Canadian planners face an uncertain future. The communities which planners serve are experiencing significant change and seeking answers to the environmental, economic, and social factors affecting them Planners have been disparaged publicly and in writing by prominent popular writers, criticized by planning theorists, reproached by politicians and the public, and challenged from within and outside the profession to explore new ways of addressing the issues facing society. While planners have been caught up in those debates and issues, no one has asked planners what they think about the future of their profession. This study examines the state of Canadian planning^ asks practitioners what they think about their profession, and identifies the factors which affect the work of planners. The study is based upon a review of planning literature and a survey of Canadian planners. The literature review examines others' -mainly planning theorists'- primary research to explore the historic relationship between planners and city building and the influences of that relationship upon modem planning thought and practice. The study also reviews the evolution of modem planning theory and modern planning practice. The examination of the history and theory of planning provides a context for the exploration of practitioners' views of the nature and status of planning in Canada. The focus of the study is an analysis of the views of Canadian practitioners on the current state of planning. Five hundred and two questionnaires were sent to a random sample of members of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), representing 14% of the Provisional and Full members. One hundred and tiiirty three or 27% of the sample responded. The results provide a detailed understanding of what Canadian planners identify as the issues facing Canadian planning practice. The study confirms that a majority of Canadian planners believe that planning practice is facing or is in a state of crisis. They suggest that the crisis is caused by a number of factors such as the political nature of planning decision-making, lack of public understanding of planning, and lack of understanding of planning by politicians. Many planners feel that planning is compromised by the politics of place and that, more and more, planning is facing conflicts of competing interests. In the face of those pressures, planners believe that most planners have become agents of order rather than agents of change. They suggest that the future of planning rests in identifying appropriate new concepts of planning action. A large number also believe that there is a weak linkage between the theory and practice of planning which threatens the well being of planning practice. Building upon the findings of the survey and Len Gertler's 1994 challenge to the Canadian Institute of Planners to identify a "more appropriate development model," the study suggests that a "new development model" could reinvigorate Canadian planning and build effective linkages between theory and practice. The study suggests the evolving concepts of healthy communities and sustainable development could provide a framework for such a model which could have a social reform and interventionist approach to community-based action. The dissertation offers suggestions on the potential form of the model and the role that the Canadian Institute of Planners could play in articulating it. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

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Municipal Heritage Planning in Canada: A Profile of Ten Cities The need to conserve physical evidence of the past or "heritage", in a changing urban environment, has manifest itself in a new aspect to municipal planning. This thesis examines municipal heritage planning in Canada from the following perspectives: (a) the events leading to and comprising municipal involvement in its heritage; (b) the role of the heritage planner; (c) the tools available to municipalities for heritage preservation. Based on the premise that the appointment of the heritage planner is a significant point in the evolution of the planning profession and the conservation movement, the thesis focuses on those cities which have a heritage planner. A questionnaire was sent to sixteen cities where heritage activity was taking place. Ten of these qualified for inclusion in the analysis by virtue of having one or more Heritage Planners on staff. While the primary jurisdiction for the regulation of heritage property rests with the Provincial Government, the provinces have recently given municipalities the power to protect their own cultural resources through designation. These powers are rarely sufficient and have compelled municipalities to use other tools to achieve protection either with or without designation. These mechanisms can range from "soft" incentives which require little commitment from the municipality in terms of time and money spent (for example, moral suasion), to "harder" mechanisms such as outright purchase. The role of the Heritage Planner will continue to be the development and administration of these tools together with other heritage programs such as the Inventory and Evaluation of the city's cultural resources and the education of the public and private sectors about heritage preservation. A central conclusion of this thesis is that current municipal activity in heritage preservation is directed, in large part, towards ameliorating the negative economic consequences of heritage designation. More could be done by setting designation aside as a primary concern and using the existing tools at the municipality's disposal to encourage the private sector to undertake preservation activities. The opportunity for the Heritage Planner rests in using these tools and developing new ones. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate