GREEN
TOWERS


WATERLOO
WELLINGTON
SCENARIOS


Green
Towers

By 2020 there is greater interest in the environment, and a culture of environmental stewardship
throughout the region. Traditional businesses and industries have adopted sustainable practices, new
industries are evolving to meet the demand for cleaner, greener products and services, protected areas
of green space around the cities restrict urban development, and a commitment to and knowledge of
the environment is encouraged in local schools. As a result, the local food economy is thriving and
supports a strong connection between cities and rural towns. Within the cities, there are a growing
number of well-used, multi-purpose green spaces that are well connected to each other by public
transit. The twin challenges of environmental resource depletion and the need to attract new and
diverse people to the region have galvanised the community, and increased participation in public life.


 Green
Towers
Characteristics



Characterised
by:




Low
population
growth
with
economic
vibrancy



• Resource
limits
–
especially
water

• Green
industries
building
on
the
existing
strengths
of

communities
in
region
(high‐tech/software,
new
industrial

“We
need
to
notice
all
the
ecologies

technologies
like
water
treatment
and
forms
of
agri‐business)

we’re
living
and
working
in.
That

includes
the
ecology
of
houses,
and
 • Local
food
economy
is
very
strong



cities.”
 • Local
industries
pursue
low
carbon‐footprint

Scenario
Participant

policies/technology

• Increasing
economic
diversity,
utilising
arts/culture
for
growth

• Alternative
economies
(eg.
Community
Supported
Agriculture)

• Access
by
foot/cycle
to
green
spaces
and
local
services

• Good
local
transit
with
Incentives
to
live
in
walking/transit

distance
to
work

• “Minimalism”
(lower
consumption)
–
carried
on
from

experiences
during
young
adulthood


• Common
green
spaces
that
are
multi‐purpose
and
productive

(pick‐your
own,
conversation
etc)

• Exercise
green
planning
practices
(green
industrial
parks,
lower

impact
suburban
design,
regulation
based
on
inclusion
of
long

term
environmental
costs)


• Arts
and
design
in
decision‐making
bodies
(governmental,

industry)

• Urban
intensification

• Visionary
leadership
+action
(rather
than
the
danger
of
leaders

maintaining
the
status
quo)

• Urban
gardening


• Viable
local
food
systems
which
include
carbon
costs
in
food


2
 costs,
are
still
affordable
and
support
local
agriculture

“The
guy
out
there
on
the
land,
the
 • Environmental
education
+
hands
on
learning


farmer
–
he
has
to
understand

environmental
goods
and
services,
 • Connectivity.
People
&
place,
place
to
place,
people
to

and
know
what
they
mean
to
him.
 knowledge/services

We
can’t
force
him
to
do
anything,

• Seniors
are
not
ghettoized
(socially
or
residentially)

we
need
the
buy‐in
and
we
need
to

recognise
that
what
he’s
doing
is
for
 o Distributed
health
care
provision
for
seniors

the
good
of
the
whole
community.”
 o Health
benefits
of
bring
together
generations

Scenario
Partipcant







3
WATERLOO REGION GUELPH
RECORD MERCURY
HEADLINES FROM 2009 - 2020
Feds provide Toyota with incentive Increased Traffic Exhaust and
money for green technologies common agricultural herbicide
- DECEMBER 2009 linked to cancer spike in K-W -
JULY 2010
Storm devastates Guelph
area. Flooding river causes Province announces tax breaks for
backyard food growers
sewers to overflow. Water - OCTOBER 2011
declared UNSAFE
- August 2011 GM opens electric car plant at
Guelph site; 1600 new jobs
Organic farmers - JULY 2014
Province of Ontario
applaud tax introduces carbon
Guelph backyard food sharing
incentives tax on Big Business
program expands throughout
- MARCH 2012 - MAY 2013 Waterloo Region - SEPTEMBER 2015

High hydro Region approves

Five-year Region-wide commuter rates are agricultural
bike network officially launched at forcing RIM to green belt
RIM Park - AUGUST2016 leave the region around KW
- MAY2017 Region -
JANUARY 2018
Report indicates 3,000 fewer
Guelph Organic Restaurant
commuter cars on Region’s Association (GORA) celebrates five
roads - NOVEMBER 2018 years of ground-breaking food
tourism program - MARCH 2020

4

 2009
–
2012
 2013
–
2016
 2017
–
2020

Social
 Education/awareness
 Reciprocity
of
citizen
 Policies
shift
‐
recognition

building
about
cultural
 experience/participation
–
 of
international
education,

inclusion
and
critical
 local
and
global
 immigration,
employment

engagement

 –
inclusive
ad
relevant

Citizen
movement
from

circumstance
to

celebration


 Increase
in
number,
 Increased
opportunity
for
 Permeable
Identity

dependability,
level
of
 youth
leadership,

communication
and
 expanded
skill
 Appreciation
and

adaptability
of
social
 development,
cultural
 recognition
of
necessity
of

services
 understand
and
shared
 CD
to
build
vibrant
and

spaces
 resilient
community

Different
and
equal

Economic
 Significant
disruption
in
 More
sustainability
 Increased
connectivity

the
economy,
 practices
and
businesses
 (social
networking,
mass

particularly
for
the
large
 that
capitalize
on
demand
 transit,
urban/rural
etc)

businesses
located
 for
green
technology

locally,
frees
a
large

number
of
creative

employees





 Emergence
of
 Increase
in
the
number
of
 The
economy
is
growing

community‐based
and
 local
economies
 with
less
environmental

spin‐off
industries,
re‐ (Community
Supported
 impact
 A
channeling
of
 Agriculture
etc)

entrepreneurial
activity



Environmental
 Educate
to
change
 Goals
and
targets
set
to
 Create
incentives
to
attract

attitudes
about
resource
 increase
green
space
 green
industry
and
convert

use
 mature
industry
to
green

technology/practices




 Start
planting
trees
to
 Support
for
local
food
 Increases
in
the
amount
of

increase
tree
cover
 initiatives
 food
grown
and
consumed

locally


5
Green
Towers


 “HOW
are
we
to
grow?
Guelph

Guelph,
June
2020
 does
not
have
the
water
supply


 or
waste
and
sewage
capacity
to


 Vishal
helped
Grandfather
into
the
passenger
seat
of
 sustain
such
huge
growth.
Our

his
GM
Elex
Compact.
Sunlight
danced
on
the
lush
green
of
the
 community's
"natural

park
opposite
the
station
and
a
gentle
breeze
ruffled
Vishal's
 constraints"
like
the
rivers
and

hair.
 ground
water
will
restrict
such


 expansion.”


The
old
man's
face
was
set
in
a
deep
frown
of
 ‐
Growing
Questions
About

disapproval.
"You
expect
me
to
fold
myself
in
half
to
get
into
 Growth,
Guelph
Mecury,

this
thing?
Why
don't
you
have
a
proper
car,
Vishal?
People
 November
2007

will
think
you
are
too
poor.
Don't
you
make
enough
money
as
 

a…what
do
you
call
it
‐‐‐
endiro
engineer?"



"Enviro‐engineer,
Grandfather,"
Vishal
held
the
old

man's
arm
as
he
maneuvered
himself
into
the
seat.

Grandfather
seemed
to
have
shrunk;
he
fit
quite
comfortably.

Vishal
got
behind
the
wheel
and
started
the
motor,
which

barely
made
a
sound.
"This
is
a
proper
car,
Grandfather.
It's

electric,
energy‐efficient,
non‐polluting.
See
how
quiet
it
is?"



"It's
too
quiet,"
grumbled
grandfather,
"doesn't
feel
like

a
car
at
all."
He
peered
out
the
window.
"In
fact
this
whole

town
is
too
quiet.
I
don't
know
why
you
want
to
live
in
a
place

where
the
water
isn't
safe.
You
should
come
live
in
Toronto.

That's
a
lively
city,
no
health
problems,
lots
of
action
for
a

young
man.
And
plenty
of
Indian
girls
too."



Vishal
sighed.
Like
many
others,
Grandfather
would

always
associate
Guelph
with
water
problems.
In
2011
a

ferocious
storm
had
struck
the
area,
pouring
down
so
much

rain
that
the
storm
sewers
overflowed
and
contaminated
the

water.
A
dozen
people
died.
A
year
later
a
report
came
out

linking
the
use
of
herbicides
with
high
levels
of
cancer
in
the

area.
It
was
hard
for
the
region
but
these
events
had
 “It’s
like
the
river’s
being

galvanized
community
leaders,
who
decided
to
carefully
 ignored,
and
by
ignoring
the

manage
the
city's
growth
until
the
consequences
could
be
 river
you’re
also
ignoring
any

dealt
with
and
long
term
planning
put
in
place.
Almost
ten
 problems,
which
there
definitely

years
later,
although
the
city
had
not
been
transformed,
it
was
 are.”

well
on
the
way
to
becoming
a
truly
green
community.
 Scenario
Participant



In
the
course
of
the
day,
Vishal
hoped
to
persuade
his


6
grandfather
to
move
to
Guelph.
He'd
found
 dangling
down
from
each
level
of
the

a
place
for
him
at
the
newly
opened
Willow
 building.

Community
Centre,
an
experimental
care
 "Phah!"
spat
Grandfather.
"It's
not

facility
northwest
of
the
city
where
 a
bit
the
same.
Look
at
all
these

residents
worked
in
the
gardens,
market
 skyscrapers,
all
this
concrete.
This
is
a
city,

and
restaurant.
As
part
of
the
broader
 but
a
dead
one."
He
glared
at
the
south

community's
effort
to
attract
a
more
 side
of
the
street,
where
a
variety
of

culturally
diverse
population
to
the
area,
 buildings
rose,
including
the
new
office

the
Centre
had
hired
a
couple
of
Indians.
 tower
of
Green
Arc,
the
company
that
had

They'd
launched
a
program
to
grow
 designed
Vishal's
workplace.


produce
to
sell
to
the
province's
Indian
 

restaurants.
Not
that
Grandfather
needed
 "It's
not
dead,"
said
Vishal.
"It
is

work,
but
he
needed
community
and
a
 coming
to
life,
blooming.
Look
there."
He

sense
of
purpose.
He'd
been
crotchety
and
 pointed
at
the
gardens
on
the
terraced

grim
since
Vishal's
mother
died
two
years
 roofs
of
Green
Arc.
Above
them
loomed

ago.
 the
solar
panels
that
produced
most
of
the


 building's
energy.


