Urban Development In Canada

Urban residence.

The urban infrastructure is the physical manifestation of our social values and, as such, it reveals the underlying problems with the current urban form. In recent decades, population growth and rural-urban migration have increased urban sprawl, resulting in more numerous and rapidly growing cities, which have become vibrant centres of culture and commerce. There is a flip side, however. Higher levels of consumption create mountains of waste; population growth and the inequitable distribution of wealth also lead to more slums and homelessness; and the addiction to the automobile encourages urban sprawl to the detriment of downtown areas and neighbouring farmland. The urban issue is exacerbated by the fact that 79 percent of Canadians live in urban areas,

Sustainable urban development has therefore become a multi-faceted and critical problem that now relates to energy consumption, transportation and land use planning, community building, and environmental and social justice issues, as well as good environmental management. Two Canadian reports prepared for the United Nations make similar observations and touch on the additional issues of a lack of affordable housing, the breaking up of farmland, and aging infrastructures that perform poorly in terms of energy efficiency and the environment. It is agreed that local governments have great influence over economic innovation and social cohesion in Canada, and that the various levels of government must work closely together and citizens must be involved from the outset if we are to find answers to the problem of urban sustainability. As part of the process, stakeholders would benefit from a greater understanding of how cities implement sustainable development objectives (which relate to broader quality-of-life objectives), the key factors for making a successful transition to sustainable urban development, and the combination of government and economic tools that will advance sustainable