Inclusive city building: public engagement processes in the GTA

Taranjeet Kaur Grewal

doi:10.32920/19067711

Abstract

Cities are changing yet planning policies are not keeping up with these changes. The migration of diverse individuals is a reality, yet planners are not considering how city building can be made more inclusive for these groups. This paper aims to answer the question, how can public engagement processes be more inclusive for immigrant and racialized communities? A literature review and analysis of policies for selected municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area is conducted and it is determined most policies and vision statements are too broad. The policies in place do not cater to immigrant and racialized groups however this can be rectified through creating engagement master plans and empowering the public to take part in the public planning process.

Highlights

1.1 Planning for DiversityCities are constantly diversifying
In Canada, 22% of the population identified as a visible minority and the number is even higher in Ontario at 29% of the population (Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population)
This influx of diverse people come with their own cultural preferences, their own religious practices, and their own needs for spaces and services that cater to them. The cultural differences these groups express in the public and private domains goes hand in hand with their reconciliation of the norms, standards, and values they are expected to adhere to in society (Qadeer and Agrawal, 2011). It cannot be assumed the same processes which have been used for many years will still be relevant or welcome in the face of this diversity as the values and norms of the dominant culture are usually the ones embedded in policy

Summary

Introduction

1.1 Planning for DiversityCities are constantly diversifying. Not just cities; provinces, regions and municipalities are all becoming more multiracial and multiethnic due to an influx of immigrants. In Canada, 22% of the population identified as a visible minority and the number is even higher in Ontario at 29% of the population (Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population). From 2006 to 2016, more diverse people have been migrating to Ontario and Canada which is evidenced by a 13% increase of Ontarians having a mother tongue other than English or French, Canada increasing at over 19%. Other provinces across Canada saw an even more dramatic increase such as Alberta, which had a 49% increase of people whose mother tongue is neither English nor French (Statistics Canada, 2006-2016 Census Data). These statistics show diversity is happening, yet city builders are not keeping up with this change

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