shutins by any means. Grey Pride residents travel often to Europe, the Caribbean and Nevada, where they frequent the gambling tables in Las Vegas. Contrary to senior stereotypes, they strongly disagree with the statement "I would rather spend an evening at home than almost anything else." In values surveys, these activist elders rank high in the Social Values category of Openness Towards Others.

How they think
As they move into retirement, Grey Pride residents are increasingly attracted to simplicity and contemplation. They demonstrate an Aversion to Complexity in Life and want to use the time they once devoted to work to explore their links to the past (Search for Roots) and the relationships in their lives (Introspection and Empathy). Having come of age at a time when keeping up with the Joneses was an almost universal preoccupation; these Canadians still feel a Need for Status Recognition and an attraction to Ostentatious Consumption. In their Ethnic Tolerance and belief in the Importance of National Superiority, Grey Pride residents show that they are not entirely at ease in the mosaic Canada has become. But they are doing their best to keep up, as their Enthusiasm for Technology and Openness Toward Others show.

Attitudes
"I feel that violence is all around us and that we must constantly be on the lookout"
"I have already taken steps to ensure that I have sufficient income for retirement"
"It's unacceptable that an industrial society such as ours produces pollution"
"Governments do more harm than good"
"Overall there is too much immigration"

Urbane Villagers
Wealthy middle-aged urban sophisticates

Located in Canada's largest cities, Urbane Villagers is a prosperous world of stately homes and high-end cars, charity auctions and golf club memberships. The nation's second wealthiest cluster, it's characterized by married couples with university degrees and university-aged children, and it includes a significant percentage of European and Asian immigrants. With their hefty salaries - average household incomes top $166,000 - Urbane Villagers members enjoy the trappings of wealth: designer clothes, vacation cottages and frequent trips abroad. But these Canadians also tend to be involved in their communities, the active and philanthropic members of cultural, political and environmental groups.

Wealthy $166,716
Middle-Aged
Ethnic Presence: Low

Slightly younger and less affluent than Canada's top-ranked lifestyle, Urbane Villagers residents are the greatest contributors to RRSPs and second only to the wealthiest cluster in savings. They are a bit more style-conscious and less formal in their consumption patterns. They're more likely to shop at stores like Banana Republic and Club Monaco, the men more likely to wear cologne, the women more likely to wear less expensive jewelry. Although they are able to afford flying business and first class, they're not above flying economy as well. They rank near the top for buying books, personal computers and Australian wine, and are heavily involved in the arts, as both benefactors and patrons of museums, art galleries and orchestras.

How they think
Urbane Villagers is an affluent but not insular cluster. Residents are most distinguished by their commitment to Community Involvement; they are attached to their local environments as well as the people in their neighborhoods. This feeling of connectedness to place and people gives rise to a number of progressive values, including Global Ecological Consciousness, Ethical Consumerism, a belief in the Primacy of Environemtal Protection and a sense of Belonging to the Global Village. Urbane Villagers residents believe that diversity gives life richness: they strongly reject Ethnic Intolerance and their belief in the Importance of Spontaneity in Daily Life and Sensualism suggests that they are seeking rich new experiences. The threads of diversity, spontaneity and community connectedness weave together strongly; Urbane Villagers residents love the idea of vibrant street life championed by urban theorist Jane Jacobs. These Canadians will be attracted to green products and local business.

Attitudes
"I avoid using the products of companies with a poor environmental record"
"I've taken steps to ensure that I have sufficient money for retirement"
"I have great confidence in my creative abilities"
"I feel a personal responsibility to help those worse off than me"
"Capital punishment should not be reinstated in Canada"

Rooms with a View
Young Multi-ethnic singles in downscale urban high-rises

Rooms with a View represents the nation's high-rise ethnic neighbourhoods, a haven for young single immigrants living in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary. Many households are found near university campuses and contain recent graduates and students still taking classes. With few children in its mix of new immigrants from South Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, Rooms with a View has the air of an immigrant launching pad. These unattached Canadians use dating services, frequent health clubs, go to rock concerts and enjoy entertaining at home - in part because of their low rate of car ownership. And few financial obligations mean residents can buy lots of books, designer clothes, computers and DVDs. And like other youth, they express somewhat hedonistic values, telling researchers that they enjoy "letting myself go."

Downscale $36,721
Young
Ethnic Presence: High (Mixed)

For the residents of Rooms with a View, life is not unlike dormitory living. Many still take classes, have entry-level jobs and wind down playing pickup games of soccer and basketball. Those who work typically hold white-collar and sales positions and find themselves on the road a lot, making this cluster the tops for taking business trips. Back in their apartment towers, they spend a lot of time online, visiting chat rooms and job posting websites. And, while some recent immigrants are the children of wealth who came to Canada to study, most have to stretch their budgets to shop at their preferred upscale stores and take their frequent trips back home.

How they think
Rooms with a View is a cluster living a fun, fashionable, youthful lifestyle on a budget. Strong on Importance of Spontaneity in Daily Life, these young Canadians are looking for excitement and at least a little hedonistic indulgence every day. They delight in buying something new for themselves (Joy of Consumption), especially a new garment or gadget that will impress their friends (Concern for Appearance). This is a young cluster, but not a particular idealistic one: it scores high on Acceptance of Violence and Civil Disobedience; in combination, these trends suggest a streak of rebelliousness. Residents of Rooms with a View are thrilled by the possibilities for entertainment and consumption that new technology provides: it is among the strongest clusters on Enthusiasm for New Technology.

Attitudes
"There should be more public funding for the arts"
"I would prefer to do work that is not particularly interesting but pays well"
"I enjoy shopping for clothes"
"I don't think Canada is becoming too closely linked to the U.S."
"I am more of a spender than a saver"