Being Realistic About Planning in No Growth: Challenges, Opportunities, and Foundations for a New Agenda in the Greater Sudbury, CMA
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Being Realistic About Planning in No Growth: Challenges, Opportunities, and Foundations for a New Agenda in the Greater Sudbury, CMA by Heather M. Hall A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Planning Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2007 ©Heather M. Hall, 2007 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A THESIS 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. ii ABSTRACT Regional disparities, most notably of the 'heartland-periphery' pattern, have been a distinctive feature of Canadian urban geography throughout the industrial era. New regimes of economic prosperity, recessions, and restructuring in the post-industrial era coupled with demographic fluctuations have added new and accentuated divisions and disparities creating an increased gap between cities that are growing and not growing. Under these conditions, it seems realistic to expect that no-growth cities might begin to develop distinctive planning strategies centered on a theme of decline or no-growth scenarios. However, this has not been the case. The City of Greater Sudbury is located in North-eastern Ontario and is best known across Canada for its original resource-based ‘boom’, its unsustainable mining practices and subsequent decline. The 21st-Century City of Sudbury has since evolved into a more balanced regional centre. Nonetheless, the population of the City has been fluctuating over the last 30 years, experiencing decline, slow growth, and no-growth scenarios. The first phase in the research establishes the documentary record of Sudbury’s decline alongside remedial initiatives undertaken at the federal, provincial, and local levels in the general attempt to kick start growth locally and remediate decline. The second phase in the research investigates how those involved in planning and economic development at the grassroots level deal with no growth through key informant interviews with planners, economic developers, consultants, and politicians. The research findings document the contradictory perceptions that surround planning in no-growth locales and further explore the challenges and opportunities associated with no growth urban areas. It concludes with a discussion of what might constitute alternative criteria for a new model of planning and development capable of generating more realistic economic and planning policy and strategy considerations for no growth urban areas and Northeastern Ontario. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are so many friends, family members, supporters, colleagues, and mentors who deserve my extreme gratitude for encouraging me throughout this process. First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Trudi Bunting for your guidance, knowledge, and putting up with my cognitive dissonance! Thank you for challenging me to reach my full potential and allowing me to grow as an academic. You set the bar high and I hope I came close to surpassing it! I would also like to thank Dr. Mark Seasons for your guidance and thoughtful comments on my interview guide and finished product along with Dr. Pierre Filion and Dr. Rob Feick. Your comments were insightful and truly appreciated. I am ever gracious to Dr. William Crumplin, from the Geography Department at Laurentian University, for cheering me on from Sudbury. Your continued support throughout this degree has meant the world to me. One more to go! I would also like to thank all the amazing friends that I have met along this journey. Go Pancakes!!! I’ll never forget the dodge-ball days and becoming the volleyball champions. You were an amazing group of friends and colleagues and I wish you all great success in the future. I am indebted to all the key informants who took time out of their busy schedules to share their experiences with me. Without your thoughtful and passionate responses this research would not be accomplished. Last, but certainly not least, Mom, Dad, and Rob thank you so much for believing in me when I didn’t. Your strength allowed me to push through the tough times. Thanks for putting up with all the tears and for celebrating my triumphs. Mom, I did it! iv DEDICATION This research is dedicated to Rob and my Family. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Author’s declaration for electronic submission of a thesis....................................................... ii Abstract....................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................. iv Dedication................................................................................................................................. v Table of Contents..................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures.......................................................................................................................... ix List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ x CHAPTER ONE UNEVEN GROWTH IN URBAN CANADA............................................ 1 1.1 Context............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 The Study Area – The City of Greater Sudbury ............................................................. 5 1.3 Research Problem ......................................................................................................... 11 1.4 Thesis Organization ...................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER TWO THE NO-GROWTH LACUNA & THE MANAGEMENT OF DISPARITIES......................................................................................................................... 13 PART I: NO-GROWTH LACUNA........................................................................................ 13 2.1 What the Literature Does Say....................................................................................... 14 2.2 Why is No Growth & Slow Growth a Concern? .......................................................... 16 2.3 Growth Trajectories – Challenges & Opportunities ..................................................... 18 PART II: MANAGEMENT OF DISPARITIES..................................................................... 20 2.4 Top-Down Government Intervention ........................................................................... 21 2.4.1 Ministries, Agencies & Departments..................................................................... 21 2.4.2 Growth Poles & Growth Centres ........................................................................... 22 2.4.3 Incentives and Infrastructure Investment............................................................... 23 2.4.4 Resettlement Strategies.......................................................................................... 24 2.4.5 Employment Relocation & Supportive Facilities .................................................. 25 2.5 Bottom-up Local Development..................................................................................... 26 2.5.1 Local & Community Economic Development ...................................................... 27 2.5.2 Intra-Urban Planning ............................................................................................. 28 2.6 The Need for Both Top-Down & Bottom-Up............................................................... 30 2.7 Equalization – People & Provinces............................................................................... 33 2.8 Summary....................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER THREE EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS FOR GREATER SUDBURY................... 36 3.1 Top-Down Government Intervention in Northern Ontario........................................... 36 3.1.1 Northeastern Ontario Regional Economic Development ...................................... 37 3.2 Bottom-Up Local Development in Sudbury................................................................. 40 3.2.1 The Vehicle for Economic Development .............................................................. 41 3.2.3 Community Economic Development – A Feel Good Strategy.............................. 42 3.2.4 Dispelling the Moonscape...................................................................................... 44 3.2.5 Economic Development – From All Things to Everyone to Engines of Growth.. 44 3.2.6 Post-Secondary Educational & Research Institutions as a Catalyst for Growth ... 46 3.2.7 The Cluster Panacea............................................................................................... 47 3.2.8 Collective Voices – Are they heard? ..................................................................... 48 3.2.9 Planning in the Context of No Growth .................................................................. 49 3.3 The Difference Between Top-Down & Bottom-Up ..................................................... 50 vi 3.4 Summary......................................................................................................................