Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Urban development – Ontario - Toronto'

This thesis is a comparative, data-based analysis of the labour market experiences of the Italian and Jewish populations of Toronto at the end of the 1970s, beginning of the 1980s. It also provides historical and empirical information on the emergence and development of ethnic enclaves, and assesses whether such distinct enclave economies constitute channels for upward mobility for the Italian and Jewish individuals who participate in them.
The historical findings provide evidence for the distinctiveness of an enclave labour market within these two ethnic communities. The empirical evidence reveals however, that participation in the enclave economies is quite low for Toronto's Jewish and Italian communities. The evidence does not indicate that participation in the enclave is associated with either economic benefits or losses. However, informal networks and ethnic ties have strong positive effects on enclavic participation.

This thesis stems from a general interest in press coverage of culture industries and products and the ways in which it links them to contemporary social and political concerns. The present project specifically takes The Globe and The Toronto World, two of the major daily newspapers of Toronto, as its combined object of analysis. It selects particular events and periods during the emergence of early film as popular amusement as the contexts for the study of articles, reports, columns, and editorials that centred around urban cultural issues as well as cinema. It explores the extent to which these particular events and periods figured in the papers' attention upon the new medium and its place in the everyday life of the city. These contexts were selected with an assumption of their newsworthiness for the daily press. However, upon examination it became evident that, while the majority of them did produce a concentrated attention in both dailies, not all of them did. Still, because they instantiated profound shifts in urban entertainment at the turn of the century, they were kept as historical backgrounds for the analysis of the newspapers's construction of modern culture. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2018.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 162-169).
Studies suggest autonomous vehicles can enable a more equitable, efficient, and sustainable transportation network. Yet, experts point out this outcome is not guaranteed, and that without outside policy intervention autonomous vehicle (AV) use might actually exacerbate congestion, sprawl, and inequitable access to travel. These challenges will be most acutely felt in areas under the purview of local governments-such as transportation congestion, land use, and impacts on public transit. As such, the goal of this thesis is to assist municipal policymakers with mitigating these impacts by answering the question: How can local governments effectively regulate autonomous vehicles? Looking at Toronto, Canada, specifically, this thesis addresses the following issues: - When is a contract, and when is a regulation, the most appropriate tool to encourage AV companies to act in ways that help foster a sustainable and equitable transportation network? - What does the City of Toronto require to develop effective AV regulation? - How can the City of Toronto codify broad AV policies into specific, enforceable regulations? This thesis employs three research methods: a literature review, a document analysis, and qualitative interviews with relevant experts. The primary literature review looks at the possible benefits and harms that might come from AV development and the policies local governments can enact to correct for these externalities. Interviews were conducted with 23 experts from the public and private sectors and academia, with responses analysed and themes drawn out to develop answers to the above research questions. Finally, analysis of Toronto's Official Plan and Municipal Code helped inform the creation of a proposed Article 10-A of the code to regulate AV rideshare companies. Chapters three to five of this thesis develop a framework (laid out in Figure 0.1) for thinking about how best to design effective AV regulation. Firstly, the government needs legal capacity to regulate in a given area. Toronto, for example, is responsible for overseeing local rideshare company activity. The remaining four elements all relate to human resources. Interviews show Toronto's bureaucrats believe they have a responsibility and ability to craft effective and ambitious regulations that advance the city's goals. These willing civil servants need the time and the expertise to design good policy, and the Toronto government has an AV working group that provides a forum for such a discussion. To see regulations enacted effectively, however, the mayor and council must not only support rules eventually proposed by the working group; they may also need to approach the provincial government to convince them to craft their own complementary AV legislation. Figure 0.1. The five elements to effective regulation [illustration] Chapter six explores how broad AV policy can be applied concretely. Along with Article 10-A (Appendix C), it offers an example of the specific legal language for AV regulation. Divided into two broad categories--'Equity' and 'Urban Form and Street Space'-the article addresses some of the anticipated issues that might arise with AV rideshare operations including a need to allow citizens without a smartphone are able to use the service, limit AV rideshare travel on local roads, and ensure all neighbourhoods enjoy a relatively similar level of service (accounting for geography and density). Beyond the proposed article itself, chapter six provides feedback from Toronto officials as to the challenges the provisions in the article might face were the government to attempt their ratification. Positively, none of the regulations were unanimously viewed as infeasible, with staff seemingly eager to act boldly when it comes to addressing the challenges of AV activity. As such, this thesis can be used both by Toronto policymakers and their counterparts elsewhere as the basis for discussion in designing the specific rules for AV operations that will be incorporated into a future version of the Municipal Code.
by Benjamin M. Gillies-Podgorecki.
M.C.P.

