Multiculturalism and planning : lessons from Vancouver

Abstract

Today, the city planning and development professions face a changing landscape. The politics of difference, and the corresponding socio-cultural processes from which it emerged (migration, post- colonialism, and the rise of civil society), are urban manifestations that bear important implications for the city and urban life. Planners today, in policy and practice, must learn new ways to accommodate difference in the city. The purpose of this master's thesis is to pose the question of how increased racial and ethnic diversity in Canadian cities has impacted the role of social planners in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada, the first country in the world to officially legislate a national multicultural policy, to facilitate the integration of Canada's ever-growing immigrant population, serves as an ideal socio-political environment in which to examine issues of citizenship and social inclusion. Using Vancouver as a case study, this work aims to tease out the role of city planners in identifying existing barriers and innovative approaches to communication and collaboration with diverse citizens, to better understand and meet their needs. It explores how planners, and the planning profession, can respond to, or generate, dialogue on cultural diversity, social inclusion and civic participation.