Quietly Shrinking Cities: Canadian Urban Population Loss in an Age of Growth

Canada's population growth was the highest among G7 countries, driven by a handful of large cities. However, over 20% of Canadian cities shrank between 2011 and 2016, with twice that proportion growing more slowly than the national average. Quietly Shrinking Cities investigates this trend, highlighting the need for cities to rethink their planning and development strategies in response to a new demographic reality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 21 October 2021
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press

Canada's population growth stood out among the G7 countries, reaching a remarkable 5 percent according to the latest census. However, it's important to note that this growth was primarily driven by a select few large cities, which attracted both human and monetary capital from across the nation. While this migration brought about economic opportunities, it also left behind a trail of social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Quietly Shrinking Cities delves into a trend that has largely gone unnoticed: over 20 percent of Canadian cities experienced population decline between 2011 and 2016, with twice that number growing more slowly than the national average. Despite this, the notion of continuous, widespread growth remains prevalent, and policy and planning professionals have struggled to address the practical challenges associated with population loss.

Declining birth rates and an aging population further exacerbate the situation, highlighting the need for cities to reassess their planning and development strategies in response to a new demographic reality. This comprehensive work challenges the notion that population loss and prosperity are mutually exclusive, shedding light on the complex dynamics at play and emphasizing the importance of innovative solutions.

ISBN-13: 9780774866170