In the twentieth century, we are experiencing rapid urbanization and metropolitanization in North America. Following this metropolitan area explosion are the severe social, human, and physical problems that have occured in our big urban areas. Solutions of these problems are inhibited by the complex structure of local governments in metropolitan areas. The problem is described as too many governments and not enough government. Today, regional planning deals not only with the problem of resource development, but also with the development of metropolitan areas. However, if metropolitan planning is to be effective, it must be integrated into a formal area-wide political structure with legitimate power. Thus, the hypothesis is established: for planning at the metropolitan level to be successful, it must be integrated into a well organized area-wide government authority, and must obtain a well-co-ordinated working relationship with suitably modified local governments and local planning bodies. Cities of our time are governed by two kinds of gravitational forces: forces of concentration (centripetal), and forces of dispersal (centrifugal). The inter-action of these two trends produces a new form of settlement called the metropolis. This phenomenon is the result of the scientific and technological advances of the past century. The spread of population outward from the core has brought with it a corresponding decentralization of the government pattern. New units of local government have multiplied with astonishing rapidity in the outlying areas. Metropolitan problems, such as water supply, sewage disposal, open space, transportation, unbalanced taxation, cannot be met without some fairly substantial institutional changes and comprehensive planning on an area-wide basis. In Canada, we have generally used a committee system for our local government organization. However, our local governments are unable to deal with these recently developed metropolitan problems. They have to be re-organized; and the attempts to re-organize local governments have been along the following lines: (1) inter-governmental arrangements; (2) special-purpose authorities; (3) annexation or consolidation; and, (4) city-county separation and consolidation. However, none of these attempts has furnished a satisfactory solution to the manifold problems involved in the development of the metropolitan area as a whole. Although community planning can be traced back to ancient times, the modern era of city planning began in this century. Today, city planning has been recognized as an aspect of the process of local government. However, regions of high population density and complex urban development activities require a responsible planning function for the development of regional interests. The metropolitan planning agency should seek establishment and acceptance of goals, both long-range and immediate, for the metropolitan area's physical, economic, and social development. It should strive to co-ordinate local planning, both public and private. The most desirable arrangement is that the metropolitan planning function is integrated into an area-wide and multi-functional government. By this, the planning function can more easily be tied into the programs and decision-making processes of an on-going body that has operational powers. We desire efficient government. Large-scale, metropolitan wide organization is not the most appropriate scale of organization for the provision of all public services required in a metropolis. Local governments still have vital roles to play in the lives of their citizens and in these roles they should be conserved. However, municipalities can be made more nearly equal in size through consolidation and amalgamation to strengthen the capacity of their local governments. Then, a division of functions between the "metropolitan" government and the "local" governments is necessary. The same argument is that reasonable distinction can be drawn between the concerns of metropolitan planning and those of local community planning. Duties and authorities must be appropriate to area, population, and financial resources. Only when all of these factors are balanced at the highest level, will community satisfaction be maximized. Based on the theoretical findings, the Criteria for the purposes of testing the actual cases can be derived as in the followings: I. Metropolitan government authority should be organized as general--purpose government. II. Metropolitan government authority should have enough legal powers to perform services. III. Metropolitan government authority should remain controllable by and accessible to its citizens. IV. Local municipalities should be modified to make efficient local governments, and local planning functions should be encouraged. V. Geographic adequacy. VI. Basic metropolitan planning function should be research, planning, co-operation and co-ordination, and advice and assistance. VII. Metropolitan planning body should have power of review over local plans. Three actual cases are studied based on Criteria to test the hypothesis on its practical grounds. The three cases are Metropolitan Vancouver Area, Metropolitan Winnipeg Area, and Metropolitan Toronto Area. The three metropolitan government authorities are studied under Criteria I to V; and the planning functions are studied under Criteria III to VII. The study both in depth and in scope of these three metropolitan areas is able to prove the validity of the Criteria which are derived from the theoretical findings. Therefore, the hypothesis is properly proved to be both theoretically and practically valid. In Canada, the provinces have vital roles to play in resolving our metropolitan problems. However, this should be the subject of another work. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The objective of this thesis is to determine whether a scheduled helicopter service is feasible in the Vancouver area. The helicopter can provide the major advantage of transportation directly to the center of any area, be it downtown or an airport terminal building, at speeds in excess of those attainable by most surface modes of travel. This potential for time savings makes a helicopter service commonly desirable. However, cost and revenue considerations are critical to the implementation of a helicopter service. Cost and revenue estimates have been proposed, developed and tested for applicability in the Vancouver area. Consideration of cost and revenue data allowed conclusions regarding commercial feasibility. Study of benefits and costs external to the helicopter operation itself then permitted examination of the economic feasibility of a scheduled helicopter service in the Vancouver area. The subject of this thesis is recognized as being both broad and complex. This study is but a brief investigation of the subject and only some of the major forces have been considered. In fact, any one major section of this thesis could warrant a significantly large study in itself. It was deemed worthwhile to embark on the entire study while recognizing that only the major factors could be considered as the value of the entire project would almost certainly be of greater value than any one of the parts. Restricting the thesis to the study of either costs, revenues or benefits would not allow conclusions regarding commercial or economic feasibility. Conclusions to the broader problem were deemed desirable. The annual operating cost for a fleet of three S-61-N helicopters has been estimated at $3.2 million. The forecast revenues for a route serving Victoria, Vancouver Airport, Vancouver downtown, Comox, Powell River and Campbell River are $1.48 million, $1.58 million and $1.69 million for 1968, 1969 and 1970 respectively. Resulting losses which exclude any capital cost allowance are $1.72 million in 1968, $1.62 million in 1969 and $1.51 million in 1970. A sensitivity analysis indicates that even if revenues were doubled (a highly unlikely possibility) from twice the forecast number of passengers with fares constant or visa versa, service would still incur a $0.24 million loss in 1968. A study of the indirect benefits that could accrue from this hypothetical service indicates little justification for government subsidization. Airline financial assistance, particularly for the significant amount required does not appear warranted. Lack of forecast commercial feasibility and insufficient justification for government subsidization or airline assistance to compensate for the difference leads to the conclusion that a scheduled helicopter service in the Vancouver area is not feasible although it is operationally possible. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

One major task faced by public recreation planners is the determination of the type, quantity and quality of future recreation that will be demanded. A second follow-up job involves the attempt to maximize user satisfaction by providing adequate recreation services and facilities while allowing for limitations in both recreation resources and agency capability. Prerequisite to the successful completion of these two tasks is the presence of a sound research framework that is complemented by relevant information and proper analysis techniques. The major concern of this thesis was to describe, in some detail, the present state of recreational planning in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. In particular, research was directed towards the assessment of existing arrangements and procedures for generating and analyzing-recreation information. Three major objectives were realized: (1) to evaluate the planning methodologies presently used in the assessment of the supply and demand for recreation resources; (2) to assess the suitability and capability of public park and/or recreation agencies to undertake continuous, efficient and relevant recreational planning; and (3) to propose changes in the present arrangements and procedures for recreational planning. The methodology used in this study followed two related and complementary steps. In the initial phase, a 'comprehensive recreation planning model' was developed. It consisted of three sub-models of investigation: demand, supply and demand-supply linkage analyses. The latter step focused on a comparative evaluation of the recreational planning approach and the recreation agency i.e. it's capability and suitability for research, for one regional and twelve municipal park and/or recreation agencies in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, via the 'comprehensive recreation planning model' and the seventy-seven criteria that were used as indicators of quality. Results of the comparative evaluation indicated significant deficiencies in several aspects of the recreational planning approaches currently being used. Major limitations in the research capability of the recreation agencies were linked to inadequate research budgets, and to insufficient data generation and processing ability. Further, the majority of agencies examined showed a need for more information regarding the recreation clientele i.e. their demands, preferences, degrees of preference, leisure time budgets, and their past education and experiences related to public recreation; and, the recreation resources i.e. land, facilities and services by type, nature and quantity. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the satisfaction which co-operative housing members experience during the process of obtaining and living in their dwellings. With the recent surge of growth of housing co-operatives in British Columbia, an evaluation of this form of tenure seems timely. Traditionally evaluation studies have assessed a program or agency by relying on the input of the administrators. Although several government studies have investigated co-operative housing, little work has been completed which assesses this type of tenure from the user point of view. A distinctive characteristic of co-operative housing is the opportunity for the members to be totally involved in the planning and management of the project. This study therefore evaluates co-operative housing by investigating the satisfaction which users derive from their living environment. Members of co-operatives in the Greater Vancouver Regional District whose projects were completed or in the planning stages were personally interviewed and factors relating to satisfaction were discussed. From this survey, it became clear that the majority of people are very satisfied with their housing and the process they experienced to obtain it. In the case of completed projects, satisfaction was strongly linked with co-operators' perceptions of a strong sense of community, attendance at recent co-operative housing meetings, understanding of co-operative ownership, the kind's of-expectations of co-operative living which members have, and previous co-operative experience. For members of projects in the planning stages satisfaction was linked with understanding of co-operative ownership, ability to contact the co-operative's Board of Directors and desire to join other co-operative activities. Recommendations for improving or influencing those factors which are related to satisfaction are suggested. Two major issues emerged that relate to the co-operative housing movement in general. These are: user participation in the planning and management of the project, and member education. It is suggested that by enlarging and improving the education program the financial and social responsibilities of co-operative housing will be better understood and more people will take advantage of the opportunity to participate. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

There is a need for better information and an understanding of the process of land use change for effective planning in the Greater Vancouver region. Achieving this understanding is challenging due to the multiple public sector organizations setting land use and infrastructure planning policy in the region. A review of literature and interviews with representatives of public sector planning organizations in Greater Vancouver reveals that a region-wide, GIS-based, land use computer simulation model can provide the information infrastructure for increasing understanding as well as developing shared learning and enhancing communication and coordination between the numerous planning organizations. In order to do this, the model structure should take advantage of advances in GIS technology and the modeling process must be open and participatory to ensure a successful modeling project. More specifically, seven guiding principles are recommended for the development of a GIS-based land use model for Greater Vancouver. These principles define the key elements that a successful modeling project for Greater Vancouver should either contain or address: (1) Should be flexible and adaptable (2) Should be 'understandable' (3) Should be methodologically sound in that the results should be the logical extension of the inputs (4) Should consider the entire functional region (5) Should have an open and participatory process for development (6) Should have clear objectives for the project (7) Planners should be involved in the modeling process Overall, the most important principle to consider is the need for an open and participatory process for development. An open process creates shared learning, acceptance of the model results, and a forum in which stakeholders can explore and debate ideas and alternative futures. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The Internet has influenced our lives greatly. The way we communicate evolved with the arrival of the Internet and has continued to evolve along with the Internet. While initially being used by Academia and large organizations such as the American Department of Defense, the Internet soon became a buzzword in the average home. E-mail has changed the way companies and individuals communicate, and the World Wide Web has changed the way all Internet users access information. Lately the ability to communicate globally and instantly via text services such as MSN, audio services such as Skype, or audio and video services such as Microsoft NetMeeting has become popular. These new services consume ever-increasing amounts of bandwidth; in turn these high quality services have driven the need for high-speed always-on Internet connections to businesses and homes. The development of 802.11b and later on 802.11g wireless local area network (LAN) standards have brought wireless networking to the home user. Cheap Wi- Fi-certified hardware has enabled many people to access their high-speed Internet connections from anywhere within their home, or even on the move. The convenience that Wi-Fi has brought has resulted in the increased use of the broadband services mentioned above. The end result is that the Internet changed the way we communicate, and continues to do so with the help of Wi-Fi. / Dr. E. Marais

The study examines the "Living Close to Work" policy within the Greater Vancouver Region. Specifically it investigates the effects this policy would have on work trip lengths within the region. A review of relevant literature and empirical research reveals factors which could influence work trip lengths within the Greater Vancouver Region. Among these factors are city size, location of residences and workplaces, and income. Data for the study were taken from the Vancouver Area Travel Study and the 1971 Canada Census. Data on work trip lengths were obtained from the Vancouver Area Travel Study files and data on labour force:job ratios and average household incomes from the 1971 Census. Regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between work trip lengths and labour force:job ratios and work trip lengths and average household incomes. A descriptive analysis of work trip length characteristics for downtown and non-downtown employment centers was used to study how travel and job location are related. The investigation establishes that: a) people who live in high income subareas of the Lower Mainland travel no less