Stakeholder Workshops in Calgary and Edmonton
25/05/2011
In early May, George Hazel and Beth Garner headed over to Calgary for the first of two stakeholder workshops for the latest cities to be studied under Siemens' Complete Mobility Canadian Cities Series. The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Study was completed in 2010 and now Calgary and Edmonton are the focus of our attention. One workshop was held in each of the cities with the purpose of discussing city aims and ambitions, general & transport challenges, and the strengths of their current plans and strategies.
The Art Gallery of Alberta created a fantastic environment for the Edmonton workshop.
Both workshops prompted a detailed level of discussion regarding the city challenges of these two cities which both share the need to diversify their economies away from the boom-and-bust cycles of the oil and gas industries on which they are currently still largely dependent.
Whilst in Calgary and Edmonton, George, Beth and Tom Middlebrook (a colleague from MRC Toronto) also took the opportunity to understand and experience the changing urban form of the cities. In Edmonton, it was easy to identify the areas assigned to new urban growth areas. It quickly become clear that both cities will need to consider carefully how to manage sprawl and, specifically for this Study, what role transport might play in creating a more sustainable city.
