Keeping Creativity Downtown: Policy Learning from San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver for Municipal Cultural Planning in Toronto

ABSTRACT

I examine Toronto's interest in the policy learning process regarding possible solutions to development pressure downtown though understanding policies from San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver. Grounded by the analysis of creative city interventions and incorporating a theoretical framework of policy adaptation, the investigation is informed by interviews with fifty-one multi-sector stakeholders, historical and archival materials, and policy documents. Return to urban living and the creative cities movement challenge city centers in preserving creative and cultural businesses and organizations. Emergent data themes include: (1) research and strategic planning; (2) stakeholder partnerships; and (3) economic development incorporating economic benefit and social good.

KEYWORDS:

• Arts and cultural spaces
• city center
• creative urban planning
• development pressure
• municipal cultural policy
• policy-oriented learning
• policy transfer
• Toronto

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank Elena Bird and Lori Martin, City of Toronto Economic Development and Culture.