London, Ontario

A Brief History Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe selects town site. London to be provincial capital – London is founded. Administrative seat of region due to geographic centrality. London’s origin lies in practical political considerations 1840 – Incorporated as a town Establishing economic control over hinterland – First steam locomotive arrives  First economic boom London becomes a city – U.S. Civil War  Second economic boom. Growth results from local economic dominance and increased distant trade.

A Brief History

Blackfriars Bridge, 1880

Blackfriars Bridge, 2008

A Brief History

1793 -Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe selects town site. London to be provincial capital – London is founded. Administrative seat of region due to geographic centrality. London’s origin lies in practical political considerations 1840 – Incorporated as a town Establishing economic control over hinterland – First steam locomotive arrives  First economic boom London becomes a city – U.S. Civil War  Second economic boom. Growth results from local economic dominance and increased distant trade.

A Brief History 19 th Century: London Grows More Diverse Financial services and education expands Early – Mid 20 th Century: Manufacturing and Processing sector develops London enters 21 st C with a diverse economy.

A Brief History

19 th Century: London Grows More Diverse Financial services and education expands Early – Mid 20 th Century: Manufacturing and Processing sector develops London enters 21 st C with a diverse economy.

A Brief History

London Today Regional hub centered between Detroit and Toronto Population: 352, 395 CMA population: 492, 000 Tenth largest Canadian urban center Labour force: 268, 100 Manufacturing: 29, 100 Automotive: 15, 800 Life Sciences: 18, 000 IT: 5, 000 Full-time students: 45,

A Shift in Focus Steady decline in the manufacturing sector A 30.2% drop in the London Economic Region since 2006 Investment in research institutions by corporations leading to diversification Example - 3M Clinic – partnership between 3M Canada, UWO, London Health Sciences A transition in emphasis from the goods-producing sector to the services-providing sector

Employment Patterns

Reworking the City Creative City Taskforce – 2004 City of London Strategic Plan – 2011 “…our economy is the engine of our community” Creative Network of Canada’s Creative City Summit – 2011

A Vibrant Mid-Size City

Corporate Landmarks

Practical Considerations A Canadian, English-speaking city Official documents and publications Non-official documents The ‘chattering classes’ Media Familiar political system Understanding origins, development of programs and policy decisions

Academic Interests Diversity – Immigration Urban Theory – Mid-sized regions Suburban Human Capital

Diversity - Immigration Importance of diversity in a Creative Economy London experiencing a decline in number of immigrant arrivals since 2001 Overall numbers feeble compared to the Big 3 How will this effect the trajectory of London’s development and pursuit of becoming a creative city? What policy directions and projects will London undertake to facilitate successful immigration?

Urban Theory – Mid Sized Regions Widening disparity in the Canadian Urban System – Bourne, 2004 Smaller cities experiencing population and economic decline Heterogeneity vs. homogeneity of cities Loss of the 3 Ts? How will London pursue the dream of attaining a Creative Economy?

Suburban Human Capital London trying to emulate principles found in Toronto’s Culture Plan (2003), heavily influenced by Creative City principles Scaling down strategies of larger economies – a good idea for smaller regions? Differences in the relationship between human capital and cities of differing sizes, densities Can superimposing big-city strategies on to faltering smaller regions be a feasible long-term plan?

YOUR City Selection Process A little bit about how you chose your city – did you choose based on popularity? Size? Familiarity? What is your city’s current economic condition? Do you think it will be easier to study a declining region or a rapidly growing one? Does your city exhibit characteristics of a Creative City? What do you think is missing from your city?