and no more than the population as a whole in going to and from work; b) mean and median travel times to the suburban centers are shorter than the corresponding figures to the downtown workplaces; c) between 1965 and 1972 mean work trip distances to non-downtown locations increased faster than the mean work trip distance to the downtown; d) areas with high labour force:job ratios tend to have long work trip lengths; e) average work trip length in Greater Vancouver and the trip length frequency distribution for Greater Vancouver appear quite typical of those for moderate and large cities. The implications of these conclusions for the "Living Close to Work" policy for the region are worked out. The study suggests that this policy will not result in a substantial reduction in work trip travel distance. However, there are indications that it will result in worthwhile work trip travel time savings as well as other benefits. An area for further research is suggested and observations made on data requirements for such a study. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The cornerstones of Oregon's 1973 Senate Bill 100 are the preservation of farm, forest, and other resource lands and the containment of urban development within urban growth boundaries (UCB). The UCB is a boundary around each incorporated city containing enough land to meet projected needs until the year 2000. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC), charged with adopting and implementing state planning policy, sought to keep UGBs small enough to contain urban sprawl. To avoid the potential effects of land price inflation, LCDC allowed UGBs to include more land supply than the forecasted demand. The Portland-Metropolitan region was allowed to have a 15.3-percent surplus. Policy makers are unsure what effect UGBs have on housing costs. The common belief is that by restricting the amount of land available for residential construction the market drives prices up. Contrasting opinions suggest that by substituting low-density with high-density development, per-unit construction costs are lower, thus reducing the costs of owning a home. Efforts to dispel some of the mystery about the relationship between UGBs and housing prices are needed. The objective of this research is to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between the Portland-Metropolitan area's UGB and housing prices. The study uses a hedonic model to conduct a time-series analysis for the years 1978 to 1990 for Washington County. This study found no relationship between housing price and the imposition of the UGB. In fact, the rate of increase in price for single-family housing after UGB implementation was found to be much less than before. Proximity as measured by distance of sale to the UGB was the only variable that was associated with a higher rate of increase in housing prices. All of these results, with the exception of those related to proximity, were unexpected but may be explained by several factors: imposition of the Metropolitan Housing Rule in 1981, a severe recession during the 1980s, and excess land supply. These influences do not support a conclusion that UGBs lead to an increase in housing prices, at least prior to 1990, when the UGB did not constrain the supply of land.

Over the years there has been interest in the living arrangements of Americans and the factors which influence those arrangements. Researchers have considered the growth of families headed by women, household consisting of single individuals, and those composed of unrelated individuals. One area, however, on which little attention has been focused is the presence of extended family living, characterized by the subfamily. The aim of this dissertation is to establish if subfamilies are a random or systematic phenomenon, and to identify the factors responsible for the variations in its occurrences within and across U.S. metropolitan areas. A causal model which accounts for the systematic variations in the presence of the subfamily was developed and tested on the metropolitan and census tract levels. The technique of path analysis was employed and analysis was performed on two geographical levels (SMSA and census tract) using the 1980 census data to ascertain if conclusions were consistent at different levels of data aggregation. The variables employed in the analysis were grouped in four major categories--demographic, sociocultural, economic and housing characteristics. A major finding of this study is that the subfamily is systematically predicted by demographic, sociocultural and economic characteristics and not by the housing variables. It suggests that subfamily will exist regardless of the housing conditions. There were some differences and similarities in the results of the two geographical levels, but overall, the findings indicate that variations of subfamilies is consistent between the two aggregate levels. The model developed held fairly well as predicted except for the housing variables. The research findings suggest that subfamily may be both a voluntary and involuntary phenomenon. Given this, a number of questions were raised that must be addressed in determining whether subfamily living is a symptom of a major social problem or if it is an acceptable alternative family structure for some families in contemporary society. It might even represent both possibilities simultaneously. These questions cannot be addressed with the type of data used in this study. Future research should be directed toward addressing them. If subfamily living is determined to be a problem, future research should help planners and policy makers formulate and implement programs that will alleviate the negative consequences of subfamily life.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Geology, 1948. / MIT Science Library copy: lacking maps; in binder, 31 cm. / Accompanied by: Geologic maps of the Boston metropolitan area. [40] p. : col. maps ; 54 cm. Vita. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Kenneth Grenville Bell. / Ph.D.