Vishal
chose
not
to
acknowledge
 

Grandfather's
point
about
the
lack
of
 Grandfather
made
a
humphing

Indian
girls
in
Guelph.
It
was
true
enough,
 noise.

though
things
were
changing
and
more
 

immigrants
were
starting
to
gravitate
to
 Glancing
to
his
side,
Vishal
thought

the
city.
In
fact,
Vishal
didn't
particularly
 his
expression
had
softened
a
little.
"You

want
to
marry
an
Indian
girl.
He
had
a
 saw
the
parkland
by
the
river
and
the

Canadian
girlfriend
who
lived
in
nearby
 gardens?

They
are
carefully
irrigated.
We

Waterloo,
but
Grandfather
might
not
like
 try
not
to
waste
any
water
here.
In
fact

that.

Instead
Vishal
responded
to
the
 there
is
a
ban
on
extravagant
water
use."

second
part
of
Grandfather's
complaint.
"I
 

like
the
quiet.
I
thought
it
might
remind
you
 "I
hear
it
will
soon
be
the
same
in

of
India,
your
village."

 Toronto.
Half
the
time
our
water
is
brown,


 "
muttered
Grandfather.

He
drove
south
on
Gordon
Street
 

across
the
river.
To
the
west
he
could
see
 They
reached
Techno‐Farm.
He

the
GM
plant
where
his
little
car,
and
many
 drove
around
to
the
back
to
show

others
on
the
road
today,
had
been
built.
 Grandfather
the
view.
The
south
side
of

Turning
east
on
Stone
Street,
he
drove
 the
towering
building
looked
out
onto
a

along
the
southern
edge
of
the
university.
 refurbished
barn,
a
garden
and
a
large

The
campus,
like
the
city
core,
had
recently
 crafts
market.
People
meandered
among

been
designated
a
pedestrian‐only
area,
so
 the
stalls
and
children
shrieked
as
they

he
couldn't
drive
through
it.
Far
ahead
he
 chased
each
other
around
the
garden
and

caught
a
glimpse
of
his
workplace.
Techno‐ into
the
barn.


Farm
was
a
tall
circular
building
that
 

resembled
a
huge
potted
plant,
with
green
 "What's
that?
A
farm
in
the
middle


7
of
the
city?"
Grandfather
asked.


 “There’s
a
lot
of
evidence
that

"It's
owned
by
the
University.
They
use
it
as
a
green
 kids
who
aren’t
exposed
to

classroom
for
area
students,"
said
Vishal.
"Soon
after
the
 nature
are
experiencing

flood,
enrolment
at
the
neighborhood
school
dropped
so
low
 psychological
and
medical

the

School
Board
closed
it
and
moved
the
children
to
another
 problems
–
it’s
called
Nature

school.
But
people
around
here
missed
the
children.
Then
the
 Deficit
Disorder.”

Agriculture
College
produced
a
study
emphasizing
the
benefits
 Scenario
Participant

of
early
agricultural
education
for
young
people
and
for
our
 

future,
and
the
University
decided
to
fund
this
project,
as
an

experiment.
A
group
of
community
volunteers
fixed
up
that

old
barn
and
students
from
the
University
prepared
the

gardens.
Now
most
of
the
schools
in
Guelph
bring
their

students
here
for
half
a
day
every
couple
of
weeks.
The
kids

tend
the
gardens
and
learn
about
agriculture
and
sustainable

practices.
It
seems
pretty
popular."



"Hmmm.
It's
a
nice
place
for
kids."
Grandfather's
voice

sounded
a
bit
shaky.



"Come
on,"
said
Vishal,
"Let
me
take
you
inside.
This
is

where
I
work."



They
entered
the
tall
building
and
for
the
next
two

hours,
Vishal
first
led
and
then,
after
some
heated
argument

when
he
noticed
Grandfather
looking
pale,
pushed
him
around

in
a
wheelchair.



"This
is
all
a
big
fake,"
Grandfather
sputtered
at
the

beginning.
"You
can't
have
an
indoor
farm,
a
farm
in
a
building.

It's
unnatural."



Vishal
smiled.
"You're
right
and
not
so
right.
They're
all

natural
processes,
although
we
haven't
yet
perfected
them.

We
raise
pigs
here
and
their
manure
drops
down
to
the
next
 “People
only
see
2
types
of

level
and
fertilizes
mushrooms
there.
It's
also
used
in
the
 farming
–
organic
farms
run
by

greenhouses.
The
grain
grown
feeds
the
chickens
over
there,
 “Mom
and
Dad”,
and
factory

some
for
eating,
some
for
laying
eggs.
There's
very
little
waste
 farms.
There
are
lots
in
between

and
the
entire
building
is
powered
by
wind
‐‐"
 but
if
consumers
shout
about


 one
more
than
the
other,
famers

"That
thing
there?
It
looks
like
something
from
a
space
 will
listen.”

film.
The
blades
are
so
thin,
how
can
it
generate
power?"
But
 Scenario
Partcipant

Grandfather
peered
down
at
the
clucking
chickens
and
 


8
muttered,
"Make
good
chicken
tikka,
eh?"
 


 "No,
but
the
region
has
faced

"Yes,
and
that's
another
thing."
 challenges.
After
the
flood,
there
was
a
lot

Vishal
warmed
to
this
topic.
"Because
 of
illness,
especially
among
children,
and

we're
encouraging
different
ethnic
groups
 people
became
very
concerned
about

to
come
to
the
city
and
we
concentrate
on
 Guelph's
future.
University
and
local
agro‐
sustainable
agriculture
and
biodiversity,
 business
leaders
spent
a
long
time
thinking

some
of
your
favourite
vegetables
are
 about
the
problems
facing
us,
things
like

grown
here
and
in
the
gardens
down
there
 dwindling
water
and
power
supplies
and

by
the
market."
He
pointed
out
through
 the
potential
for
contamination.
They
came

the
window.
"And
the
produce
is
sold
to
 up
with
a
plan
that
would
respect
the
earth

restaurants,
here
and
in
Toronto.
People
 and
our
resources,
and
encourage
ethnic

now
come
to
Guelph
for
exotic
organic
 diversity
while
controlling
population

dining."
 growth.
It
has
been
hard
work
making
these


 changes
and
there
is
still
much
to
be
done."

"You
are
not
in
your
right
mind,
 He
waved
proudly.
"But
we
are
making

Vishal."
Grandfather
shook
his
head.
 progress."

"People
would
not
come
from
Toronto
to
 

this
strange
quiet
place
to
go
to
a
 They
parked
outside
the
Willow

restaurant.
Perhaps
you
spent
too
long
 Community
Center
and
meandered
through

studying,
you
don't
know
anything
now."
 the
gardens
to
the
main
building,
passing


 people
on
their
way.

Vishal
laughed.
"You're
right,
not
 

too
many
come,
but
we
eat
very
well
here,
 Grandfather
glanced
around
and
his

better
and
healthier
than
in
Toronto.
 gaze
fixed
on
a
young
woman
with
a
black

Come,
are
you
hungry?
I
want
to
take
you
 eye
staring
off
into
space.
He
spoke
in
a
low

to
one
more
place,
where
people
work
and
 voice.
"These
people,
Vishal,
they
do
not

farm
and
cook
fine
Indian
cuisine."
 look
right.
What
is
the
matter
here?
Is
it
a


 place
for
crazies?"

"Yes,
let
us
go.
I'm
tired
from
all
this
 

nonsense
and
I
would
be
happy
to
have
a
 Vishal
kept
his
voice
low
too.
"Many

good
dhal
and
a
cup
of
chai.
If
that
is
really
 different
kinds
of
people
work
here
and

possible
here."
 some
are
troubled
or
disabled
or
old.
There


 are
others
who
care
for
them
and
help

"It
is.
You'll
see."
Vishal
grinned.
 them
learn
skills,
like
farming
and
cooking


 and
crafts.

This
particular
facility
only

They
got
back
into
the
car
and
 opened
a
couple
of
years
ago.
It's
an

drove
northwest.

Grandfather
cast
a
 extension
of
the
Onward
Willow
project.

beady
eye
on
Vishal.
"There
are
not
very
 The
idea
is
to
help
people
recover
or
find

many
people
here,
not
like
I
remember
 meaning
in
their
lives,
while
contributing
to

when
you
came
to
university.
Maybe
all
 the
local
economy.
It's
working
quite
well."

this
fake‐real
food
has
killed
them?"
A
little
 They
passed
a
group
of
men,
one
with
a

snicker
escaped
him.
 shaved
head
and
a
scar,
another
terribly


9
thin.
The
men
laughed
together
as
they
dug
in
the
ground

with
hoes.
 “It’s
just
a
ridiculous
notion
that


 nature
and
cities
exist
separate

"And
these
people
will
make
my
dhal?"
Grandfather's
 from
each
other
–
they’re
totally

brow
lowered.
 entwined,
they
need
each


 other.”

"Here
we
are."
Vishal
led
him
into
a
cozy
little
eaterie
 Scenario
Participant

with
wooden
tables.
A
rich
spicy
smell
permeated
the
air.

Grandfather's
eyes
brightened.



An
Indian
woman
with
a
limp
greeted
them
and

ushered
them
to
a
table
looking
out
over
the
gardens.

Grandfather
slumped
in
his
chair,
a
sheen
of
sweat
on
his

forehead.



"Two
chai,
please,"
said
Vishal,
anxious
that
he'd
tired

out
his
grandfather.



The
tea
seemed
to
revive
the
old
man.
They
ordered

dhal
with
rice
and
chappati.
Grandfather
ate
in
silence,
noisily,

polishing
off
everything
set
before
him.
Finally
he
said,
"Ah,

yes.
Very
good,
Vishal.
Reminds
me
of
home."



Vishal
sighed
with
relief.
"That
is
what
I
hoped,

Grandfather.
I
know
you
like
your
apartment
in
Toronto,
but
I

would
be
so
pleased
if
you
would
consider
moving
here,
to
be

closer
to
me."



"Here!"
Grandfather's
eyebrows
shot
up.
"I
am
not

deranged,"
he
hissed.



"Neither
are
these
people,
Grandfather.
Look
around.

Are
they
shouting
or
gibbering?"