Urban Renewal activity can be attributed to the reuse and intensification of tertiary areas. Past research suggests areas of regeneration can perform at par and/or better then prime property sectors. Policy initiatives lowering perceived risk, attracting investment is conditional to the unique characteristics of renewal areas. As a progressive area of research there still remains insufficient data to quantify related returns and associated risks. Financial institutions tend to favor prime property and neglect tertiary areas. Local, smaller developers can comprehend the holistic nature of renewal investment. A comparative analysis of past urban renewal investment behavior with actors of renewal investment in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, were evaluated leading to empirical possibilities of investment alternatives.

This paper considers the quantitative and qualitative observation-based assessment of neighbourhoodhealth in three Toronto neighbourhoods. In so doing, the paper addresses prevailing challenges andopportunities in a range of forms of neighbourhood health. The Bay Street Corridor, Kensington-Chinatown,and Regent Park were studied as exemplar cases of neighbourhoods in varying degrees of degradation. Theresearch involved a robust evaluation of raw statistical analysis, census data, anecdotal evidence, and annualreports to demonstrate the spatiality of crime, real estate, and socio-economic opportunity. Results from thisanalysis have demonstrated that certain neighbourhood characteristics are prone to higher or lower crime rates,structural neglect, real estate speculation, and proprietary action. ‘Fear proves itself’ in as far as neighbourhoodaction provides impetus to create defensible spaces to increase neighbourhood engagement and ownership and toprotect against neglect and crime. What is clear from these descriptions is that neighbourhood health issignificantly associated with endogenous behaviour; positing the important role that community advocacy playsin stewarding neighbourhood health. Understanding neighbourhood health requires an appreciation of localsocial assets, and how these indigenous resources articulate opportunities for sustainable urban development.The longevity of cities involves building neighbourhoods for people and providing a stable structure thatpromotes and perpetuates sustainable city living. By exploring themes in urban sociology, psychology of place,and place belonging, the investigation highlights

La modélisation intégrée du système d’assainissement urbain offre la flexibilité nécessaire pour développer des solutions qui bénéficient le plus au système global, en mettant l'accent sur la quantité et la qualité de l'eau, Les modèles intégrés offrent des avantages par rapport aux modèles traditionnels des sous-systèmes individuels en facilitant l’analyse efficace des interactions entre ces différents systèmes individuels (c.-à-d. les bassins versants, les égouts, les stations d’épuration et les eaux réceptrices) dans une seule plateforme de modélisation. La complexité réduite de ce type de modèle diminue le fardeau de calcul par rapport à leurs homologues détaillés, ce qui permet une plus large gamme d'évaluations telles que l'analyse de scénarios, l'optimisation par contrôle en temps réel et l’analyse d'incertitude par approche Monte Carlo. Le potentiel de créer ces types de modèles intégrés représentatifs a été démontré dans de multiples études, mais les méthodes existantes pour développer ces modèles ne sont pas bien établies ni bien documentées et nécessitent donc un grand effort pour chaque nouveau cas d’étude. De plus, l'absence d'une méthode standardisée pour représenter la partie du modèle qui simule la quantité d'eau limite l'application de ces modèles pour des études de qualité de l'eau. Bien que la recherche soit nécessaire pour développer et optimiser toutes les méthodologies impliquées dans le développement de modèles intégrés de systèmes d'eaux usées urbaines, ce projet se concentre sur les modèles conceptuels simplifiés des bassins versants et des égouts pour la quantité d'eau. L'objectif de cette étude était de développer une procédure structurée pour traduire des modèles hydrologiques et hydrauliques détaillés en modèles conceptuels simplifiés utilisés dans la modélisation du système intégré des eaux usées urbaines. L'objectif était d'améliorer la répétabilité, la flexibilité et l'efficacité de l'approche générale, indépendamment de la plateforme de modélisation choisie. Cette tâche a été réalisée en extrayant les principales étapes et considérations tout en construisant deux modèles conceptuels simplifiés d'une étude de cas au centre d'Ottawa, au Canada. La partie urbaine centrale (6 400 ha) d'un modèle détaillé PCSWMM de la Ville d'Ottawa, contenant une combinaison d'égouts séparés, partiellement séparés et combinés, a été utilisée comme modèle de référence dans cette étude de cas. La tâche principale consistait à déterminer comment traduire ce modèle détaillé en modèle conceptuel simplifié de manière structurée, systématique et répétable en utilisant WEST comme plateforme. La procédure développée suit une séquence similaire à celle des protocoles examinés dans la revue de la littérature, tout en tenant compte des spécificités liées à l'agrégation des bassins versants et des égouts. Les quatre phases principales sont la définition du projet, le développement du modèle, la calibration et la validation. Deux versions du modèle conceptuel ont été créées : le premier a d'abord été créé avec un certain niveau d'agrégation, tandis que le deuxième était plus agrégé que le premier modèle, avec environ la moitié du nombre de bloques et de réservoirs. Les deux modèles ont été calibrés et comparés au modèle détaillé. Les résultats des simulations ont montré que le volume total et la dynamique des débits calculés par les modèles conceptuels ont bien émulé ceux du modèle détaillé (< < 10% de différence), tout en fournissant une réduction significative du temps de calcul (10 à 80 fois). La réduction du temps de simulation pour le modèle le plus agrégé n'était pas équivalente au niveau d'agrégation augmentée, principalement parce qu’il y a une quantité de code qui est présente dans les deux codes et prend donc le même temps de calcul. Comme généralement anticipé, des différences plus grandes, mais acceptables, ont été observées en validation. Ces différences ont été attribuées à plusieurs facteurs, tels que le manque de calibration avec des données sur une période longue, les représentations simplifiées des structures spéciales, les différences entre les mécanismes utilisés dans les modèles détaillés et conceptuels pour représenter le durée de pluie, et la configuration du code de modèle. Dans l'ensemble, la validation a été une réussite étant donné que la calibration a été effectuée à l'aide d'événements de courte durée alors que la validation a utilisé une longue série de données. En général, la procédure conçue a permis de réduire le travail manuel associé à la construction d'un modèle et à bien structurer la façon de construire des modèles conceptuels. Des connaissances pour chacune des différentes phases de modélisation ont également été acquises tout au long du processus du développement des deux modèles. Dans la phase ‹‹ Définition du projet ››, les objectifs du modèle conceptuel ont guidé la méthode de développement et de calibration du modèle. Les bassins versants et les égouts ont été délimités simultanément dans la phase de ‹‹ Développement du modèle ››, tout en tenant compte des emplacements des structures hydrauliques clés, des pluviomètres et des structures de débordement. La phase de ‹‹ Calibration ›› a permis l'avancement le plus systématique étant donné qu'un bon ordre de calibration a été défini et un ensemble limité de paramètres a été ciblé pour chacune des étapes de calibration. La phase de ‹‹ Validation ›› s'est révélée essentielle pour repérer des lacunes dans les hypothèses de base et les valeurs calibrées, afin de déterminer si le modèle est prêt à être utilisé ou doit être modifié. Une procédure efficace et structurée qui traduit les représentations des bassins versants urbains et des égouts de modèles détaillés en modèles intégrés conceptuels a été développée et appliquée avec succès à une étude de cas. Comme démontré dans ce projet, l'application de la procédure structurée mènera au développement efficace de modèles intégrés représentatifs, ce qui augmentera leur utilisation potentielle pour tester des scénarios réalistes. Pour raffiner et améliorer la procédure formulée, il est recommandé de l'appliquer à d’autres études de cas.
Modelling urban wastewater networks within integrated systems, focusing on both water quantity and quality, introduces flexibility to develop solutions with greatest benefit to the overall system. Integrated models provide benefits over traditional single sub-system models by facilitating efficient analysis of interactions between the individual components of urban water systems (i.e. catchments, sewers, treatment plants, and receiving waters) within a single modelling platform. The reduced complexity of this type of model decreases the computational burden compared to their detailed counterparts. This allows for a wider range of assessments such as scenario-testing, RTC optimization, and Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses. The potential to create these types of representative integrated models was proven in multiple studies, however, the current methods to develop these models are not well-established nor well documented, and therefore require significant work for each case study. Furthermore, the lack of a standardized method to represent the water quantity portion limits the wide-scale application of such models for water quality studies. Although research is required to further develop and optimize all methodologies involved with building Integrated Urban Wastewater System (IUWS) models, this project focuses on the simplified catchment and sewer conceptual models for water quantity. The objective of this study was to develop a structured procedure to translate detailed hydrologic and hydraulic models into the simplified conceptual models used in IUWS modelling. The aim was to improve repeatability, flexibility and efficiency of the general approach, regardless of chosen modelling platforms. This task was achieved by extracting the key steps and considerations while building two simplified conceptual models of a case study in central Ottawa, Canada. The central urban portion (6,400 ha) of a calibrated detailed PCSWMM model of the City of Ottawa, containing a mix of separated, partially-separated and combined sewer areas, was used as the reference model in this case study. The main task involved determining how to translate this detailed model into simplified conceptual models, using WEST as the platform, in a structured, systematic and repeatable way. The resultant developed procedure follows a similar sequence as the protocols reviewed in the literature review, while taking into consideration specifics related to aggregating catchments and sewers. The four main phases of this thesis are Project Definition, Model Development, Calibration and Validation. Two versions of the lumped model were created; the first was created with a certain level of aggregation, while the second was a further aggregation of the first model, resulting in about half the number of blocks and reservoirs. Both models were calibrated and compared to the detailed model as well as to each other. The simulation results showed that the volume and dynamics (ie. the shape of the hydrographs) of the conceptual models emulated those of the detailed model well (< < 10% differences), while providing a significant reduction in simulation-time speed-up (10 to 80 times faster than the detailed model). The simulation time reduction in the more aggregated model was not equivalent to the increased level of aggregation, mostly due to the fixed amount of basic calculation required in each model. As generally expected, larger but acceptable differences were found during the validation period compared to the calibration period. These differences were attributed to several factors, such as the lack of a long-time series calibration, oversimplified representations of special structures, the different mechanisms in the detailed and conceptual models used to represent wet weather flow, and the configuration of the model code. Overall, the validation was successful given the fact that the calibration was performed using events whereas the validation used an extended time series of 45 days. In general, the devised procedure helped reduce the manual labour associated with building a model and structured the approach to build the conceptual models. General findings from the various identified phases were also documented throughout the model building process. In the Project Definition phase, the conceptual model’s objectives guided the method of model development and calibration. The catchments and sewers were delineated concurrently in the Model Development phase, while taking into consideration the locations of the key hydraulic structures, raingauges and overflows. The Calibration phase allowed for the most systematic advancement of the model build, given that a good calibration order was defined and a limited set of parameters was targeted in each successive run. The Validation phase proved critical in pinpointing deficiencies in the initial assumptions and calibrated values, thus determining whether the model is ready for use or needs to be modified through one of the preceding phases. An efficient and structured procedure that translates catchment and sewer representations from detailed to conceptual models in IUWS was developed and successfully applied to a case study. As demonstrated in this project, applying the proposed structured procedure will lead to the efficient development of representative IUWS models, thus increasing their potential use to test real-life scenarios. To challenge and improve the formulated procedure, applying it to multiple case studies is recommended.

