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The Metropolitan Problem in Greater Saint John

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THE METROPOLITAN PROBLEM IN GREATER SAINT JOHN By Hassan Arif LLB – Law – University of New Brunswick, 2004 MA – Political Science – Carleton University, 2003 BA – Political Science – University of New Brunswick, 2001 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Graduate Academic Unit of Sociology Supervisor: Luc Theriault, Department of Sociology University of New Brunswick Examining Board: Paul Howe, PhD, Political Science, Chairperson Janet Burns, PhD, Social Science, UNBSJ Yves Bourgeois, PhD, Social Science, UNBSJ External Examiner: Andrew Sancton, PhD, Department of Political Science, University of Western Ontario This Dissertation is accepted by the Dean of Graduate Studies THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK January, 2016 © Hassan Arif, 2016 ii ABSTRACT: The post-WWII advent of mass automobile ownership, and the suburbanization that came with it, has spurred the dispersion of the population of many city-regions. Demographic shifts such as this led to metropolitan regions effectively encompassing multiple municipalities. This created challenges to the coordination of public administration across the city-region; an example of sociological change bringing pressure on political institutions. In Greater Saint John, fragmentation of the metropolitan region has been a longstanding issue. Upon the recommendations of the 1963 Goldenberg Report, which cited the “metropolitan problem” concerning a fragmented Greater Saint John, the City of Saint John was amalgamated with the City of Lancaster and a portion of the Parish of Simonds. However, continued suburbanization in the Kennebecasis Valley in subsequent decades has again brought the problems of fragmentation to the fore, with the “metropolitan problem” once again a key issue. This study engages with the Saint John “metropolitan problem” by drawing upon interviews with Saint John policy leaders, widespread document analysis (specifically reports on local government reform from the 1960s to the 2000s), and relevant legislation. By bringing together these different sources, an assessment of the state of local government in Greater Saint John is generated. Particular emphasis is placed upon the administrative issues facing a suburbanizing region: namely, the challenges of fragmentation. The study considers in particular detail “regionalist” approaches to suburbanisation – of especial importance for New Brunswick because of the legacy of the iii “Equal Opportunity reforms” that took place during the 1960s, as well as the 1967 regional amalgamation of Greater Saint John. ‘Old regionalism’ promotes direct action by provincial/state governments to consolidate metropolitan regions. ‘New regionalism’, by contrast, seeks a more consensual model, bringing together local stakeholders, usually stopping short of full metropolitan consolidation. New Brunswick, during the 1960s, saw direct intervention by the provincial government to radically overhaul local government as part of the Equal Opportunity reforms and in amalgamating Greater Saint John. In the 2000s, however, the provincial government has taken a markedly less interventionist role, instead relying more on local initiative. This raises concerns about the slow (for some, the stalled) pace of reform, especially where local consensus cannot be reached. This study argues that regionalist thought can provide perspective on this change in the approach to local government reform in New Brunswick, as well as offering consideration for possible future avenues of action. iv ACKNOWLEGMENT: In a dissertation, the supervisor plays a very important role, and a good supervisor provides valuable advice while also facilitating the writing and examining process in a timely manner. I could not have asked for a better supervisor than Professor Luc Theriault who was always available to answer questions, and who made the writing and completion of the dissertation a much easier process than it otherwise would have been, who always provided rigorous and constructive critiques during all stages of my writing. I also want to thank my committee members, Professors Vanda Rideout and Gary Bowden, for providing valuable input and advice on my dissertation. As well, I would like to thank Professors Lucia Tramonte and Paul Sahni who gave me advice on the theoretical and literature aspects of my dissertation. Completing a dissertation is a long and involved process, but a rewarding one too as most who have gone through the process can attest to. This dissertation has been an amazing opportunity to explore new research interests and “find myself” academically. I would first like to thank my father, who is the one who recommended I apply to the PhD program in sociology at the University of New Brunswick, who set me on this journey in the first place. I would also like to thank my mother who provided a lot of