Canadian Urban Institute

Municipal Cultural Planning Indicators and Performance Measures Guidebook

Year: 2011 Abstract:The Canadian Urban Institute has developed a ‘how to’ guidebook that can be used by municipalities in Ontario to measure and evaluate the outcomes of municipal cultural planning (MCP) in their communities.  The guidebook contains  a framework for measuring MCP that examines: inputs; processes that identify, strengthen and leverage cutlural resources and integrate MCP into municipal  planning and decision-making; and outcomes of MCP in terms of creativity, wealth creation, quality places, social cohesion and organizational change. By using a menu approach, municipalities can  select indicators that work best with their strategic plans, economic development goals and quality of life priorities.The guidebook encourages municipalities to first decide on the story they want to tell and then select indicators from the menu that support that narrative. One of the goals of this guidebook  is to enable municipalities that already do cultural planning to be better able to measure its impact. For municipalities who have not yet adopted MCP, this guidebook can  demonstrate to decision makers that the impacts of MCP can be measured and evaluated. The guidebook  will help promote understanding about the role of MCP in creating cultural vitality in towns and cities in Ontario.  This guidebook is a living document that we hope will be used, refined and adapted over time as municipalities put the indicators to work. We look forward to engaging in conversations with Ontario’s municipalities and working with them to refine and improve MCP performance evaluation. Client/Partner/Sponsor: Government of Ontario, with contributions from the Ontario Arts Council, City of Barrie, City of Hamilton, City of Kingston, City of Kitchener, Town of Markham, City of Mississauga, City of Ottawa, City of Toronto, Patricia Area Community Endeavours (PACE) and the in-kind contribution of the Creative City Network of Canada. Related Tags: Cultural Planning Download: PDF

Year: 2011
Abstract: The Age Friendly Communities (AFC) initiative was introduced in Canada in 2007 on a pilot basis following cooperation between the Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization.  The goal of AFC is to make the built environment more accessible for older adults and to modify services to better meet the needs of seniors. Although the principles of Age Friendly Communities have since been adopted by hundreds of cities and towns across Canada, this CUI report asks why AFC is being implemented mostly by public health and community service departments and agencies rather than municipal planning departments and other agencies responsible for the quality of the built environment.
Client/Partner/Sponsor: Public Health Agency of Canada
Related Tags: Aging and Mobility

Download: PDF   French version: PDF

Year: 2011
Abstract:  The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) was retained by the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF) to develop a policy guide for municipal practitioners and decision-makers to aid with the acceleration and uptake of for advanced outdoor lighting.
This report looks at the use of LEDs and adaptive lighting technology in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Los Angeles, California; Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia. The case studies presented shed light on some of the common challenges in introducing advanced lighting technologies. These include: gaining public acceptance for advanced lighting; keeping up with changes in this rapidly evolving field; covering the initial cost of installing the technologies; ensuring consistency with existing building and lighting codes; and capturing the energy and cost savings in conjunction with local utilities.
Client/Partner/Sponsor:
Related Tags:  Energy Mapping

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The report cites long-standing differentials in commercial tax rates between 416 and 905, stark differences in land use policy and practice across the region, combined with decades of under-investment in public transit as inter-related factors that have reshaped the region’s office market since the 1980s.  With more than 200 million square feet of office space, the GTA market comprises about half of all office development in Canada but the financial core today represents just over 20% of a growing inventory of prime office space, down from 60% in the 1980s. The financial core is also home to a much narrower spectrum of companies than in the past, and is now heavily dependent on a single sector of the economy – financial services. The report documents a worrying trend that has depleted the number of sites available for developing new office buildings in the area.
Client/Partner/Sponsor: Toronto Office Coalition
Related Tags:

Download: PDF

Year: 2010
Abstract: Connector led a broad-based team of cultural and municipal experts to deliver this plan that will shape the cultural development of the Kingston community over the next ten years. Our engagement-focused approach saw our team connect with a wide range of constituencies both inside City Hall and within the community and has created lasting relationships that will help to pursue the City’s strategic objectives in a participatory and community based way. The resulting plan articulates a sustainable and authentic vision for cultural vitality in Kingston, and sets out recommendations under the themes of “Stories”, “Places” and “Capacity”. By making the case for the important contribution that culture makes toward wealth creation and quality of life, the Kingston Culture Plan has justified a substantial increase in investment toward culture beginning in 2011 and over the next 4 years.