While environmental and economic sustainability have been driving factors in the movement towards a more resilient built environment, social sustainability is a factor that has received significantly less attention over the years. Federal support for low-income housing has fallen drastically, and the deficit of available, adequate, affordable homes continues to grow. In this thesis, I explore one way that architects can design affordable housing that is intrinsically sustainable. In the past, subsidized low-income housing has been built as if to provide a short-term solution—as if poverty and lack of affordable housing is a short-term problem. However, I argue that adaptable architecture is essential for the design of affordable housing that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. Further, architects must balance affordability, durability, and adaptability to design sustainable solutions that are resistant to obsolescence. I conclude by applying principles and processes of adaptability in the design of Apto Ontario, an adaptable affordable housing development in the low-income historic downtown of Ontario, California (Greater Los Angeles). Along a new Bus Rapid Transit corridor, Apto Ontario would create a diverse, resilient, socially sustainable community in an area threatened by the rise of housing costs.

This thesis draws on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession” and an international political economy (IPE) approach centred on the institutional arrangements and power structures that privilege certain actors and values, in order to critique current capitalist practices of primitive accumulation by the global corporate extractive industry. The thesis examines how accumulation by dispossession by the global extractive industry is facilitated by the “free entry” or “free mining” principle. It does so by focusing on Canada as a leader in the global extractive industry and the spread of this country’s mining laws to other countries – in other words, the transnationalisation of norms in the global extractive industry – so as to maintain a consistent and familiar operating environment for Canadian extractive companies. The transnationalisation of norms is further promoted by key international institutions such as the World Bank, which is also the world’s largest development lender and also plays a key role in shaping the regulations that govern natural resource extraction. The thesis briefly investigates some Canadian examples of resource extraction projects, in order to demonstrate the weaknesses of Canadian mining laws, particularly the lack of protection of landowners’ rights under the free entry system and the subsequent need for “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC). The thesis also considers some of the challenges to the adoption and implementation of the right to FPIC. These challenges include embedded institutional structures like the free entry mining system, international political economy (IPE) as shaped by international institutions and powerful corporations, as well as concerns regarding ‘local’ power structures or the legitimacy of representatives of communities affected by extractive projects. The thesis concludes that in order for Canada to be truly recognized as a leader in the global extractive industry, it must establish legal norms domestically to ensure that Canadian mining companies and residents can be held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies abroad. The thesis also concludes that Canada needs to address underlying structural issues such as the free entry mining system and implement FPIC, in order to curb “accumulation by dispossession” by the extractive industry, both domestically and abroad.