help and support throughout the PhD and dissertation writing. I also want to thank those I interviewed as part of the research process, who took the time to speak to me or fill out questionnaires and, in many cases, provided additional contacts for me to interview. This research would not have been possible without their help and input. I frequently did my writing at the Second Cup on Prospect Street in Fredericton, I would like to thank the staff there for their friendly service and great v conversations that helped me get through the final stages of my writing. I would also like to similarly thank staff at other Fredericton coffeeshops where I worked on my dissertation, including the Cedar Tree Café, the Second Cup at Kings Place, and Coffee and Friends on King Street. Finally I want to thank fellow students in the graduate program in sociology, whose company made the process more enjoyable, who provided mutual support and advice, and who became lifelong friends. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………….. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………… vi LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………... ix ABBREVIATIONS…………………………………………………………….. x GLOSSARY OF TERMS……………………………………………………… xi LIST OF REPORTS…………………………………………………………… xii 1.0 INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………….. 1 1.1 Saint John and the Metropolitan Problem……..…………………. 1 1.2 Purpose of This Study……………………………………………… 3 1.3 Outline of This Study………………………………………………. 6 1.4 Demographic Characteristics of Greater Saint John………….… 7 1.5 History of Greater Saint John…………………………………….. 9 2.0 METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………. 15 2.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………. 15 2.2 Methods of Research – Qualitative………………………………… 15 2.3 Case Study…………………………………………………………… 25 2.4 Conclusion – Coordinating Findings………………………………. 27 3.0 PERSPECTIVES ON THE METROPOLITAN PROBLEM…………………………………………………………………... 29 3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………….. 29 3.2 Scale – The Local and the Regional……..………………………….. 31 3.3 Regionalism…………………………………………………………... 39 3.4 Local Government Reform – The Canadian Context……………... 56 3.5 Local Government Reform – Political Science and Sociology…….. 62 3.6 Conclusion……………………………………………………………. 67 4.0 THE METROPOLITAN PROBLEM AND THE ROAD TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY……………………………………………………………… 71 4.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………… 71 4.2 Suburbanization and Fragmentation……..………………………… 73 4.3 Royal Commission on Finance and Municipal Taxation (Byrne Report)………………………..………………………………………. 75 4.4 The Royal Commission on Metropolitan Saint John………………. 86 4.5 Goldenberg and Byrne – A Comparison……..……………………... 96 4.6 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….. 101 vii 5.0 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND THE AMALGAMATION OF GREATER SAINT JOHN………...……………………..………………………………. 104 5.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………... 104 5.2 Local Government Reform in Canada During the 1960s and 1970s………………….………………………………………………... 105 5.3 The Equal Opportunity Reforms…………………….………………. 117 5.4 The Legacy of the 1960s…………….………………………………… 123 5.5 Conclusion……………………………………………………………… 131 6.0 A NEW FOCUS – THE RE-EMERGENCE OF THE METROPOLITAN PROBLEM……………………..……………………………………………... 133 6.1 Introduction – Local Government Reform Post Equal Opportunity……………………………………………………………. 133 6.2 The Re-Emergence of the Metropolitan Problem…………………... 135 6.3 Tackling the Metropolitan Problem in New Brunswick…….……..... 136 6.4 A Renewed Focus on Urban Centres and Metropolitan Regions…… 144 6.5 Towards New Regionalism……………………………………………. 165 6.6 The Finn Report……………………………………………………….. 171 6.7 Conclusion – Towards New Regionalism…………………………….. 178 7.0 EVALUATION………………………………………………………………… 181 7.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………. 181 7.2 Equal Opportunity, Urbanization, and Suburbanization...………… 182 7.3 Local Policymaking Power………………………………….…………. 190 7.4 City-Suburb Divisions………………………………………………….. 193 7.5 Common Regional Interests…………………………………………… 202 7.6 Conclusion………………………………………………………………. 212 8.0 SOCIO-POLITICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING CHANGE…..…..…….. 215 8.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………. 215 8.2 Amalgamation – Old Regionalist Approaches……………………….. 219 8.3 Conclusion……………………………………………………………… 249 9.0 CONCLUSION………………………………………………….……………… 252 9.1 Towards an Understanding of the Metropolitan Problem…………... 252 9.2 Generalizability of Findings…………………………………………… 258 9.3 Areas of Future Study………………………………………………….. 262 10.0 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………... 263 APPENDIX A – Map Pre-Amalgamation Boundaries………………………….... 276 APPENDIX B – Map of Greater Saint John………………………….…………... 277 APPENDIX C – Concentric Circles………………………………………..……… 278 APPENDIX D – Sector Model…………………………………..…………..………
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