The
old
man
peered
all
around
the
restaurant,
then

outside.
"No,
but
‐‐"



Vishal
reached
out
and
laid
a
hand
on
Grandfather's

arm,
"Is
it
not
peaceful
here?
Like
the
country
almost,
with
the

market
and
the
parks?"



Grandfather
nodded
grumpily.




10
 "Think
about
it.
I
would
feel
so
much
better
if
you
were

“I
really
do
believe
we
have
 nearby
with
friendly
people
around,
rather
than
alone
in
the

potential
to
be
keystone
 big
city."

species
–
not
just
to
not
 

make
things
worse
but
to
 The
time
for
Grandfather's
train
approached,
so
Vishal

make
things
much
better.”
 shepherded
him
back
to
the
car.
Grandfather
gazed
around

Scenario
Particpant
 him,
frowning
a
little
less
than
before.



At
the
station,
which
faced
onto
a
large
pedestrian

walkway,
Grandfather
clambered
out
of
the
car."It
is
not
so

bad
here.
Very
good
food,
like
home.
Quiet,
but
that
is
not
so

bad
either.
Vishal,
you
helped
to
make
this
place,
with
your

endo‐engineering
and
your
university?"



"I
helped,
yes,
but
many,
many
people
helped.
And

there
is
still
much
to
do."



"I'm
proud
of
you,"
the
old
man
said,
his
eyes
a
little

wet.
Then
he
ducked
his
head
and
heaved
himself
up
onto
the

train.




11
 KALEIDOSCOPE

WATERLOO
WELLINGTON
SCENARIOS


Kaleidoscope

By
2020
the
region
has
evolved
into
a
network
of
well‐connected
“hubs.”
Cities
have
a
central
core
but
are

made
up
a
series
of
these
well‐served
centres,
which
are
in
turn
linked
to
rural
townships.
Public
space

features
in
these
core
areas,
and
serve
the
wider
regional
community,
which
is
itself
made
up
of
numerous

smaller
 yet
 integrated
 groups
 (e.g.
 neighbourhoods,
 cultural/religious
 groups,
 diaspora
 groups).
 Each
 of

these
individual
communities
is
able
to
access,
direct
and
provide
services
and
resources
to
its
members

as
 well
 the
 wider
 community.
 People
 feel
 a
 strong
 sense
 of
 belonging
 and
 there
 are
 high‐levels
 of

participation
in
public
life.
Strong
cross‐sectoral
collaborations,
particularly
between
the
arts
and
business,

have
 fostered
 creativity
 in
 all
 three
 sectors.
 This
 has
 helped
 the
 region’s
 economy
 to
 diversify
 and

innovate,
 allowed
 the
 arts
 to
 become
 more
 relevant
 and
 sustainable,
 and
 helped
 local
 government

improve
 the
 provision
 of
 social
 services.
 The
 focus
 on
 cultural
 changes
 and
 the
 pressures
 of
 urban

development
 mean
 that
 environmental
 considerations
 do
 not
 feature
 prominently.
 Overall,
 though
 the

region
has
been
able
to

 Kaleidoscope
Characteristics


 Characterised
by:


 High
population
growth
and
diversity
combined
with
a
vibrant

and
diverse
economy



 “On
the
edge
by
choice”
–
minorities
(of
any
description

e.g.
ethnic,
sexual,
ideological,
health)
are
neither

“This
is
a
community
steeped
in

history
with
a
strong
influence,
like
 excluded
nor
vulnerable.

the
German
work
ethic,
but
that’s
all
  Local
employers
are
more
likely
to
recognize
international

shifting
now.
We
need
a
community

that’s
true
to
its
past
but
certainly
 qualifications,
and
there
are
more
services
to
help
new

willing
to
look
at
its
future.
The
 Canadians
get
accreditation


mirror’s
looking
quite
different
now,

even
in
the
20
years
that
I’ve
been
  The
community
identity
includes
a
diversity
of
diversities


here.”

  Diversity
as
way
of
being
=
tolerance

Scenario
Participant


  New
development
creates
multiple
hubs
(services,

businesses,
transit,
public
spaces
etc)
and
doesn’t

abandon
the
periphery
(avoiding
the
“reverse
donut”
‐

whereby
resources
are
concentrated
entirely
on
the
city

core
leading
to
a
decline
in
areas
on
the
periphery)

 A
strong
knowledge‐based
economy

 Collaborations
have
been
forged
between
business
and

the
arts
–
supporting
creativity,
diversity
and
innovation

in
both
sectors



 Many
more
diverse
individuals
and
groups
feel
a
real

sense
of
belonging
–
represented
in
work,
education,

media,
leadership,
arts
etc…


 Increased
number
of
common
built
and
natural
spaces,

which
support
people
spending
time
together
exploring

arts
and
culture





2
WATERLOO REGION
GUELPH
RECORD MERCURY
HEADLINES FROM 2009 - 2020

New study: Prosperity in Waterloo Arts coalition urges business

Wellington creates demand for more
cultural products, but squeezes social
services - FEBRUARY 2010
40 Journalists out of work
as Waterloo Region
Record moves to weekly
publication - MAY 2012
Artist-in-residence program instrumental
in Christie Digital breakthrough in
healthcare
- JULY2015
UN recognizes Waterloo-
Wellington leadership in use
of social enterprise to
improve lives of immigrants
and first-nations in Canada
and world - SEPTEMBER
to capture benefits of current
prosperity by investing in the
creative economy
- MAY 2011
Social enterprise model credited
with improving delivery of social
service, healthcare in
increasingly diverse community
- JANUARY 2013
Blogger receives death threats goes
into hiding after revealing political
scandal
- SEPTEMBER 2016
Analysts say Nokia/RIM
merger will be competitive in
Google-dominated mobile
market, job losses expected
- AUGUST 2019

3

 2009
–
2012
 2013
–
2016
 2017
–
2020

Social
 Education/awareness
 Reciprocity
of
citizen
 Policies
shift
–

building
about
cultural
 experience/participation
— recognition
of

inclusion
and
critical
 local
and
global
 international
education,

engagement
 immigration,

employment
–
inclusive

and
relevant



 Increase
in
number,
 Increased
opportunity
for
 Permeable
Identity


dependability,
level
of
 youth
leadership,
expanded

skill
development,
cultural
 Appreciation
and

communication
and
 recognition
of
necessity

adaptability
of
social
 understanding
and
shared

spaces
 of
CD
to
to
build
vibrant

services
 and
resilient
community


Different
and
equal



Economic
 Significant
disruption
in
the
 Major
arts
related
events
 High
adoption
rates
for

economy,
particularly
for
 attracted
to
the
region
by
 technology
(social

the
large
businesses
located
 creative
potential

 networking,
mass
transit

locally,
frees
a
large
number
 etc)

of
creative
employees



 Emergence
of
community‐ Increase
in
the
number
 Collaborations
drive


based
and
spin‐off
 cross‐sector
collaborative
 innovation
and
creativity

industries,
re‐channeling
of
 groups
and
organisations
 and
help
the
economy
to

entrepreneurial
activity
 diversify

 A

Environmental
 Sewage
processing
problem
 Drastic
water
rationing
for
 Health
problems
related


‐
water
crisis
 home
and
industry.
 to
worsening
air/water

Agriculture
affected
by
 resources

drought:
lower
meat

production
and
crop
yields



 Increased
pressure
for
new
 Reduction
in
green
space
in
 Lack
of
access
to
green


housing
developments
 the
cities
(parks,
 space
impacting
quality

recreational
fields)
and
 of
life

outside
them
(agricultural

land,
protected
areas).



` B

C
4
Healing




Kitchener,
July
2020


 

A
few
minutes
before
six,
Anita
shuts
down
her

computer
and
leans
back
at
her
desk.
It's
been
a
good
day,

chock‐full,
but
no
one
has
died.
In
fact,
she
hasn't
even
seen
a

patient
with
an
illness
she
couldn't
treat,
at
least
temporarily.

It
worries
her
that,
even
here
in
this
bubbling
metropolis,
she

is
seeing
a
rise
in
illnesses
related
to
basic
hygiene
and
medical

treatment.
Even
the
numerous
medical
breakthroughs
in
the

last
decade
cannot
compensate
for
the
scarcity
of
resources

like
water.
The
growing
shortage
of
healthcare
professionals

doesn't
help
either.




She
stares
through
her
office
window
out
over
the
city,

admiring
the
green
spaces,
the
colourful
buildings
and
wide

streets.
She
can
see
the
newly
titled
Artists'
Alley
down
Cedar

Street.
It's
more
an
avenue
than
an
alley,
a
pedestrian
street
 “Artists,
and
some
cultural

lined
by
trees
full
of
decorations,
hanging
sculptures
and
 mediators,
have
many
ideas

mobiles.
Even
the
pavement
is
painted,
with
brilliant
mosaics,
 about
how
to
engage
citizens
in

and
people
are
already
jamming
the
walkway.
It
reminds
her
of
 a
vibrant
community
that
is

Las
Ramblas,
in
Barcelona
where
she
attended
medical
school,
 environmentally
more
sensitive,

only
it
is
fresher,
more
creative.
Tonight
the
Heritage
Festival
 socially
more
just
and

begins,
with
performances,
arts
displays
and
demonstrations
 architecturally
more
beautiful.

of
artist‐driven
innovations
in
Guelph,
KW
and
Cambridge.
 Holding
them
back
as
key

She's
heading
over
to
Cambridge
for
their
official
opening.
As
 contributors
to
this
kind
of

chair
of
the
planning
committee,
she's
giving
a
speech
on
arts
 community
is
not
a
lack
of
ideas

and
progress
there.
Tomorrow
her
paintings
will
feature
in
one
 but
a
lack
of
resources
and

of
the
many
digital
media
shows
here
in
town.
It's
an
exciting
 ability
to
garner
these

time
in
the
multi‐city.
 resources.”


 
 ‐
Scenario
Participant

Her
intercom
hums.
She
sighs.
Marta
should
have
left
 

half
an
hour
ago.
She
presses
the
button.
"Yes?"


 

"I
..I
sorry,
Dr.
Ferez,
There…"
Marta
sounds
flustered.

“Cultural
groups
are
stuck
in
the

It
makes
her
speech
impediment
worse.

mind‐set
of
a
not‐for‐profit
and



end
up
in
an
SOS
situation
every

"Take
your
time,
Marta."
The
woman
is
bright
and

3yrs;
but
I
think
we
should
run

extremely
capable,
and
Anita's
patients
have
grown

as
businesses
and
earn
our

accustomed
to
her
speech,
as
she
knew
they
would.

revenue.”



