Working for the New Economy: Understanding the Dynamics of Planning for Employment Lands

October 06, 2015

4:45pm-5:45pm

This session will explore provincial and international case studies in employment lands planning and design. It is intended to bridge the gap between policy, economics and urban design by drawing a rich collection of examples from around the Greater Golden Horseshoe, eastern and southern Ontario, as well as few examples from abroad, including the Middle East and the U.S. Topics will include employment land protection and conversion, planning for intensification on employment lands, designing work places for knowledge-based industries and funding approaches for municipal improvements in employment areas.
 
The Ontario economic landscape continues to evolve from a predominantly goods producing economy to a more diversified economy. The outcome of this transformation is an expectation that Ontario’s future will be driven by growth in advanced manufacturing, goods movement/logistics and a wide range of service-based sectors, including culture and tourism, business and financial services, technology and knowledge-based industries. While this broad shift is well understood at the municipal level, less well understood are the implications for municipal finance, real estate economics, policy planning and urban design. 

Speakers