| Summary: | Many regions in the US and Canada have experienced significant growth and development in
recent decades. Much of this has taken the form of unrelieved urban and suburban sprawl that has
used enormous amounts of land, compromised environmentally sensitive areas, provided few
lasting cultural and social benefits, and delivered questionable long-term economic benefits. In
response, several senior and regional governments have undertaken growth managementprograms.
The general objective of growth management is to control and direct growth and development to
avoid, reduce and mitigate negative impacts arising from large scale growth and development in
urban areas, and promote the creation of more attractive, efficient and sustainable cities and
regions.
The thesis argues that the stronger the degree of senior government control - Federal, Provincial
or State - over decisions by regional governments the more likely a comprehensive growth
management program exists that: includes clearly defined goals; possesses institutional
mechanisms to institute growth management; and, utilizes the powers of senior government to help
direct and manage growth. The thesis pursues the argument through a literature review and a
comparative analysis of selected growth management programs. Analysis of selected cases in
British Columbia finds that the Provincial government's growth management legislation and
program have been applied in its large, highly urbanized and/or rapidly growing regional districts.
However, it is found that the legislation has limited or no applicability to regions experiencing slow
growth or decline.
A new Provincial planning model, flexible enough to address the needs of all regional districts in
British Columbia, is recommended. Based on the concept of a growth and development
continuum, an incremental and graduated planning model would give them the opportunity to
choose appropriate planning tools, thereby providing the large, highly urbanized and/or rapidly
growing regional districts and their local governments with the tools they need to manage growth
and change, and slow growing regions and those in decline with the regulatory tools, financial and
political support needed to encourage new growth and development. The thesis findings provide
guidance to senior and regional governments in British Columbia, Canada and the US to enable
them to improve their respective growth management legislation and programs. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of === Graduate
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