Scenario
Participant

"There's
a
girl
…I
know
you
're…leaving.
She's
hurt."


5
 
 The
muscles
in
James's
jaw
tighten.

Anita
rises.
"Send
her
right
in,
 "She
was
careless,
with
a
carving
tool."

Marta."
She
crosses
the
office
and
opens
 

the
door.
 The
cut
is
deep
and
dirty.
A
second


 after
the
toweling
is
removed,
blood
starts

A
tall
slender
man
in
his
early
forties
 to
pour
forth.
Marta,
who
has
slipped
in,

shepherds
in
a
girl
in
her
early
teens
 hands
Anita
a
thick
absorbent
bandage.

towards
Anita.
Marta
hovers
in
the
 She
applies
it
to
the
wound.
"Can
you
press

doorway.
The
two
strangers
are
swarthy
 down
on
this
while
I
assemble
the

and
wear
their
black
hair
long.
The
girl's
is
 necessary
implements?"
she
asks
James.

loose
and
falls
over
her
face.
The
man's
is
 

pulled
back
in
a
braid.
First
Nations?
Anita
 He
nods
and
crouches
beside

suspects
so.
 Kendra,
pressing
the
wad
of
bandage
to


 the
wound.
The
girl
glares
at
him.


She
extends
her
hand.
"Hello,
I'm
 

Dr.
Ferez.
Come
in."
 Marta
moves
deftly
to
the


 cupboards.

He
hesitates,
then
takes
her
hand.
 

His
grip
is
firm,
but
brief.
"James
 Anita
asks,
"What
kind
of
carving

Clearwater.
I'm
sorry
to
bother
you
so
late.
 tool?"

My
daughter
Kendra
has
cut
herself."
 


 "A
sculpting
knife,"
James
answers.

Anita's
attention
turns
to
the
girl.
 "I'm
a
sculptor."

Her
arm
is
wrapped
in
toweling
that
 

doesn't
look
too
clean.
Blood
seeps
 Marta
assembles
a
tray
of

through.
"Please,
sit
down
here,
Kendra,
 implements
and
swabs.
Anita
goes
to
the

and
let
me
take
a
look."

 sink
and
turns
the
tap
to
wash
her
hands.


 Nothing
comes
out.
She
curses
silently.
It's

Kendra
slumps
into
the
chair.
She's
 after
six
o'clock.
The
water
has
been

startlingly
thin,
almost
emaciated,
but
 turned
off,
under
the
new
conservation

neither
the
girl
nor
her
father
look
poverty‐ regime.

stricken.
He
wears
a
blue
button‐down
 

shirt
and
Dockers.
She
sports
tight
jeans,
 "You
should
have
gone
to
the

sandals
and
a
T‐shirt
that
shows
her
 hospital,"
she
murmurs.

miniscule
mid‐drift.
She
says
nothing.
 


 "No,"
says
James.

"What
happened?"
Anita
asks,
 

unwrapping
the
towel
gently.
 "No?"
She
glances
at
him.
"Marta,


 can
you
please
bring
the
water
canister?"

When
neither
answers,
Anita
 They
keep
water
for
emergencies,
like
this.

glances
up.
Kendra
stares
sullenly
at
the
 Marta
bobs
her
head
and
disappears
out

floor.

 the
door.


 


6
 "You
didn't
want
to
go
to
the
hospital?"

“The
10%
at
the
top
are
people



who
are
caught
and
interested
in

James
frowns.
"We
…
don't
like
modern
medicine.
No

something
and
have
people

offense."

listen
to
them.
The
10%
at
the



bottom
are
caught
and

"None
taken.
But
I'm
surprised
you
came
here.
I
do

interested
but
almost
nobody

practice
modern
medicine."
She
tries
a
smile.

talks
to
or
listens
to
them.”



Scenario
Participant

The
girl
looks
very
pale.





"I
heard
that
you
also
respect
…
the
traditions
of
other

cultures,
including
native
ones."
James
watches
her,
his
face

impassive.



Marta
arrives
with
the
canister
and
pours
a
little
water

into
a
bowl.
Anita
applies
a
little
soap
to
her
hands,
and
pours

a
trickle
of
water
over
them
to
rinse
the
suds
away.
Then
she

returns
to
Kendra.
With
Marta's
assistance,
she
cleans
the

wound,
superficially
at
least,
and
applies
a
more
liberal
than

usual
dose
of
antiseptic.
Marta
hands
her
a
threaded
needle.




"I'm
going
to
stitch
this
up,"
Anita
says
to
Kendra.
"It

will
hurt
a
little,
but
it's
necessary.
All
right?"



For
the
first
time,
Kendra
seems
anxious.
She
looks
up

at
James.
He
nods
and
holds
her
gaze.



Anita
works
quickly,
entirely
focused
on
her
task.
There

is
a
lot
of
blood,
but
Marta
wipes
it
away,
and
soon
Anita
has

finished
stitching.
She
applies
a
bandage
and
stands
up.
"Don't

get
it
wet
and
keep
the
bandage
on
for
a
week.
Then
you
can

come
back
and
I'll
remove
the
stitches.
Marta
can
make
an

appointment."
Marta
nods
and,
at
a
look
from
Anita,
slips
out

of
the
office.



A
glance
at
the
clock
shows
Anita
she
needs
to
hurry,

get
home
to
her
apartment,
change
and
catch
the
high‐speed
 “I’m
interested
in
finding

transit
to
Cambridge.
She
may
have
to
take
a
cab
home,
 creative
and
artistic
tools
to
help

although
it
could
take
more
time
to
find
one
than
to
walk.
 people
think
differently
about

Despite
the
growth
in
the
city,
or
maybe
because
of
it,
there
 how
we
define
each
other.”

are
fewer
and
fewer
motorized
vehicles
out
there.
Usually
 Scenario
Participant

Anita
applauds
this
fact.
With
so
many
people,
it's
critical
to

keep
the
air
as
clean
as
possible,
but
today
she
is
eager
to
get


7
to
the
Festival.
It's
the
tenth
anniversary
 on
the
other.

and
the
cultural
collage
will
be
breath‐ 

taking.
She
knows,
because
she
booked
the
 He
complies.

artists.
A
true
celebration
of
 

multiculturalism,
on
a
scale
that
not
even
 "Mr.
Clearwater,
you
daughter
is

Toronto
could
rival.
 very,
very
thin.
Is
she
ill?"


 

"Thank
you,"
says
James.

 He
frowns,
shakes
his
head.


 

Kendra
rises
at
his
nod.
Her
face
 "Has
she
seen
a
doctor?
Had
tests

turns
a
sickly
shade
of
green
and
her
knees
 performed?"

buckle.
James
catches
her
before
she
hits
 

the
floor.
 He
shakes
his
head
again,
more


 vigorously.

The
Festival
forgotten,
Anita
says,
 

"Here,
lay
her
on
the
examining
table."

 "Are
you
not
worried?"


 

James
scoops
the
girl
up
in
his
arms
 He
looks
down.
"Yes."
He
speaks
in
a

and
does
as
Anita
requests.
Lying
on
the
 whisper,
then
takes
a
deep
breath.
"She

white
sheet,
Kendra
looks
like
an
8‐year‐ doesn't
eat."

old
child,
tiny,
bones
jutting
out.
Her
eyes
 

flutter
open.
Anita
examines
her
quickly,
 "No
appetite?
Does
she
get

then
calls
for
Marta,
who
nips
in.
 headaches?"


 

"Marta,
can
you
stay
here
with
 He
shrugs.
"I
don't
know.
She

Kendra
for
a
moment?
James,
I'd
like
to
 doesn't
talk
about
it.
But
I
think
she
does

talk
to
you."
 not
want
to
eat.
She
likes
to
be
thin."


 

For
a
moment,
she
thinks
James
will
 "Have
you
asked
her?"

refuse,
seize
his
daughter
and
hustle
out,
 

away
from
her
and
her
modern
medicine.
 "No.
If
she
wants
to
speak
to
me,

Then
he
nods
and
she
ushers
him
through
 she
will.
She
does
not."
He
sounds
sad,

the
door
into
the
outer
office.
Outside,
the
 resigned.

setting
sun
splashes
the
sky
with
gold
and
 

orange
rays.
Through
the
open
window
she
 Anita
mulls
on
this,
recalling
a

can
hear
the
sound
of
a
band
playing
and
 seminar
she
attended
about
native
beliefs,

voices,
laughter.
People
are
flocking
into
 how
they
respect
each
other.
It
impressed

the
city
for
the
Festival.
They've
arranged
 her
at
the
time
and
she
admired
the
native

for
twice
as
many
buses
and
trains
as
usual
 healers
who
spoke.
Now
she
sees
a
girl
in

from
Toronto
today.

 desperate
need
of
help
and
a
father
unable


 to
give
it
to
her.
"Her
mother?"
she
asks

"Sit,
please."
She
gestures
toward
 gently.

one
of
the
waiting
room
chairs
and
perches
 


8
 "She
is
…
gone.
Some
years
ago."



"James,
I
cannot
say
without
fully
examining
Kendra,

but
it's
possible
she
has
an
eating
disorder
like
anorexia.
This

can
be
very
serious,
very
dangerous."



He
nods;
he
knows
this
already.


 “In
Toronto,
in
Europe,
you
start

"There
are
clinics
‐‐"
 to
see
that
there’s
actually


 communities
here
(in
cities).

"No.
She
must
stay
with
me.
I
will
…
try
…
to
make
her
 We’re
a
bit
dysfunctional
here,

understand."
 suburbia
is
something
we’re


 used
to
but
these
are
not

"You
live
here,
in
the
multi‐city?"
 functioning
communities.
In


 Toronto,
people
live
in
and

He
nods.
"Down
in
the
Alachi."
 around
where
they
eat,
shop


 and
work,
and
if
they’re
not
they

The
Alachi!
She's
surprised.
It's
the
new
name
for
the
 take
public
transport
to
get

thriving
area
near
Fairview
Mall,
one
of
the
most
culturally
 there.”

diverse
parts
of
the
multi‐city
and
a
hotbed
of
creativity.
Just
 Scenario
Participant

recently
she
read
about
a
group
of
Alachi
artists
who'd
been

working
as
advisors
to
a
high‐tech
firm,
helping
them
innovate

in
creative
new
ways.
She
kicks
herself
mentally.
And
why

shouldn't
they
live
there?
They
are
obviously
well
enough
off

and
what
did
he
say?
He's
a
sculptor,
possibly
even
a
member

of
that
group.