Client/Partner/Sponsor:  City of Kingston

Related Tags: Cultural Planning

Download: PDF

Year: 2010
Abstract: With the support of Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Connector was hired by the Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership (MCPP) - now Municipal Cultural Planning Incorporated (MCPI) - to develop easy-to-read guidelines for Ontario municipalities on Cultural Resource Mapping. The guide provides step-by-step advice on building and maintaining a cultural resources database and describes many applications of Cultural Resource Mapping that support planning and policy making. It also includes several best practices and lessons learned from Ontario municipalities that have undertaken cultural mapping. As part of this project, we facilitated an interactive discussion with municipal stakeholders from across the province during the Making the Connection workshop, at the MaRS centre in March, 2010.

Client/Partner/Sponsor:  Government of Ontario, Municipal Cultural Planning Inc.

Related Tags: Cultural Planning

Download: Click here to find the report online.

Download: Low Resolution | High Resolution (PDF)

Year: 2010
Abstract: This report assesses the long-term infrastructure requirements for the City of Hamilton, and suggests priorities for investment in infrastructure projects by identifying and analyzing existing and proposed community assets. Starting with a list of nearly 100 potential infrastructure projects suggested by Hamilton councillors, staff, and stakeholders, CUI researchers conducted an analysis to identify “foundational projects.” Through consultation with Hamilton stakeholders, 25 foundational projects were identified. These consultations also drew out six principles for infrastructure investment in the city: invest in the heart of the city strategically; ensure connectivity; work at all scales; leverage cultural and creative assets; focus on quality of place; and build on existing green assets.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: City of Hamilton; Infrastructure Ontario
Media: Hamilton Spectator February 10, 2010 | Hamilton Spectator February 11, 2010
Video: CHCH TV News Coverage (YouTube)
Related Tags: Value Planning

Download: Low Resolution | High Resolution (PDF)

Year: 2009
Abstract: connector was the lead consultant for the City of Mississauga’s first Culture Master Plan, in collaboration with cultural experts Artscape, AuthentiCity and Novita. The plan is based on extensive consultation with stakeholders in the arts, heritage and cultural industries, as well as youth, city builders, and leaders in the education, business and community spheres. The plan creates an evidence base from which to understand and strengthen Mississauga’s cultural resources, in a manner that contributes to the City’s broader strategic goals. It provides a 5-year and 25-year vision, as well as actionable recommendations that will enable Mississauga to become a more culturally vibrant place.
Client: City of Mississauga, Culture Division
Related Tags: Cultural Planning

Download: Executive Summary | Full Report

Year: 2009
Abstract: Aggregates are explicitly acknowledged as an essential resource in the Provincial Policy Statement of the Province of Ontario not only because of their vital economic importance, but also because southern Ontario contains many high‐quality deposits of sand, stone, and gravel. The province also maintains a policy that the aggregates used in Ontario’s construction industry and in its infrastructure and public works – such as roads, schools, or water treatment plants – should be extracted close to where they will be used. Despite the importance of the aggregates industry in Ontario, the public knows relatively little about the role such resources play in the provincial economy; why aggregate companies need to expand existing sites or develop new ones; or what happens to sites after extraction ceases. Furthermore, the approvals process for new pits and quarries or expansions to existing ones has become extremely complex, prolonged, and hard for members of the public to follow. In this report, we review the economic and environmental benefits and costs of aggregate extraction in light of the province’s policy that aggregates should be protected (just like other natural resources in Ontario), and its policy promoting the extraction of sand, stone, and gravel close to where they will eventually be used. Since both of these policies tend to be called into question during hearings and public consultations for new or expanded pits and quarries, it is worth re‐examining the justification for them.
Client: Holcim Canada / Dufferin Aggregates

Download: Executive Summary | Full Report (High Resolution PDF) - Section 1 - Section 2 - Section 3

Year: 2009
Abstract: The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) was retained by the City of Calgary to prepare an energy land-use map that would provide clear direction to the City and inform the private sector, power generating authorities and local distribution utilities about the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage the use of alternative energy systems through considerations such as the design of buildings and the encouragement of more compact, mixed-use and high density communities. The study provided a cost-effective approach to allow the City to plan for expected population and employment growth, while still meeting energy and greenhouse gas objectives.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: City of Calgary

Download: Low Resolution | High Resolution (PDF)

Year: 2007, updated in 2008
Abstract: In 2007, the City of Toronto was  considering a new Multi‐Residential Apartment Buildings Regulatory Strategy, which consisted of 10 policy options. Two of those options involve licensing either apartment owners or apartment units. This report, prepared for the Greater Toronto Apartments Association, provides an evaluation of some of the likely costs and benefits of licensing rental apartments, based on the experiences of other North American cities that have licensing programs, as well as data on housing quality in those cities and comparisons with cities that do not license rental apartments.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: Greater Toronto Apartment Association

Download: Report (PDF)

Year: 2008
Abstract: The New District Energy handbook was written for elected officials, policy makers, corporate decision-makers, investors, building owners, planners, environmental managers and all other individuals and organizations interested in district energy. It is intended to encourage information sharing and provide ideas on how to advance district energy development in communities across Canada. The handbook: identifies who can use district energy; lists the benefits provided by district energy; offers suggestions for overcoming common challenges experienced by communities initiating a district energy system;  includes a checklist to help accelerate the uptake of district energy systems in a community. The handbook is part of a series of products and tools prepared for Urban Energy Solutions (UES), a national knowledge-building, outreach and awareness initiative dedicated to showing how district energy can contribute to local community infrastructure and energy conservation in urban regions.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: Canadian District Energy Association, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund and Infrastructure Canada

Related Tags:District Energy

Download: Low Resolution | High Resolution (PDF)

Year: 2007, updated in 2008
Abstract: In 2007, the City of Toronto was  considering a new Multi‐Residential Apartment Buildings Regulatory Strategy, which consisted of 10 policy options. Two of those options involve licensing either apartment owners or apartment units. This report, prepared for the Greater Toronto Apartments Association, provides an evaluation of some of the likely costs and benefits of licensing rental apartments, based on the experiences of other North American cities that have licensing programs, as well as data on housing quality in those cities and comparisons with cities that do not license rental apartments.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: Greater Toronto Apartment Association

Download: Report (PDF)

Year: 2006
Abstract: With major emphases on recent rural demographic and economic changes, human health, social benefits and the importance of natural assets to the rural and provincial economies, Nature Count$ provides a review of the socio-economic contributions of natural areas in southern Ontario.  The study also presents a preview of research needs for a comprehensive investigation of greenspace benefits.  While commissioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources, at the request of the Natural Spaces Leadership Alliance, the Nature Count$ study is for discussion purposes only and does not represent ministry or government policy, or the policy of any of the Alliance member organizations.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: Ministry of Natural Resources – Natural Spaces Program

Download: Summary | Full Report | French Edition

Year: 2004
Abstract: The Ontario Food Terminal is a unique asset, not just in the Toronto region, but in Canada. It is the largest wholesale fruit, vegetable, and flower market in Canada, and one of the five largest produce markets in North America. It plays a central role in the food industry, which is one of the major manufacturing sectors in central Ontario, and supports grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, and florists in eastern Canada and in some American states.

This report was written to explain the importance of the Food Terminal in the local and provincial economy, identify and analyze threats to the Terminal, and suggests ways to ensure the survival and growth of this important resource.
Client/Partner/Sponsors: Neptus Foundation

Download: Full Report | Presentation