In the evenings, Melissa OB次元官网网址橲hea and her husband Keith sometimes play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to make a stack of sandwiches for the family to bring to school and work the next day.

For a growing family B次元官网网址� the OB次元官网网址橲heas adopted their niece two years ago B次元官网网址� the price of groceries is a growing concern. The family of five spends more than $1,000 a month on food.

Melissa has noticed the price of everything at the grocery store going up and it means that sometimes she has to choose the sale items, even if theyB次元官网网址檙e not the healthiest choice on the shelf.

The cost of living is a growing concern for Greater Victorians.

For for the past four years, the homelessness issue pressed most heavily on our hearts and minds. This year, the cost of living took the No. 1 spot.

The finding comes out of the Victoria FoundationB次元官网网址檚 2011 Vital Signs report, released yesterday.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e in this new age of volatility,B次元官网网址� said Sandra Richardson, CEO of the foundation.

Vital Signs provides a snapshot of how weB次元官网网址檙e doing as a region, based on statistics from local, provincial and national sources on a variety of measures. ItB次元官网网址檚 also based on the Victoria FoundationB次元官网网址檚 own survey.

Of its 1,600 survey respondents, predominantly women, 42 per cent ranked cost of living as the most important issue facing Greater Victoria today. Homelessness placed second at 36 per cent. In 2010, the ranking was roughly reversed, with homelessness chosen by 47 per cent of respondents.

The stats reveal a growing proportion of people are struggling with finances.

As of 2009, there were 28,280 low-income families in Greater Victoria, a number which has been rising since 2007. Based on these low-income measures, 18.6 per cent of children under age 17 live in poverty.

Youth are also affected by the cost of living. With the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment at $806, rent is eating up 73 per cent of the average young personB次元官网网址檚 income.

B次元官网网址淔or these young folks, thatB次元官网网址檚 a pretty hard start,B次元官网网址� Richardson said.

But the rising cost of living isnB次元官网网址檛 just a concern for low-income individuals.

B次元官网网址淢ore people are impacted,B次元官网网址� Richardson said. B次元官网网址淎s you pick up the papers every day and speak to organizations, you just realize itB次元官网网址檚 the uncertainty.B次元官网网址�

The OB次元官网网址橲heas both have good, steady jobs and yet they are feeling the pinch.

After groceries, child care is No. 2 on their list of expenses.

One year, the bill totalled $15,000. Now that their kids are older and more independent, they are saving $500 per month in child-minding expenses.

B次元官网网址淚 know intellectually that IB次元官网网址檓 paying less, but I donB次元官网网址檛 feel like IB次元官网网址檓 gaining anything because it seems like the cost of living is so much higher,B次元官网网址� Melissa said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 feel like I have $500 more. B次元官网网址� It just gets eaten up.B次元官网网址�

Utility bills, gas prices, cable. All her bills are going up. While she received a cost-of-living increase at work, she said. ItB次元官网网址檚 not keeping up to the true increases in her living costs. OB次元官网网址橲hea calls it B次元官网网址渁 gentle squeeze.B次元官网网址�

Thankfully, the couple bought their house 13 years ago when houses were much cheaper. And while they donB次元官网网址檛 have to make any big sacrifices, rising costs means they have to be prudent.

Their 1,600-square-foot house in Oaklands makes for cramped living, B次元官网网址渂ut because of what the housing situation is, we canB次元官网网址檛 contemplate changing.B次元官网网址� They sacrificed their garage to make a fourth bedroom.

B次元官网网址淣o we have no storage, anywhere.B次元官网网址�

Stats roundup

Here are the highlights from this yearB次元官网网址檚 Vital Signs report:

B次元官网网址� Environment: 86 per cent of Greater Victorians drink tap water, compared with 73 per cent of British Columbians and 66 per cent of Canadians.

B次元官网网址� Culture: Between 2005 and 2010, the number of people who attended a popular music concert during the year jumped from 30 per cent to 55 per cent.

B次元官网网址� Economy: In Victoria, unemployment rate is on the decline: it reached 6.0 per cent in 2010, down from 6.4 in 2009. In 2008, it was at 3.3 per cent.

B次元官网网址� Children: On Southern Vancouver Island, 279

Aboriginal children were in government care as of

January 2010, representing 40 per cent of children in care.

B次元官网网址� Quality of life: Nearly a quarter of Southern Vancouver Island residents reported B次元官网网址渜uite a lot of stress on most days,B次元官网网址� in 2010, up from 18 per cent in 2009.

B次元官网网址� Housing: The vacancy rate dropped to 2.0 per cent as of April 2011, down from 3.1 per cent in April 2010.

Read the whole report online by visiting www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca, and click VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Vital Signs.