Earth is becoming more urban. As the human population continues the current trend of migrating towards urbanized regions, the pressures to develop urban greenspaces will inevitably increase. Greenspaces play a critical role in urban livability for both human and non-human beings. This research examines the creation and management of the Rouge Park (Ontario, Canada), which is a large greenspace approximately 46 km2 located in the eastern portion of the Greater Toronto Area. The output of this research consists of three parts. The first provides an identification of the relevant actors, and a detailed chronology of the social and political events that led to the establishment of the Rouge Park. The second section explores the competing narratives of science, conservation, and development that were fundamental in shaping the protected area that we see today. The final section examines the governance and administration of the Rouge Park, and investigates the activities and involvement of civil society actors working in its day-to-day management. Using qualitative methods, I demonstrate that science and scientific expertise can be powerful tools of legitimization for civil society actors. In particular, I examine the benefits and pitfalls of placing ecologically-based rationalizations at the forefront of conservation policy deliberations. Furthermore, I show that despite shortcomings in the governance structure of the park, the current arrangement has provided civil society actors with increased opportunities to shape their community. My results show that a locally grounded nature conservation movement can serve as a powerful motivating force for citizens to enact long-term environmental planning initiatives.

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is becoming an increasing challenge for municipal authorities due to global increases in waste quantities. Other challenges include; changes in waste composition and increasing concern for the environment. As cities continue to grow, so too will the waste. The management of waste therefore becomes critical to municipal planning. Health and sanitation, aesthetics, minimization of pollution and the monitoring of critical resources are just some of the reasons municipalities must manage and control solid waste. Using the Toronto Pearson Eco Business Zone as a case study, this thesis explores how waste (by-product) exchanges might inform municipal planning and how waste exchanges could advise planners and academics in managing growing amounts of municipal waste. The Toronto Pearson Eco Business Zone is a developing Eco Industrial Park which utilizes theories and concepts of ecology and resource recovery to reduce waste. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, data was obtained from businesses throughout the Park to develop a waste exchange database. The results of this study suggest that the application of concepts underlying Eco Industrial Parks such as a by-product exchange program can assist to drive resource recovery and sustainable waste management practices. However, users of the exchange are highly uneducated or unaware of the links between waste and resources. This was made evident by the fact that companies were more inclined to continue the practice of revenue recycling over the sustainable approach as offered by the exchange. This conclusion suggests that although a waste exchange can help to drive resource recovery, increased education and awareness through mandatory regulations could help to drive resource recovery even further. For the greater success of waste management in Canada, the Government should take action to regulate the planning and organization of waste exchanges in industrial and surrounding areas. The Pearson Eco-Business by-product exchange suggests that cities should not be planned without consideration of solid waste and resource recovery therefore suggesting that concepts related to Eco-Industrial parks should be applied to all municipal and city planning moving forward.

Cities everywhere are struggling to develop strategic responses to vast and rapid economic changes brought about by globalization while mediating the social impact of economic change. Workforce development is a policy area that straddles the divide between economic development and social welfare imperatives. This thesis examines local networks supporting workforce development activities in three Ontario cities in order to better understand the dynamics of urban governance in Canada. The analysis focuses on the two central questions of whether cities have the political autonomy to develop their own strategic workforce development networks, and if so, do these networks reflect efforts to integrate economic development and social welfare considerations. It engages with three theoretical perspectives that offer different explanations for local governance dynamics: neo-institutionalist theories argue that higher institutional structures shape and constrain local governance efforts; the critique of neo-liberalism argues that local governance dynamics will be dominated by the interests of capital for economic development; and theories of urban governance argue that cities have the autonomy to shape their own governance efforts. Theories of urban governance also focus analytical attention on how the patterns of interaction between local state and non-state actors shape local governance dynamics. The study does find evidence of local workforce development networks, and finds that these networks vary according to the patterns of interaction between local state and non-state actors. From a neo-institutionalist perspective, however, the study also finds that macro-institutional policy frameworks shape and constrain these local governance efforts.