"Mr.
Clearwater.
I
can
see
you
care
about
your

daughter,
and
I
respect
the
fact
that
you
do
not
want
her

treated
using
modern
methods.
Have
you
ever
been
to
the

Healing
Centre?"



He
shakes
his
head.



"It
is
an
unusual
treatment
facility
adjacent
to
Homer

Watson
Park,
not
far
from
the
Fairview‐Alachi
area.
They

practice
a
variety
of
medicines
there,
Western,
Eastern,

African,
acupuncture,
even
animal
therapy.
They
are
affiliated

with
several
churches
and
have
at
least
one
native
doctor.
I

believe
they
even
have
a
sweat
lodge.
I
understand
you
may

feel
suspicious
or
apprehensive,
but
their
creed
is
that
no

patient
is
ever
forced
to
accept
treatment
that
goes
against

their
fundamental
beliefs.
There
are
some
very
wise
people


9
 working
there.
Would
you,
at
least,
consider,
taking
Kendra

“How
do
these
innovative

there?"

models
of
creative
development



that
are
being
practised
in
music

He
gazes
at
her
for
several
moments.
At
last,
he
nods.

encourage
new
socially

She
has,
in
her
career,
seen
hope
dawn
in
many
eyes
and
she

responsive
forms
of
community

thinks
she
sees
it
now.

building
across
boundaries,
and



what
role
do
they
play
in
helping

"Good.
I'm
glad.
Why
don't
I
contact
the
facility
and

us
negotiate
differences
and

when
you
bring
Kendra
back
to
have
the
stitches
removed,
I

accept
the
challenges
of
risk
and

can
help
set
up
an
appointment."
She
smiles.

contingency?”



Scenario
Participant

He
rises.
"Thank
you.
I
would
appreciate
that."



As
they
leave,
he
places
a
hand
on
Kendra's
shoulder.

The
girl
does
not
shrug
it
off.






10
 A
TOWN
DIVIDED

WATERLOO
WELLINGTON
SCENARIOS


A
Town
Divided

This
is
a
scenario
where
the
region’s
universities
and
colleges
have
become
disconnected
from
their
towns

and
cities,
who
have
likewise
become
less
well
integrated
with
each
other.
The
region’s
economy
has

stagnated
and
become
less
diverse.
The
local
economy
relies
on
the
Universities
and
Colleges
as
the

primary
source
of
employment
as
global
economic
decline
and
disruptive
telecommunications
technology

have
hit
manufacturing
very
hard.
High
unemployment
and
poverty
means
the
demand
for
social
services

is
high.
Despite
stalled
population
growth,
the
quality
and
quantity
of
service
provision
is
limited
by
the

lack
of
resources
and
the
cautious
approach
of
service
providers.
The
cultural
malaise
is
felt
acutely
in
the

arts,
which
are
seen
as
less
relevant
in
the
face
of
these
challenges,
and
thus
both
artists
and
art

institutions
are
struggling
to
survive.
The
environment,
including
the
watershed
and
the
local
food

production,
are
also
considered
to
be
less
important.


 A
Town
Divided
Characteristics


 Characterised
by:





Local,
national
and
global
economic
stagnation,
combined
with

low
population
growth
and
low
levels
of
population
diversity.




• Decrease
in
house
values

• No
urban
development

A
trend
that
persists
in
the
region
is

gaps
in
educational
attainment.
 • Reduction
in
tax
base

Compared
to
Ontario,
the
region
has
 • Town
&
Gown
divide

a
significantly
higher
proportion
of

persons
with
secondary
education
or
 • University
enrolment
increases

less;
a
similar
number
of
persons
 • Sense
of
community
improves?

with
a
college
certificate
or
diploma;

and,
considerably
fewer
persons
with
 • Hollowing
out
of
the
middle
of
the
age
demographic

university
credentials.
 • Traffic/commuting
decreases

‐
Waterloo
Wellington
Training
&

Adjustment
Board,
TOP
Report,
Jan
 • Service
industry
contracts

2009
 • More
fragmentation
city
units

• Less
pressure
on
environment
but
less
commitment

• Change
in
Research
&
Development
focus
in
university

• Some
new
entrepreneurial
activity

• Pressure
on
concerned
citizens
to
address
social
problems




2
WATERLOO REGION GUELPH
RECORD MERCURY
HEADLINES FROM 2009 - 2020
Council approves construction of Experts predict new technology will
new housing project in south end throw telecommunications industry
- JANUARY 2010 into chaos
- MAY 2011
RIM SOLD; employees face
uncertain future as new Major breakthrough in quantum
computing
owners plan to downsize - APRIL 2013
- FEBRUARY 2012
Job LOSSES lead to area
Changes to UW intellectual population decline
policy likely to reduce future
- SEPTEMBER 2014
university-related
entrepreneurial endeavors
Attempts to attract new residents
- NOVEMBER 2013
fail. Prospective buyers cite rising
crime, poor health care
Government Immigration to infrastructure as obstacles
- MARCH 2016
revokes ‘A region continues
Place to Grow’ to decline
designation
- APRIL 2018 Economic decline results in
- JUNE 2017 increased post-secondary
school applications
Students drive local economy,
housing market - MAY 2020 - MARCH 2019

3

 2009
–
2012
 2013
–
2016
 2017
–
2020

Social
 No
expansion
or
 Intensified
drive
by
status
 Crisis
points
in
violence,

transformation
of
positive
 quo
affects
arts,
urban
 poverty,
disease,
crime,

community
identity
 planning,
and
the
 community,
reputation,

community
becomes
 pride

more
rigid



 No
adaptive
social
 No
sense
of
belonging
 Policies
restricting


services,
which
leads
to
 and
reinforcement
of
 immigration

crisis,
vulnerability
 negative
stereotypes

violence,
dropouts
 “unwelcome”
laws


 

Growing
disconnect

between
community
and

minorities

Economic
 New
technology
leads
to
 Loss
of
local
economic
 Community
loses

significant
changes
in
 vitality,
particularly
in
the
 confidence,
Innovation

telecommunications
 local
food
economy
 “brand”
lost,

brain
drain,

industry
world‐wide,
and
 bigger
buildings
empty
out

has
a
huge
impact
on
local

companies




 Flight
of
capital
(human
 Decrease
in
community
 

and
financial)

 support
provided
by
local

companies
and
 A
universities


Environmental
 Water
crisis

 Drastic
water
rationing
 Increase
in
water‐related


for
home
and
industry
 health
problems



 Sewage
processing
 Agriculture
affected
by
 

problem
 drought:
lower
meat

production
and
crop

yields


C
4
A
Town
Divided



Waterloo,
September
2020




 As
class
ends,
Cindy
closes
her
laptop
and
leaves
the

lecture
hall,
her
progress
hampered
by
the
500
other
students

in
the
course,
students
from
all
over
the
world.




 "Isn't
he
great?"
says
a
guy,
smiling
at
her.



She
smiles
back.
"Yeah.
He's
one
of
the
reasons
I
came

here.
He
has
a
terrific
reputation,
not
just
as
a
prof,
he's
done

some
amazing
research."



"I'm
Albie
Tarn,"
the
boy
says,
extending
his
hand.



She
shakes
it.
"Cindy."



"Where
are
you
from?"
Albie
asks
as
they
pass
through

the
bottleneck
of
the
lecture
hall
doors
and
out
into
the

hallway.



"Here.
Waterloo,"
she
says.



"Really?
Wow.
I
didn't
think…"
he
catches
himself.
"I'm

from
Vancouver."



"I've
heard
it's
beautiful
out
there."
She
knows
what
he

didn't
say.
While
UW
is
booming,
especially
since
it
joined
up

with
Guelph
and
Laurier,
and
established
the
satellite
campus

in
Cambridge,
Waterloo
itself
is
not
very
exciting.
It's
changed

in
the
past
ten
years.
During
the
global
economic
crisis,

businesses
and
industries
collapsed
worldwide,
and
this
part
of

southwestern
Ontario
was
hit
pretty
hard.
It's
one
of
the

reasons
she's
studying
economics:
to
try
to
understand
what

happened.



 “We
need
to
break
down
these

"I've
got
to
go,"
she
says,
"see
you
Thursday."
She's
 barriers
that
limit
our
ability
to

meeting
her
boyfriend
Jason
for
lunch
at
the
new
café
on
 think
creatively
and
work

campus.
Yesterday
she
saw
the
sign
advertising
Tuesday
as
 together.”



Lebanese
Day.
There
are
few
decent
restaurants
in
town
 Scenario
Particpant


anymore
and
Jason
loves
Middle
Eastern
food.

She
skips
down
the
wide
stone
steps
and
across
the


5
brown
grass.
There
hasn't
been
a
lot
of
rain
 predicament.
She
feels
for
them.


and,
with
the
water
shortage,
they
don't
 

use
sprinklers
even
here,
where
everything
 She
flips
open
her
cell
phone,
but

seems
so
opulent.
She
still
can't
get
over
 there's
no
message.
It's
past
one
o'clock.

the
difference
between
the
campus,
any
of
 She's
late.
She
hurries
towards
the
gates.

the
local
university
campuses
actually,
and
 No
sign
of
Jason.

One
of
the
electric
inter‐
the
town.
Someone
is
pouring
money
into
 university
vans
glides
by,
headed
for
the

these
academic
institutions
and
they
 Guelph
campus.

sparkle.
The
new
buildings
are
all
state
of
 

the
art
and
the
architecture
is
pretty
 She
approaches
the
security
guard.

amazing,
although
there
is
less
green
space
 "Hi.
I'm
supposed
to
meet
my
boyfriend

round
campus
than
there
used
to
be.
And
 here.
Handsome
blond
guy."
She
smiles.

it's
hardly
sutainable
design.
But
the
 "Have
you
seen
him?"

resources
available
to
the
students
and
the
 

quality
of
teaching
are
top‐notch,
as
are
 The
guard
smiles
back.
"Can't
say
I

the
other
students.
It's
like
another
world.

 have.
What
faculty?"


 

If
only
some
of
that
money
went
to
 "Oh,
he's
not
a
student.
He
lives
in

the
town
itself.
With
businesses
closing
and
 town."

people
re‐locating
in
search
of
work,
the
 

tax
base
is
diminished.
And
there's
no
new
 "You
from
here?"

investment
in
the
region.
The
university
has
 

become
more
conservative,
protecting
its
 
"Yes."


own.
It
used
to
seize
opportunities
to
form
 

business
partnerships
with
community
 "Me
too.
I
just
started
work
here
a

entrepreneurs,
but
these
days
no
one
 few
weeks
ago.
Pretty
good
deal."

wants
to
take
risks.
As
soon
as
she
 

graduates,
she'll
be
leaving
Waterloo
too.
 Cindy
nods.
The
universities
pay

Jason
only
stays
because
of
her,
but
she
 well
and
they
are
the
only
really
big

suspects
he'll
soon
follow
in
his
parents'
 employers
in
town
now.
Tyem
and
the

footsteps
and
move
to
Toronto.
If
only
the
 college.
"That's
great."
Scanning
the
street

electrician
he
worked
for
hadn't
moved
 outside
the
gates,
she
spots
Jason
leaning

away
before
Jason
finished
his
 against
a
telephone
pole.
"There
he
is!"

apprenticeship.
If
only
UW
offered
 She
nods
to
the
security
guard,
flashes
her

scholarships
for
locals,
or
took
an
interest
 pass
by
the
sensor
and
strides
out
the
gate.


in
the
community.
The
young
people
who
 

choose
to
stay
in
Waterloo
have
such
 Jason
doesn't
see
her
right
away.

limited
opportunities.
They
work
in
bars
 He's
staring
at
a
group
of
students
waiting

and
restaurants,
garages
and
corner
stores
 by
the
van
pick‐up.
It's
funny
how
easy
it
is

until
they
can
save
enough
money
to
leave
 to
distinguish
UW
students
from
locals.

for
Toronto,
or
until
they
take
over
failing
 They
don't
dress
very
differently,
but

family
businesses.
Some
of
her
close
 there’s
something.
They're
also
more

friends
from
high
school
are
stuck
in
this
 culturally
diverse,
lots
of
different


6
ethnicities,
where
Waterloo
is
pretty
white.
White
and
poor.



 “It’s
not
about
getting
every
kid

As
Cindy
crosses
the
street,
Jason
turns
her
way.
 to
university
but
it
is
about


 engaging
everyone
in
an

She
tucks
her
arm
through
his
and
kisses
him
on
the
 education
that’s
going
to
lead

cheek.
"Hey."
 somewhere.
The
deal
has
to


 include
everyone.”

"You're
late,"
he
says.

 Scenario
Participant



She
can't
tell
if
he's
joking
or
not.
"Yeah.
Sorry.
Class

ended
late."



"No
big
deal."
He
sounds
a
bit
pissed
off.



"So,
you
up
for
some
Lebanese?"
she
asks.



"Not
really.
Let's
go
somewhere
else."



"The
Bomber?"
The
food's
cheap
there
and
last
time

they
had
a
good
time.



"No.
Like
off‐campus."



She
stares
at
him.
He's
still
watching
the
students.

"Okay,
sure.
Let’s
go.
I'm
starved.
And
I
have
to
be
back
for

class
by
2:30."



They
walk
east
on
Columbia.
There's
some
fast
food

places
near
King
Street,
though
she's
heard
a
couple
of
them

closed
down.
Jason
stays
silent.



"What's
up?"
she
asks.
"I
thought
you
wanted
middle‐
eastern
food?"



"Yeah.
I
just
don't
want
to
eat
on
campus.
It
bugs
me

that
you
have
to
sign
me
in,
like
I'm
a
second‐class
citizen."



She
chews
her
lip.
It's
awkward
for
her,
being
a
student

and
a
local,
straddling
both
worlds.
Sometimes
she's
not
sure

she
belongs
to
either.
She
likes
her
courses
and
absolutely

loves
the
feeling
that
she's
on
a
positive
trajectory,
that
she'll

get
her
degree
and
be
able
to
make
something
of
her
life.
But

she's
uncomfortable
with
the
divide
between
the
town
and
the

university.
She
suspects
a
lot
of
locals
feel
like
second‐class


7
citizens
in
their
hometown.
It
bugs
her
too.
 but
top
people
from
around
the
world,


 people
with
innovative
ideas.
There
are
still

She
changes
the
subject.
"Any
luck
 some
innovators
on
faculty
but
the

with
the
job
search?"
 university
is
less
and
less
connected
to
the


 community.
A
real
ivory
tower.
And
the

He
laughs
without
humour.
"You
 same
seems
to
be
true
in
Guelph,

gotta
be
kidding.
No
one's
hiring,
not
even
 Cambridge,
so
many
of
the
towns
around

the
restaurants."
 here.
Maybe
she
can
help
change
that


 someday.
Right
now,
she
just
wants
to
help

"What
about
at
the
university?
Did
 Jason.

you
follow
up
on
that
opening
in
Food
 

Services?"
The
security
guard
was
right.
 "I
heard
there
was
some
trouble
last

UW
pays
well,
and
if
Jason
worked
on
 night,
near
the
O’Neils,"
he
says.

campus,
he'd
have
his
own
pass.


 


 "Yeah?"
O’Neils
is
a
pub
close
to

Jason
shakes
his
head.
"No.
I
don't
 Kitchener.
"What
kind
of
trouble?"


think
that
would
work.
I
know
it's
decent
 

work
but
I
don't
think
I
could
handle
being
 "Remember
Dan
George?"

on
campus,
watching
the
elite
enjoying
 

themselves,
having
to
serve
them."
 She
nods.
Dan
was
a
football
player


 at
their
high
school.


She
nods.
Stupid
of
her
to
suggest
 

it.

 "Well,
sounds
like
he
picked
a
fight


 with
some
students.
Not
sure
what
they

They
walk
on,
moving
east,
away
 were
doing
down
there
‐‐"

from
the
campus.
They
pass
an
apartment
 

building
with
a
couple
of
broken
windows,
 She
looks
at
him.
"They
have
as

a
closed
storefront.
Garbage
overflows
 much
right
to
go
there
as
we
do."

from
bins.
With
fewer
people
paying
taxes,
 

there
are
fewer
services.
In
theory,
this
 He
shrugs.
"Yeah.
Just
not
sure
why

should
be
okay,
because
of
the
population
 they'd
want
to,
when
they've
got
fancy

decline,
but
it
hasn't
quite
worked
out
that
 pubs
on
campus."

way.
The
people
who
remain
in
Waterloo
 

have
so
little
money.
They
need
help,
but
 "Jason!
Would
you
be
happier
if
kids

there's
no
one
to
support
them.
 at
UW
had
absolutely
nothing
to
do
with

It
depresses
Cindy.
Waterloo
used
 people
from
town?
Isn't
it
bad
enough
that

to
be
livelier.
People
worked
hard
and
the
 there
is
so
little
mingling?"

municipal
leaders
made
decisions
that
 

helped
preserve
cultural
diversity
and
the
 "Sorry.
You're
right.
I'm
sorry."
He

environment.
Then
some
of
the
big
 half‐smiles
at
her,
his
guilty
look.

companies
relocated
their
headquarters
or
 

downsized
their
operations,
like
RIM,
 She
hugs
him.
"It's
okay."
They
keep

which
used
to
employ
not
just
students,
 walking.
There's
a
Tim
Horton's
up
ahead,


8
not
much
else
around.
Cindy
glances
at
her
watch:
it's
almost

1:30.
"You
wanna
grab
a
sandwich
at
Tim's?
I'm
going
to
have

to
get
back
soon."



"Sure."



A
couple
of
students
pass
them
on
the
street.



"I
can't
get
over
how
dead
this
place
is,"
murmurs
one.



"Yeah.
I
miss
Ottawa.
Never
thought
I'd
say
that!"

responds
the
other.



Cindy
and
Jason
glance
at
each
other.
They
enter
Tim's

and
order
sandwiches.
When
the
food's
ready,
they
find
a

table.
There
are
only
a
couple
of
people
in
here,
drinking

coffee.



"So
what
happened
with
Dan?"
asks
Cindy



"Not
much.
He
was
drunk,
belligerent"



"Nothing
new."




"Yeah,"
says
Jason.
"Anyway,
he
threw
a
couple
of

punches,
got
what
he
deserved
and
the
students
split.
No
big

deal.
I
just
hope
it
doesn't
make
matters
worse."



Cindy
knows
what
he
means.
Right
now,
most
of
the

university
students
hardly
think
about
the
town
at
all.
It's
just

a
place
where
they
go
to
school.
Even
if
they
live
in
town,
they

lead
their
lives
on
campus.
Their
friends
are
all
students.
They

have
no
idea
what
it's
like
for
the
local
residents,
losing
their

jobs,
feeling
so
hopeless,
and
yes,
jealous
of
these
privileged

kids
with
so
many
options.
But
if
they
start
getting
angry
as

well,
the
whole
situation
could
get
pretty
ugly.



"I
think
I'm
going
to
have
to
get
out
of
here,
Cindy,
"

says
Jason,
staring
into
his
coffee.
"It's
driving
me
crazy."



She
nods,
feeling
a
hole
open
up
inside.
He
was
going

to
stay
here,
hang
out
while
she
finished
university,
but
it's
no

good.
There's
no
work
for
him
and
she
can
feel
him
growing


9
 bitter.
He
needs
something
better
than
Waterloo
can
offer.

“All
the
cultural
leaders
appear



to
be
from
somewhere
else…
I

"I
could
try
to
transfer."
But
she
doesn't
really
want
to.

guess
the
community
drew
them

Her
parents
are
here,
working
on
staff
at
the
university,
and

here
but
the
question
is,
would

she's
an
only
child.
Besides,
UW
has
a
great
economics

you
stay
if
you
were
one
of

program,
one
of
the
very
best.

them?”



Scenario
Participant

"No."
Jason
takes
her
hands.
"You
gotta
stay."



She
nods,
feeling
miserable.



"It'll
be
okay,
babe,"
he
says.



"Yeah,"
she
says,
but
she
doesn't
believe
it.




