The Value of Investing in Canadian Downtowns - International ...

KEY FINDINGS
The project team developed the following key findings with respect to the overall performance of the 10 downtown
case studies, relative to the five principles for a successful downtown:
VISIBILITY
Does the downtown have an integral and central role in the life of the wider city?
Downtowns across Canada are undergoing a renaissance
Even though each downtown is uniquely shaped by its history, size and geographical context, downtowns across
Canada share more similarities than differences. The downtowns featured in this report have each faced many
common experiences and distinct stages in their evolution and they are all currently experiencing a renaissance.
The Powerful Downtown - Until the 1950s
Historically the dominant role of Canada’s downtown was secure, and the downtowns all had the advantage of being
the most central and accessible neighbourhoods in their respective cities. Downtowns possessed key assets such as
major transportation routes and were home to the principal concentration of offices, retail, entertainment, and public
services. Moreover these downtowns were developed with well defined street grids, strong heritage features and
were closely connected with adjacent suburbs. As is clear from the case studies, all the downtowns benefit from this
legacy and remain at the centre of their city’s transportation network, contain historic civic and institutional buildings,
are still connected to a strong inner ring of suburbs, are highly walkable, and have a strong heritage fabric.
Toronto in the 1910s
Downtown Saskatoon, 1913
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