We developed a modelling tool, entitled Places + Spaces, for Canadian communities to assess alternative development pathways. Pathways are influenced by levers (policy options, investment choices in social and physical infrastructure) and impacts (community wellbeing, resource consumption and financial viability). The “engine” of this tool — which traces the complex relationships between levers and impacts — is an integrated systems simulation model of the community incorporating community-specific data and reflecting community-specific policies and scenarios. The infrastructure builds upon a platform developed through decades of research and development in the area of socio-economic, natural resource and urban land use models. The research team worked in partnership with 3 to 4 case studies to iteratively develop the tool so that it is both useful anuser-friendlyly for Canadian communities.
Features of this innovative infrastructure include:
- a biophysical foundation that integrates population and demographics, buildings and urban form;
- physical infrastructure and services (transportation, water, waste, energy),
- incorporates social infrastructure and services (education, healthcare, recreation), and economic activity (labour, products and services);
- accounts for the financial states and activities of the public sector, private sector and households within the community and financial flows leaving and entering the community, and
- explicitly integrates biophysical elements and financial accounting.
A presentation on the model and results is available here.
Communities will be able to use the infrastructure to guide planning, development and investment decisions. The following examples highlight how Places + Spaces can be used:
- A major new residential and commercial development project is proposed. Will this development result in a net economic benefit to the community? How will this impact the health of community members?
- The municipality has proposed to apply an additional 5% on property taxes to fund climate action. Will this result in increased prosperity for the community? Will new jobs be created or will the new tax stifle economic activity?
- A pulp mill is about to close. What will be the social and economic impact on the community? To what extent might the informal economy or local exchange trading systems mitigate the impact.