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KevinatUWPlanning
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New census was released today. The statistics are showing some worrying facts about Canada’s largest urban areas. Toronto had a growth rate of only 0.9% for the period 1996-2001, while its satellite cities that are of suburban nature, like Milton, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Whitby, showed substantial growth at the same period. Half of Canada’s population increase took place in Ontario, which also received half of Canada’s international migrants.
While the Greater Golden Horseshoe is experiencing rapid growth, accounting for 84% of Ontario’s population increase, and can be attributed to immigration, immigrants who choose to come to the region is not settling down in the City of Toronto, which is the centre and magnet of the region. They are, instead, settling down in the outer ring of Toronto.
Why are they not attracted to the City of Toronto for settlement then? High housing prices and property tax? Distressed inner city infrastructures and services? People would expect that Toronto is getting denser due to the condominium boom and having more people moving in, but in fact, it is not. Immigrants coming into Canada, with large families and perhaps more than two generations, would want to live in large and yet affordable houses. Suburban cities seem to be the destination.
While the federal immigration policy is universal across all provinces, Ontario is receiving half of the immigrants but not the proportionate funding from the federal government. The City of Toronto is lack of that kind of support to work toward attracting the incoming residents to the region and is thus out-competed by its neighbouring cities, given the intrinsic attractions of the suburban cities offer.
Meanwhile, with the Places to Grow Plan in place, the question is not as to how to intensify the inner city Toronto, but how to provide desirable and affordable housing stocks with quality infrastructure and services, especially transportation services.
While the Greater Golden Horseshoe is experiencing rapid growth, accounting for 84% of Ontario’s population increase, and can be attributed to immigration, immigrants who choose to come to the region is not settling down in the City of Toronto, which is the centre and magnet of the region. They are, instead, settling down in the outer ring of Toronto.
Why are they not attracted to the City of Toronto for settlement then? High housing prices and property tax? Distressed inner city infrastructures and services? People would expect that Toronto is getting denser due to the condominium boom and having more people moving in, but in fact, it is not. Immigrants coming into Canada, with large families and perhaps more than two generations, would want to live in large and yet affordable houses. Suburban cities seem to be the destination.
While the federal immigration policy is universal across all provinces, Ontario is receiving half of the immigrants but not the proportionate funding from the federal government. The City of Toronto is lack of that kind of support to work toward attracting the incoming residents to the region and is thus out-competed by its neighbouring cities, given the intrinsic attractions of the suburban cities offer.
Meanwhile, with the Places to Grow Plan in place, the question is not as to how to intensify the inner city Toronto, but how to provide desirable and affordable housing stocks with quality infrastructure and services, especially transportation services.