With the exception of the two constraint images, the level of suitability assigned to the criteria used in the multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) were all based on distance from the given features. In five of the six criteria, as distance increase from the feature, suitability decreased. The first image below shows the "amenities" criterion as brought into IDRISI after being created in ArcView based on a streets theme. The different colors of the features indicate different values that were derived from the street ID attribute in ArcView and are meaningless to this analysis. Initially, I had RECLASSified this image into a boolean image though realized later that the transformation was unecessary as the subsequent DISTANCE module caluculates distance from feature regardless of their values. The next two images show the "amenities" criterion with the DISTANCE module applied, and finally with the FUZZY module applied. Note the inverse linear relationship between the DISTANCE image and the FUZZY image.

When standardizing most of these non-constraing criterion, I chose the linear, monotonically decreasing option to produce these inverse linear images. The exception to this inverse linear relationship was the criteria pertaining to existing assisted-living homes for seniors that may act as competition for a new development. As distance increased from these features, so did suitability. For this criterion, I chose the linear, monotonically increasing option.

Two constraints were used in the multi-criteria evaluation - "vancouverbool" and "averagedwellingbool". The purpose of "vancouverbool" was to limit suitable areas to those locations that are contained within Vancouver. The "averagedwellingbool" constraint limited suitable areas to enumeration areas where average dwelling values fell between $500,000 and $1,000,000. The rationale for this criterion was that the target market for the new assisted living seniors home were relatively affluent seniors. Because senior's income is not a good indication of their affluence, average dwelling value was used on assumption that senior's living in relatively expensive homes will be able to afford to live in the new development. The dwelling value is capped at $1,000,000 because it is assumed that seniors living in homes valued more than this amount will seek out homes that are targeting an even more affluent market.