Dozens of major cities around the world have launched large-scale waterfront redevelopment projects over the past fifty years. Absent from this list of noteworthy achievements, however, is Toronto, a case of grand ambitions gone horribly awry. Despite three extensive revitalization plans in the second half of the 20th century, Toronto’s central waterfront, an area roughly double the city’s central business district, has remained mired in political gridlock for decades. The purpose of this dissertation is to explain why this came to pass. Informed by extensive archival and interview research, as well as geospatial data analyzed using Geographic Information Systems software, the thesis demonstrates that above and beyond political challenges typical of any major urban redevelopment project, in Toronto, issues of land ownership — specifically, public land ownership — were pivotal in defining the scope and pace of waterfront planning and implementation. Few, if any, waterfront redevelopment projects around the world have been attempted amidst the same degree of public land ownership and jurisdictional fragmentation as that which plagued implementation efforts in Toronto. From 1961-1998, no less than 81% of all land in the central waterfront was owned by one public body or another, dispersed across a patchwork of public agencies, corporations, and special purpose authorities nestled within multiple levels of government. Such fragmentation, specifically across public bodies, added a layer of complexity to the existing intergovernmental dynamic that effectively crippled implementation efforts. It created a “joint-decision trap” impervious to conventional resolution via bargaining, problem solving, or unilateral action. This tangled political history poses a considerable challenge to conventional liberal, structuralist, and regime-based theories of urban politics derived from US experiences. It also highlights the limits of conventional implementation theory in the study of urban development, and calls into question longstanding interpretations of federal-provincial-municipal relations and multilevel governance in Canada.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Environmental Studies.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 341-370). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004 & res_dat=xri:pqdiss & rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation & rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR00376.

This project defines the potential benefits of bicycling in major Canadian cities; determines the role of cycling within sustainable urban development; and suggests recommendations for maximizing the benefits of cycling in Canadian cities. The first phase of the project involved a review of academic literature and analysis of documents for four city case studies: Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Ottawa, Ontario; and Toronto, Ontario. Information was analyzed and themed to develop recommendations to maximize bicycling in these cities. The research suggests Vancouver and Ottawa are two of Canada’s leading cities in cycling innovation. Analysis of city documents found that most cities create in-depth cycling master plans which are difficult to successfully complete. Phase two of the project involved a 5400 kilometer bicycling tour in the summer of 2010 from Vancouver to Toronto. During the tour, each of the four cities were visited for a period of five to seven days and observations were made on cyclist infrastructure, safety, promotional and educational initiatives, planning, policy and law, and unique features. Photography and semi-structured interviews with urban planners, government officials, and cycling advocates were utilized to gain a unique perspective of the major cycling issues and innovations within each city. The research and observation indicated that a focus on creation of complete cycling networks; enforcement of cyclist rights; promotion and education; incentives and disincentives to the use of motorized vehicles; efficient use of funds for cycling infrastructure; the examination of municipal level cycling master plan policy; recognition of economic benefits of cycling; and knowledge and experience sharing between Canadian municipalities can increase overall rates of cycling within a city.
Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-30 13:57:01.281

Sustainable urban parks provide social and economical benefits to the residents and contribute to the urban ecosystem health. Municipalities are responsible for development and management of urban parks and the goal of this study was to better understand if, and why, the municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have utilized sustainable development strategies in the planning, design, construction and management for their new park projects. A qualitative study utilizing an in-depth interview format was created based on the principles of sustainable development compiled from the Sustainable Sites Initiative. A sample of four municipalities in the GTA was selected based on population and development growth and the park authorities were contacted. The results indicated few sustainable initiatives implemented in the design and management stages of park development. Understanding the constraints against these suggest that there may be potential to increase the sustainability of urban parks.
The Goal of this thesis was to explore if, and why, the municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have or have not adopted sustainable development strategies in planning, design, construction and management of their new parks.

In this thesis I recount the historical relationship between settlement and food lands in Southern Ontario. Informed by landscape and food regime theory, I use a landscape approach to interpret the history of this relationship to deepen our understanding of a pertinent, and historically specific problem of land access for sustainable farming. This thesis presents entrenched barriers to landscape renewal as institutional legacies of various layers of history. It argues that at the moment and for the last century Southern Ontario has had two different, parallel sets of determinants for land-use operating on the same landscape in the form of agricultural policy and urban planning. To the extent that they are not purposefully coordinated, not just with each other but with the social and ecological foundations of our habitation, this is at the root of the problem of land access for sustainable farming.

