Learning Cities: Optimizing Economic and Social Well-being through Lifelong Learning for All

November 15, 2007

Cities are a magnet for Canadians and immigrants, who stream into them in ever-increasing numbers (See Figure 1).[1] The swelling population of urban centres—now home to 80% of Canada’s citizens[2]—reflects the economic, educational and cultural opportunities offered by cities. At the crossroads of people, ideas, and capital, cities are the engine of innovation, knowledge and national prosperity.[3] But Canadian cities currently face a number of important challenges, including: income inequality, integration of newcomers, maintenance of social cohesion, and civic engagement.Economic disparities are growing in Canada. In 1984, families in the top 10 wealth percentiles held 52% of all Canadian household wealth: by 2005, they held 58%.[4]

In Canadian cities, these disparities are particularly sharp. Among urban Canadians, the wealthiest 30% of families saw their incomes rise between 1990 and 2000. For all other families, incomes stagnated or declined over the same time period.[5] Disparities between vulnerable groups and the general population are also growing. For example, in cities that attract a large number of immigrants (e.g., Toronto, Vancouver), the incomes of recent immigrants declined during the 1990s. Aboriginal people in most cities also experienced declining incomes over the same period of time.[6] These disparities prevent many individuals from fully participating in and contributing to their communities.[7] This, in turn, undermines social cohesion and overall quality of life.[8]

The polarization of wealth—and the attendant social fracturing that accompanies it—is a widespread phenomenon around the world. In response to this situation, many European and Australian cities and towns have taken steps to become learning cities where “lifelong learning is explicitly used as an organizing principle and social/cultural goal to foster safer, healthier, more inclusive, better educated and creative cities.”[9]

One approach to managing the opportunities and challenges of the modern city is the creation of Learning Cities. Pioneered in Europe and Australia, this strategy recognizes that optimal social and financial well-being occurs under conditions that favour lifelong learning for all.

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