Not that long ago, a regional growth plan for the Greater Toronto area known as the “Golden Horsehoe” wasn’t something too many people were excited about. Local governments from 110 municipalities were wary, developers even more so, and environmental advocates were still focused on land conservation. Brad Graham, secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in the Ontario government, isn’t sure exactly when things turned around, but homebuilders may have led the way, realizing that intensification – the alluring Canadian term for greater density – was warranted in the 12,500 square-mile region, expected to grow from to 8.4 to over 12 million people. Stakeholders realized “they can’t wish away the population growth, and that it’s better to plan for it,” Graham said at the Nov. 2 Lincoln Lecture now available on video here.
The Places to Grow plan, which Graham likes to describe as “pro-neighborhood and pro-community,” includes an emphasis on infill redevelopment, revitalizing some two-dozen downtowns and major town centers, “intensification corridors” along transit, and walkable, mixed-use standards for greenfield development. Local compliance is rewarded with major infrastructure investments, primarily transportation, but also help with the integration of what Graham calls “community infrastructure” such as hospitals and medical centers. “We wanted to raise the bar significantly, but make sure it was doable,” he said.
Graham, an economist who has served in Ontario ministries of municipal affairs and housing, health, and finance, was recently awarded the 2010 Ontario Fellowship at the University of Toronto School of Public Policy and Governance, where his teaching and research will focus on growth and urban planning, sustainability and the importance of regions in new economic conditions.