A recent report entitled Understanding Urban Sprawl – A Citizen’s Guide, published by the David Suzuki Foundation, warns that managing urban sprawl must be one of the primary issues addressed by the new Ontario Liberal government. At the forefront of the report is Toronto: a city, having recently undergone the pains of amalgamation, which is demonstrating some of the effects of urban sprawl. Increased traffic congestion, conversion of fertile agricultural farmland to housing, and worsening air quality, have almost become routine.
Jon Norman, an engineering consultant with Ecoplans Limited, an environmental planning and consulting company in the Toronto region, cautions that “without a regional, cooperative approach for planning in the Greater Toronto Area, the outlining satellite cities will continue to act and plan independently.” For these cities, he warns, “It’s in their economic interests to promote urban sprawl because that’s where their revenue is generated from.” Norman added that his views do not necessarily represent those of Ecoplans.
One of the key problems associated with urban sprawl is the difficulty of providing cost effective and adequate public services to these outlying regions. However, in spite of the growing expense, the Suzuki report claims consumer preference to move out to the suburbs is facilitated due to the continued development and construction in these regions. With governments continuing to invest considerable money promoting and developing these areas, consumers may not be entirely to blame.
Urban sprawl and the associated increase in people driving their cars farther and more frequently is a strong contributor to the increasing amount of greenhouse gases. As Norman points out, people that move out to the suburbs are not accountable for the detrimental impacts they impose on the environment. He claims “If these externalities [greenhouse gas car emissions], were actually internalized in the cost of developing these sprawling suburbs, then it would be less attractive for consumers to move out of the city.”
In Toronto’s current mayoral campaign, candidate David Miller raised the possibility of introducing road tolls in the Greater Toronto Area as a means of promoting and investing in public transportation and decreasing the amount of cars on the highways. Skeptics have challenged the idea claiming the tolls would have a negative impact on cities and encourage people and businesses to relocate elsewhere. Miller later said tolls would not be necessary since the province has promised more money for transit. However, prominent cities such as London, England recently implemented a per car charge for drivers wishing to drive downtown. The number of cars has been reduced by 20% and the money collected from fees is being reinvested in public infrastructure. As indicated by the Suzuki Foundation, the London example illustrates that sound city planning invites economic development and investment.
Many would agree with the Suzuki report’s claim that citizen participation in decisions concerning the community is the key to stopping urban sprawl. Canada25, a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Canada, recently published a highly acclaimed report entitled Building Up, that among other things, identified urban sprawl as a potential threat to the vibrancy of Canadian cities. The comprehensive report exemplifies the 1300-member organization’s fundamental mandate to actively engage Canadians aged 20 to 35 in public policy discourse and take action on issues of local and national significance.
Andrew Medd, executive director of Canada25, explains that the focus of Building Up was to “look at issues surrounding Canadian cities, specifically to answer the question of how can Canadian cities become magnets for young talent and better engines of economic and social development. Of the many recommendations, “the concept of building up, not out” Medd continues, “is a key attribute of a great Canadian city.”
The growing threats to our Canadian cities have also been at the forefront of the agenda of Winnipeg mayor, Glen Murray. For the past month, Murray has been speaking at town hall events across Canada, discussing his plan for the city of Winnipeg called The New Deal. His plan challenges what he calls an outdated, century-old property tax structure and explores the opportunities of tax shifting. The plan hinges on reducing city’s reliance on property tax by moving toward consumption taxes and user fees, thereby allowing taxpayers to have a say in what they pay. One of the components includes a gasoline tax that would be used to maintain the roads and development of public transit. As public transit becomes more accessible, Murray claims people will drive less, emit less pollution, reduce the impact on infrastructure and ultimately may choose to live closer to the downtown core.
With Canada’s ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, a global agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the federal government will be responsible for administering an implementation strategy. Part of the strategy needs to include a clear vision to manage the growing urban sprawl of our cities.