10
 BEDROOM
COMMUNITY

WATERLOO
WELLINGTON
SCENARIOS


Bedroom
Community

This
 is
 the
 scenario
 of
 a
 “bedroom
 community”
 where
 large
 numbers
 of
 people
 live
 in
 the
 region
 but

commute
to
work
elsewhere.
Despite
local
economic
decline,
these
commuters
are
served
by
good
local

and
inter‐regional
mass
transit,
which
attracts
people
to
the
region
and
increases
the
size
and
diversity
of

the
population.
People
feel
little
connection
to
the
communities
in
which
they
live
however,
as
the
cities

and
 towns
 have
 not
 adapted
 to
 these
 changes.
 Community
 participation
 and
 interest
 in
 local
 politics
 is

low,
as
is
the
quality
of
social
service
provision,
which
is
poorly
directed.
There
is
little
sense
of
regional

identity
 as
 the
 identity
 of
 individual
 towns
 and
 cities
 have
 been
 submerged
 by
 suburban
 growth
 and

proximity
to
Toronto.


 Bed
Room
Community
Characteristics


 • Growth
in
unemployment
–
strain
on
unemployment



 insurance/welfare

• Transient
reduction
in
local
tax
revenue
–
service
reduction

• Traffic/commuting
growth

• Commuter
growth
forces
better
public
transit
system

• Competition
for
jobs
diminishes
diversity
in
the
work‐place


“From
an
individual,
personal
 as
local
employers
less
likely
to
employ
New
Canadians


perspective,
Kitchener‐Waterloo,
 • Growth
in
wealth
gap

Cambridge
and
Guelph
are
inter‐
connected;
you
don’t
really
have
that
 • Commuting
time
diminishes
sense
of
community
–

strong
sense
that
you’re
leaving
 arts/culture
suffer

Guelph
and
then
travelling
and

ending
up
in
Cambridge.
If
people
 • Revitalization
of
city
cores
stops

don’t
realise
that,
they
miss
the
 • Age
demographic
shifts
to
older

opportunity
for
these
types
of

experiential
connections.
It
could
be
 • Local
service
industry
dominates
economy



a
really
rich
collaboration.
”

 • Health
services
under
stress
–
wait
times
increase,
public

Scenario
Participant




 health
gets
worse,
medical
recruitment
suffers

• Reduced
interest
in
local
elections

• Cambridge,
Kitchener,
Waterloo
and
Guleph
merged
into

one
a
single
community

• Environment
suffers

• Change
in
Research
&
Development
focus
in
university

• Some
new
entrepreneurial
activity

• Pressure
on
concerned
citizens
to
address
social
problems


2
WATERLOO REGION GUELPH
RECORD MERCURY
HEADLINES FROM 2009 - 2020
Council approves construction of Unemployment higher than
new housing south of Kitchener
- JANUARY 2010
Provincial average
- APRIL 2011

Public demands more GO

Councillor blames deficit for
Buses, Guelph, KW, Toronto
- MARCH 2012
restrictions in local services -
SEPTEMBER 2014

Top cop fears increase in

gang violence Water group opposes
- MARCH 2016 new development
- OCTOBER 2017
Housing shortage for
growing population Election turnout
- JULY 2019 lowest ever -
NOVEMBER 2020

3

 2009
–
2012
 2013
–
2016
 2017
–
2020

Social
 No
expansion
or
 Intensive
drive
by
status
 Crisis
points
in
violence,

transformation
of
positive
 quo
affects
arts,
urban
 poverty,
disease,
crime,

community
identity
 planning
etc,
as
the
 community,
reputation,

community
leaders
 pride

become
more
rigid



 No
adaptive
social
 No
sense
of
belonging
 Policies
restricting


services,
which
leads
to
 and
reinforcement
of
 immigration

crisis,
vulnerability,
 negative
stereotypes

violence,
dropouts
 “unwelcome”
laws


Economic

 New
technology
leads
to

Loss
of
economic
vitality,
 Local
umemployment

particularly
in
the
local
 increases
poverty
for
new

significant
changes
in
 food
economy
(loss
of
 immigrants,
there
is
more

telecommunications
 urban/rural
cohesion)

 economic
disparity
and

greater
demand
on

industry
world‐wide,
and
 
 resources


has
a
huge
impact
on
local
 

companies




 Flight
of
key
capital
 Community
loses
 Significant
erosion
of
the

(human
and
financial)
 confidence,
Innovation
 tax
base

“brand”
lost

 A




Decrease
in
community

support
provided
by
local

companies
and

universities

Environmental
 Water
crisis

 Drastic
water
rationing
 Health
problems
related
to

for
home
and
industry.
 worsening
air/water

‐
Sewage
processing
 Agriculture
affected
by
 resources

problem
 drought:
lower
meat

production
and
crop

yields



 Increased
pressure
for
 Reduction
in
green
space
 Lack
of
access
to
green


new
housing
 in
the
cities
(parks,
 space
impacting
quality
of

developments
 recreational
fields)
and
 life

outside
them

(agricultural
land,

protected
areas).
 B

C
4
Long
Way
Home
 “I
remember
noticing
that

there’s
never
anybody
of
colour

Waterloo
Region,
October
2020
 
 in
my
kid’s
swimming
classes.


 Never.
So
I
asked
why?
One

At
1:30
in
the
afternoon,
an
announcement
interrupted
 reason
is
because
there
are
no

Nathalie's
tour
of
Jarvis
Collegiate
Institute,
the
fourth
Toronto
 single
gender
sessions
in
the

secondary
school
she'd
visited
that
day.
 pool,
and
there’s
no
privacy
in


 the
change
rooms.
This
is
a

"Superintendent
 Wlodarska,
 please
 contact
 the
 main
 question
about
whether
we
truly

office
 right
 away.
 Superintendent
 `Wlodarska,
 please
 contact
 honour
other
cultures.”

the
main
office."
 Scenario
Participant


 

She
 turned
 to
 the
 principal.
 
 "I'm
 sorry.
 I'd
 better
 find

out
what's
up.
Probably
some
irate
parent."



The
 principal,
 a
 young
 man
 new
 to
 the
 job
 and
 no

doubt
 eager
 to
 impress
 her,
 nodded,
 but
 she
 could
 sense
 his

disappointment.
"Of
course."



They
 retraced
 their
 steps
 to
 the
 office.
 The
 secretary

disentangled
herself
from
a
group
of
students
with
pink
slips
in

their
 hands.
 "My
 apologies,
 Superintendent,
 your
 admin

assistant
 just
 called
 to
 say
 there's
 an
 urgent
 message
 from

your
son's
school."



Nathalie
 tensed.
 "Thank
 you.
 Is
 there
 a
 phone
 I
 can

use?"
Her
cell
phone
didn't
work
inside
the
school.



The
 principal
 said,
 "Use
 my
 office."
 He
 ushered
 her
 in

and
left,
closing
the
door
behind
him.



She
 dialed
 the
 number
 quickly.
 She'd
 made
 the
 call

more
 times
 than
 she
 liked
 to
 remember
 in
 the
 past
 year.

"Jacob
Klein,
please.
It's
Nathalie
Wlodarska."


 “I
still
have
some
feelings
of

After
a
brief
pause,
Jacob,
the
principal
of
Tom's
school,
 isolation.
The
huge
family

came
on.
"Nathalie,
I'm
sorry
to
bother
you
‐‐"
 connections
are
not
here,


 they’re
not
automatic
so
you

She
cut
him
off,
her
anxiety
rising.
"What's
up,
Jacob?"

 have
to
build
them
(at
church
or


 in
the
neighbourhood),
and
you

"There
was
an
incident
with
Tom
at
lunch
time.
He
left
 want
those
relationships
for

the
school
and
hasn't
returned.
I
thought
you
should
know."
 your
children.”


 Scenario
Participant


5
 As
she
posed
the
next
question,
she
 Once
I'm
out
of
the
building,
you
can
reach

reviewed
 the
 rapid
 transit
 schedule
 in
 her
 me
on
my
cell.
You
have
the
number?"

head.
 If
 she
 hurried,
 she
 could
 catch
 a
 GO
 

train
 to
 GCKW
 in
 half
 an
 hour.
 "What
 "Yes.
We'll
call
if
we
hear
anything.

happened?"
 And
please
let
us
know
if
you
locate
him."


 

"I'm
 investigating
 right
 now,
 but
 it
 "I
 will."
 She
 rang
 off,
 then
 dialed

seems
 Tom
 got
 into
 an
 argument
 with
 a
 home.
After
four
rings,
she
got
voice
mail.


couple
 of
 girls
 outside
 the
 school,
 said
 She
 hurried
 out,
 apologizing
 to
 the

some
 inappropriate
 things.
 One
 of
 them
 principal
as
she
left.
"I'll
get
Donna
to
book

reacted
badly,
her
boyfriend
got
involved
‐‐ another
visit."

"
 


 She
 hailed
 a
 cab
 outside.
 It
 took

"Was
 there
 a
 fight?"
 It
 wouldn't
 be
 forty
minutes
to
reach
the
GO
station,
forty

uncommon.
Tom
had
been
diagnosed
with
 minutes
for
her
to
curse
Tom's
school
and

ADHD
several
years
ago
and
had
been
in
a
 the
 job
 that
 took
 her
 so
 far
 from
 the

special
 behavioural
 class
 for
 eighteen
 suburban
 sprawl
 where
 she
 lived.
 She

months
 prior
 to
 entering
 high
 school.
 He
 should
 have
 moved
 to
 Toronto
 when
 her

had
 anger
 management
 problems
 and
 of
 husband
 died.
 The
 schools
 here
 had

late,
 had
 shown
 signs
 of
 depression.
 The
 superior
 resources
 to
 deal
 with
 special

high
school's
resources
were
stretched,
and
 needs
students,
especially
at
the
secondary

in
Nathalie's
view,
Tom
was
not
getting
the
 level,
 and
 Tom
 could
 have
 had
 the

attention
 he
 needed,
 but
 she
 understood
 supports
 he
 needed.
 In
 Toronto,
 it
 would

the
school
board's
limitations.
 also
be
easier
to
obtain
decent
food,
fresh


 organic
 produce.
 Such
 produce
 was

"A
 few
 punches
 thrown
 on
 both
 increasingly
 scarce
 in
 GCKW,
 and
 she'd

sides.
 Then
 a
 crowd
 gathered.
 I'm
 afraid
 it
 recently
 read
 a
 study
 suggesting
 the

sounds
 like
 they
 turned
 on
 Tom.
 He
 took
 chemicals
 in
 commercial
 produce
 and

off."
 processed
 foods
 might
 well
 exacerbate


 Tom's
 condition.
 Yes,
 she
 should
 have

"In
 what
 direction?"
 If
 he'd
 gone
 moved
to
Toronto.
But
right
after
his
father

home,
 she
 could
 call,
 reassure
 him
 and
 died,
 she'd
 thought
 consistency
 would
 be

finish
 her
 tour
 here.
 It
 would
 be
 hard
 to
 good
for
Tom.
Wrong,
wrong,
wrong.


rearrange,
 given
 her
 hectic
 schedule,
 and
 

she
had
a
responsibility
to
visit
each
of
the
 At
 3:00,
 she
 boarded
 the
 GO
 train

schools
she
supervised
twice
per
term.
 to
 the
 suburban
 sprawl
 which
 included


 Guelph,
 Cambridge
 and
 Kitchener‐
"We're
 not
 sure.
 He
 headed
 east,
 Waterloo.
The
four
cities
had
amalgamated

but
no
one
really
paid
attention
and
by
the
 eight
years
ago
into
GCKW,
the
acronym
as

time
I
heard
about
it,
he'd
disappeared."
 anonymous
 as
 the
 community's
 character.


