An Investigation Into Downtown Revitalization in Mid-Sized Cities in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

An Investigation into Downtown Revitalization in Mid-Sized Cities in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by Audrey Jamal A thesis presented to the University Of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Planning Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2018 © Audrey Jamal 2018 Examining Committee Membership The following served on the Examining committee for this thesis. The decision of the Examining Committee is by majority vote. External Name: Dr. Laura Reese Title: Professor, Michigan State University Co-Supervisor Name: Dr. Pierre Filion Title: Professor Co-Supervisor Name: Dr. Mark Seasons Title: Professor Committee Member Name: Dr. Tara Vinodrai Title: Associate Professor Internal Name: Dr. Markus Moos Title: Associate Professor Internal/External Name: Dr. Heather Hall Title: Assistant Professor ii Author Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. iii Abstract Twenty-first century cities are facing complex environmental, economic and social challenges. In growth areas like Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe, the province has implemented a regional-scale plan to address the negative impact of unchecked urban sprawl and protect the region’s natural heritage. The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Ontario, 2006, 2017) aims to change the provincial planning paradigm by directing how and where growth can occur in cities. This effort, to create complete communities, enhance transit corridors and revitalize downtowns, is inclusive of eight standalone mid-sized cities that sit outside, or in the outer ring, of the province’s Greenbelt. This research explores the strategies that these outer ring mid-sized cities, with a history of core area decline, are using to foster local economic development, revitalize core areas, and achieve provincial population and employment targets by 2041. This research follows a three- manuscript format and offers one of the first empirical insights into how mandated growth planning is impacting mid-sized city downtowns in Ontario. The first manuscript uses the example of downtown Guelph to evaluate the impact of provincial growth targets on downtown revitalization. Findings from this case study suggest that provincial growth targets can have a catalytic effect on the planning paradigm in mid-sized cities. Through locally led community- planning efforts, and a range of site-specific incentives, mid-sized cities can begin to intensify their downtowns and reverse decades of core area decline. Manuscripts two and three leverage a local economic development framework, to explore the role that allied groups can play in implementing strategies to foster mid-sized city downtown renewal. Manuscript two looks at the role Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) play as partners to local economic development. Findings illustrate that incremental improvements are occurring iv in the downtowns of these outer ring mid-sized cities, and that BIAs, through a combination of operational activities, advocacy and broad-based coalition building, can contribute to urban revitalization by pursuing a downtown-first agenda. The final manuscript looks at the role that coworking, or shared workspaces, play in the downtown economies of mid-sized cities in Ontario. Findings tell the story of how economic change is playing out in the downtowns of these mid-sized cities, highlighting the importance of innovative, collaborative and inclusive approaches to city building and local economic development. Together these manuscripts illustrate the change that is taking place in Ontario’s mid- sized cities in the outer ring of the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Through a combination of top- down provincial planning and bottom-up local economic development initiatives, mid-sized cities can begin to reverse decades of core area decline. While these changes take time, this research confirms the importance of downtown allies and ongoing, incremental improvements to promote downtown revitalization in smaller metropolitan areas. v Acknowledgements The University of Waterloo, School of Planning, was a natural fit for a research project focused on the downtowns of mid-sized cities. Located in one of Canada’s thriving mid-sized cities, the City of Waterloo is undergoing rapid changes as it evolves to meet the challenges and opportunities of city building in the twenty-first century. The expertise, good humor and support of faculty and colleagues at the university were most appreciated. A special thank you to my co- advisors, Dr. Pierre Filion and Dr. Mark Seasons, and dissertation committee member, Dr. Tara Vinodrai, for excellent discussions and feedback throughout the process. Your perspectives helped me bring each of the manuscripts to life, and begin to tell the story of cities that have been on the sidelines of the urban conversation for too long. This research would not have been possible without the participation of planning practitioners, municipal staff, city councillors, citizen groups, developers, Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and coworking spaces across Ontario. Thank you for welcoming me into your cities, neighbourhoods and organizations, and sharing your thoughts on urban revitalization in the downtowns of mid-sized cities. A special thank you to Julia Grady, founder of 10 Carden Shared Spaces, for being an exceptional collaborator and friend, and to the Province of Ontario’s Places to Grow Implementation Fund for generously supporting research on the sharing economy and coworking in Ontario’s mid-sized cities. My parents, Ellen and Nadim Jamal, as newcomers to Canada, always prioritized education. I thank them for instilling in me a life-long love of learning. To my husband and children, Scott, Julian and Miriam, thank you. There are no words that I can offer to repay you for the time and space you each afforded me to take on this research. I remain overwhelmed by your generosity, and grateful for your love. vi Table of Contents Examining Committee Membership ........................................................................................... ii Author Declaration ...................................................................................................................... iii Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................. xii List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. xiii CHAPTER ONE: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Research Problem and Research Questions ....................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Context .................................................................................................................. 5 1.3 Research Recommendations .............................................................................................. 10 1.4 Structure of Dissertation .................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review ................................................................................... 19 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 19 2.2 Small and Mid-sized Cites Literature Review ................................................................. 21 2.2.1 A Question of Size ............................................................................................................................... 22 2.3 Downtown Decline, Renewal and Economic Revitalization ........................................... 23 2.3.1 Operational Steps Toward Renewal ........................................................................................ 26 vii 2.3.2 Economic Revitalization .............................................................................................................. 28 2.4 Uneven Interurban Growth ............................................................................................... 31 2.5 Big City Ideas In Small Cities: Creative economy, smart growth and immigration .... 33 2.5.1 The Creative Economy .................................................................................................................. 33 2.5.2 Smart Growth ................................................................................................................................... 35 2.5.3 City Growth Through Immigration ........................................................................................... 37 2.6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER THREE: Research Design and Methodology ................................................... 42 3.1 Context ................................................................................................................................

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