In this study I explore the social organization of community gardening in Toronto. I have done this by: exploring (a) the experiences of community garden coordinators hired by non-profit organizations do to improve poor Torontonians’ access to food, and how this work occurs within and is affected by the larger framework of (b) the City of Toronto’s Community Gardens Program. This inquiry was carried out using institutional ethnography, with data collection occurring through open-ended interviews with garden coordinators and the analysis of non-profit and municipal documents. The results of the study are that garden coordinator’s work to improve access to food for poor Torontonians is at odds with the municipal understanding of community gardens and park space existing to attract economic investment to Toronto via “creative professionals.”

District energy systems are a key component to addressing reductions in green house gases, encouraging compact settlement form and ensuring reliable community energy delivery. System development can also generate local economic benefits like aggregated energy pricing and employment creation. This research focuses on an exploration of Ontario’s planning framework with respect to energy generation and thermal energy distribution, providing broad recommendations to municipalities intended to help facilitate the development of district energy systems. In summary, this research was designed to accomplish the following objectives: 1. To craft a set of transferrable recommendations that will help Ontario municipalities facilitate the development of district energy systems where appropriate. 2. To add to the literature available on district energy system development from a municipal planning perspective. 3. To examine the tools available to planning practitioners to help engage communities and municipalities in planning for local energy generation and delivery. The methodological approach employed for this research is qualitative in nature, relying on an inductive style building from particulars to general themes. The characteristics of a qualitative study are best suited to address the research questions and objectives because community energy planning and land use planning are largely unexplored in conjunction, and this methodology provides a framework to explore where the fields have integrated in practice as well as reveal some of the challenges and potential solutions. Case studies were used to examine the development of two different Ontario district energy systems. Additionally, key informant interviews provide insights from planners, system operators, customers and industry experts to provide a practice based foundation of information to development transferable recommendations. The findings suggest that the development of a district energy system is a very complex process, requiring the expertise of many specialists, and the support from local stakeholders. There are planning implications for the implementation of district energy systems, which require forethought at the beginning of the planning process and opportunities to support community based energy solutions through policy. The adoption of a planning regulatory framework will ensure adequate consideration is given to community energy management in conjunction with land use and urban form. Going forward, accounting for the conservation of energy in land use will be imperative for achieving local, regional and provincial goals associated with infrastructure, the environment, and energy resource management.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Education.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-211). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11922

Within the greater movement of sustainable development, industrial practices have been identified as a key area in which much improvement is both necessary and possible. The development and operation of industrial parks have become a focus of these efforts. The basic premise of this thesis is that a sustainable industrial park should function in an economically competitive manner that provides for human needs through market mechanisms while doing so in alliance with the local community, in congruence with the local ecosystem and within the carrying capacity of the planet. From a municipal planning and economic development perspective, this thesis focuses upon the development of a municipal strategy to effectuate sustainable industrial development and operations. Utilizing a blended theoretical approach incorporating general systems theory and planning theories, the proposed industrial park surrounding the Hamilton International Airport, in the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has been analyzed to develop a viable sustainability vision for the park, identify barriers to implementing and achieving that vision, and formulate a municipal strategy to promote and enable the pursuit and realization of that vision. It was found that there is an important role for the municipality to assume and numerous opportunities for concrete municipal action throughout the planning, development and operational stages of the industrial park. Upon reflection of the research process, the findings were extrapolated to garner wider applicability and relevance to other municipalities provincially, nationally, and internationally, as well as to the professional and academic community involved in industrial sustainability.

Aboriginal Head Start Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC) Initiative in Ontario provides an early childhood development program specifically for urban Aboriginal children between 3 and 5 years old. Twenty-nine families from Waabinong Head Start in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, completed two questionnaires given four months apart covering a range of health and education topics. The completed surveys supported a trend toward healthier lifestyle choices, improved education of the children, upward mobility in employment, increases in self-perceived general and mental health of primary and second caregivers, and decreases in smoking, illegal drug use, and alcohol use. Families reported an increased sense of pride in being Aboriginal shown by their children, plus learning of culture and Ojibwe language, which has lead to improvement in all of the child’s skills and abilities.

