Canada’s Cities in a Changing World 1920–2120 : The Halftime Report

Abstract

This book provides a deeper understanding of cities and how they underpin Canada’s culture and prospects. Where are Canada’s cities ‘best in class’? Where do they need urgent care? Why is the most important determinant of a rural Albertan or northern Ontario resident the success of the country’s cities? How are Canada’s cities inextricably anchored to the expansive open spaces of the countryside? Through a sweeping 200-year timeframe, key trends and influences emerge. Many of these are common around the world, yet much is also unique to Canada’s geography. A deeper understanding of the history of Canada’s cities, where cities are today relative to their international peers, and what is likely to transpire over the next century, will lead to better policy decisions. The time frame is also consistent with the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy that decisions should support a sustainable world seven generations into the future (about 200 years). This is the halftime report of Seven Generations of Canada’s cities.