Local festivals and cultural events, signage and streetscape improvements, and regional marketing efforts indicate that tourism is present in some Business Improvement Areas (BIAs). However, the extent and form of this relationship has never before been examined in the North America context. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the involvement of Ontario’s BIAs in tourism. It reports on the findings of a 2008 province-wide survey of approximately 260 BIAs, touching on a variety of topics, including: the proportion of BIAs that are involved in tourism, the factors prompting them to attract tourists, the ways that they promote themselves to tourists, the types of tourism experiences that they offer, the positive and negative impacts of their tourism efforts, and whether they partner with other stakeholders in tourism promotion efforts. The data are then used to propose a typology of Business Improvement Areas showing differing levels and forms of tourism involvement. The thesis concludes by considering four case studies of successful tourism-oriented BIAs (Downtown Kingston, Downtown London, Downtown Yonge and Creemore), which are examined to identify the characteristics that have led to their success. The findings show that the majority of Ontario’s Business Improvement Areas are involved in tourism, using diverse methods to promote themselves as destinations. Their tourism offering usually includes special events and festivals, but can also involve investments in other attractions. Although BIAs are aware of both positive and negative impacts from tourism, tourism management efforts are uncommon. Seven characteristics of successful tourism-oriented BIAs are identified: innovation, self-awareness, appearance, attractions, partnerships, experiences, and planning. BIAs that strongly manifest these characteristics are believed to be likely candidates to benefit from the tourism industry.

Without change, stagnation is inevitable. Never has this truth been more obvious than during the current epoch of industrial decline in North America. This research provides two economic narratives that exemplify the struggles of industrial communities as they strive to regenerate. The research involves a comparative analysis of the transformation of two steel cities, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Hamilton, Ontario, from 1970 to 2008. For cities in which one major industry has formed the foundation of the local economy, job losses can result in massive dislocation and devastating consequences for individuals, families, and communities. Pittsburgh and Hamilton are among many cities striving to diversify and strengthen their economies as manufacturing diminishes and Western sunset industries rise in the East. Transformation has been much more extensive in Pittsburgh than in many cities because Pittsburgh was so largely dominated by the steel industry and faced a virtual collapse of that industry. Hamilton has also experienced a steep decline in steel and related manufacturing jobs. Based on 55 interviews with city leaders, including a pilot study in Welland, Ontario, this research examines eight critical factors that collectively influence development: transformational leadership, strategic development planning, civic engagement, education and research, labor, capital, infrastructure, and quality of life. The study looks at how city leaders drive these factors in the context of global economic forces to revitalize their communities. Together, these elements combine to create the new economy of cities. To achieve successful transformation, the elements must function as part of an integrated system─a community economic activity system (CEAS). This research is grounded in MacGregor-Burn’s (1978; 2003) transformational leadership theory and positions local leadership as the central driver of economic regeneration. It highlights the importance of enduring social relations among leaders for creating an organized, yet dynamic, base of power that is necessary to mobilize resources and execute development policies to achieve qualitative change. Moreover, it points to the importance of inclusiveness and openness in engaging local citizen groups in order to build trust and confidence that recovery will happen. Pittsburgh and Hamilton offer many examples of successful partnerships that increasingly involve public-private-nonprofit-academic collaboratives.

‘Net Positive Water’ explores the capability of domestic architecture to combat the developing urban water problem. Urban intensification is contributing to the volatility of urban waters and the breakdown of the urban water cycle. Inhabitant water misuse and overconsumption is overwhelming aging municipal utilities, resulting in the decay of urban water quality. LEEDTM and The Living Building Challenge are recognized Green Building Guidelines prescribing sustainable site and building water standards. Case Studies of domestic Green Building projects will showcase water conservation to enable domestic water renewal. Net Zero Water Guidelines based on the Green Building Guidelines outline Potable and Non-Potable water use to achieve a sustainable volume of water demand at 70 litres per capita per day. Sustainable water practices are encouraged by utilizing domestic building systems to increase water value and water awareness. Time-of-Use and Choice-of-Use exposure for household water related tasks establish water savings through the use of best-performing water fixtures and appliances. Net Positive Water Guidelines will establish On-site and Building standards for sustainable harvesting and storage of water resources. Clean and Dirty water management will prescribe Passive design and Active mechanical processes to maintain best-available water quality in the urban domestic environment. Net Positive Water building typology will integrate urban inhabitation as a functional component of the urban water cycle to use, reuse, and renew water resources. The method will be tested using a Mid-rise Pilot project to deploy the necessary Passive and Active mechanisms to generate Net Positive Water quality through Net Zero Water sustainable water use. The pilot project is situated in Waterfront Toronto - The Lower Don Lands development to harness regional interests for water renewal and environmental revitalization.