 As
 the
 train
 silently
 sped
 west,
 she
 gazed

"Thanks,
Jacob.
I'll
try
to
reach
him.
 gloomily
 out
 the
 window.
 The
 only

If
 I
 can't,
 I'll
 be
 on
 my
 way
 immediately.
 noticeable
 change
 leaving
 Toronto
 was


6
that
there
were
fewer
new
building,
fewer
company
logos,
less

sign
of
economic
prosperity.
It
no
longer
felt
like
leaving
a
city
 “The
Country‐Side
line
is

for
 the
 country.
 The
 fields
 that
 remained
 held
 no
 lush
 crops.
 supposed
to
a
boundary
as
real

as
the
coastline,
but
sub‐division

The
family
farms
had
disappeared
or
stood
vacant
and
derelict.

builders
build
wide
roads
that

She
 shook
 her
 head,
 depressed
 by
 how
 quickly
 things
 had

lead
somewhere
and
create
the

changed
 when
 the
 economy
 of
 the
 region
 plummeted.
 So

expectation
of
more
growth.”

many
 major
 companies
 had
 moved
 their
 headquarters
 out
 of

Scenario
Participant

GCKW.
Each
of
the
four
cities
had
suffered,
but
the
population

had
 continued
 to
 grow.
 It
 was
 one
 of
 the
 largest
 bedroom

communities
 in
 North
 America,
 miles
 of
 dwellings,

interspersed
 with
 a
 few
 small
 businesses,
 mostly
 service

industry,
 schools,
 a
 couple
 of
 hospitals,
 insufficient
 for
 the

population,
 and
 of
 course
 the
 universities,
 enclaves
 of

privileged
learning.



She
 tried
 calling
 Tom
 again,
 with
 no
 luck.
 Then
 she

called
his
two
closest
friends,
with
the
same
result.
Voice
mail.

No
 doubt
 their
 parents
 worked
 elsewhere
 too
 and
 the
 boys

would
 not
 be
 home
 from
 school
 yet.
 Her
 anxiety
 mounted.

They
 should
 move
 to
 Toronto.
 It
 wasn't
 doing
 Tom
 any
 good

staying
 in
 GCKW,
 eating
 garbage
 out
 of
 machines
 at
 school,

getting
into
fights.
In
Toronto
he
could
go
to
a
better‐equipped

school.
 And
 she
 wouldn't
 be
 so
 far
 away.
 Even
 if
 housing
 in

Toronto
 proper
 was
 virtually
 unaffordable.
 She'd
 just
 have
 to

find
a
way.




The
 train
 passed
 through
 little
 Vienna,
 an
 area
 on
 the

east
 edge
 of
 Cambridge
 populated
 largely
 by
 people
 of

European
extraction.
The
houses
were
small
and
neat,
but
all

too
similar:
an
old‐style
keep‐up‐with‐the‐Joneses
community.

Still
it
was
cheerful
compared
to
the
downtown
ghettos,
which

housed
 the
 growing
 populations
 of
 poor
 immigrants.
 One
 of

the
fallouts
of
losing
so
many
thriving
businesses
was
that
the

vibrant
multi‐culturalism
had
fragmented.
The
wealthy
lived
in

discrete
 suburban
 enclaves
 and
 instead
 of
 mingling
 and

celebrating
 their
 diversity,
 the
 ethnic
 communities
 had
 “There’s
a
lot
of
evidence
that

become
 more
 isolated,
 each
 taking
 care
 of
 their
 own,
 or,
 in
 kids
who
aren’t
exposed
to

many
cases,
failing
to
do
so.

 nature
are
experiencing


 psychological
and
medical

Several
 years
 ago
 political
 candidates
 had
 campaigned
 problems
–
it’s
called
Nature

on
 promises
 to
 make
 GCKW
 as
 a
 model
 of
 cultural
 diversity.
 Deficit
Disorder.”

Now
no
one
seemed
to
care.
Voter
turnout
at
the
last
election
 Scenario
Participant

had
 been
 pathetic,
 and
 no
 wonder,
 the
 candidates'
 visions


7
were
 narrow,
 pinched,
 just
 like
 the
 

economy.
The
biggest
issue
was
the
lack
of
 She
 tried
 calling
 home
 again,

resources
to
deal
with
the
overpopulation.

 knowing
 it
 was
 useless.
 He
 could
 not
 have

The
 best
 and
 brightest
 from
 the
 area,
 as
 got
home
that
quickly.
She
maneuvered
her

well
as
all
the
university
graduates,
moved
 way
 onto
 King
 Street
 and
 headed
 south

elsewhere.
 The
 arts
 suffered.
 Local
 towards
 Cambridge,
 passing
 unfamiliar

theatres
and
galleries
shut
down
and
many
 streets,
 rundown
 houses,
 unchaperoned

members
 of
 the
 once‐thriving
 creative
 children.
 Finally
 she
 reached
 the
 place

community
 re‐located.
 It
 was
 difficult
 to
 where
 she'd
 seen
 Tom.
 She
 drove
 up
 and

attract
 doctors;
 wait
 times
 at
 hospitals
 down,
 then
 broadened
 the
 area
 of
 search.

were
 appalling.
 She
 knew
 too
 well.
 It
 had
 No
 sign
 of
 him.
 Her
 head
 throbbed
 as
 she

taken
 months
 to
 get
 Tom
 diagnosed
 and
 drove
 on,
 aimlessly.
 She
 called
 the
 school

they
 were
 still
 waiting
 for
 him
 to
 see
 again,
 but
 they'd
 heard
 nothing.
 Heading

psychologist.
 She
 had
 to
 move.
 No
 back
 north
 on
 King
 Street,
 she
 passed

question.
 through
 the
 disintegrating
 cores
 of


 Kitchener
 and
 Waterloo.
 Pausing
 in

The
 train
 was
 passing
 through
 the
 Conestoga
 Mall's
 deserted
 parking
 lot,
 she

derelict
 downtown
 of
 old
 Cambridge.
 It
 dialed
the
police.
As
expected,
they
told
her

being
 a
 hot
 day,
 people
 were
 on
 the
 they
couldn't
spare
any
officers
to
look
for
a

streets,
 meandering
 and
 chatting,
 a
 rough
 boy
 who
 had
 only
 been
 missing
 a
 few

lot,
 down‐at‐heels,
 a
 mix
 of
 white,
 black
 hours.
 He
 was
 a
 teenager,
 right?
 Probably

and
 Asian.
 Most
 of
 them
 probably
 hanging
 out
 with
 friends,
 they
 said.
 When

unemployed.
 Rumor
 had
 it
 this
 had
 she
 persisted,
 the
 sergeant
 told
 her
 to
 call

become
something
of
a
criminal
hotbed.
 back
 if
 she
 hadn't
 found
 him
 by
 morning.


 He
 couldn’t
 promise
 anything,
 their

Catching
 sight
 of
 a
 familiar
 figure,
 caseloads
 were
 backed
 up,
 but
 they
 could

she
 caught
 her
 breath.
 Was
 that
 really
 put
 out
 a
 call
 if
 anyone
 saw
 him.
 But
 not

Tom,
 miles
 from
 home?
 The
 mop
 of
 dark
 until
tomorrow.

air,
tall
hunched
form
and
black,
oversized
 

T‐shirt

convinced
her.
She
rose
unsteadily.
 As
 dusk
 fell,
 she
 headed
 towards

The
 next
 stop
 was
 only
 a
 few
 minutes
 home.
It
had
been
years
since
she'd
driven

away,
 but
 her
 car
 was
 at
 the
 South
 through
 so
 much
 of
 the
 city
 and
 it

Kitchener
 station
 and
 she
 needed
 it.
 She
 depressed
 her
 immeasurably:
 too
 many

stood
 twisting
 her
 hands
 together
 as
 the
 people
doing
nothing,
in
almost
every
area.

train
raced
onward
and
Tom,
if
it
really
was
 And
so
few
green
spaces;
it
was
an
endless

Tom,
faded
into
the
distance.

 concrete
 jungle.
 At
 least
 until
 she
 reached

She
 rode
 the
 train
 to
 her
 station,
 the
 neighbourhood
 where
 she
 now
 lived.

rushed
 off
 and
 leapt
 into
 her
 car.
 They'd
 moved
 from
 the
 friendly
 Polish

Fortunately
 traffic
 was
 light.
 Most
 people
 enclave
 in
 north
 Kitchener
 where
 Tom
 had

used
 the
 excellent
 transit
 system
 in
 the
 been
 born,
 when
 she
 took
 the
 job
 in

area.
Normally
she
did
too,
but
she'd
been
 Toronto.
 Their
 old
 neighborhood
 had

late
 this
 morning
 and
 now,
 it
 seemed,
 she
 started
 going
 downhill
 and
 with
 her
 new

was
late
again.
 salary,
 they'd
 been
 able
 to
 afford
 a
 larger


8
house,
with
a
yard,
in
New
Doon,
one
of
the
wealthier
parts
of

GCKW.
Sometimes
she
missed
the
old
house,
and
the
garden
 “I
have
a
beautiful
web
of

where
she'd
grown
her
own
tomatoes,
when
water
wasn't
in
 friends
and
family,
and
everyone

such
limited
supply.

Certainly
she
missed
the
warmth
of
that
 should
have
that
–
it’s
crucial.”


little
 community,
 
 the
 evenings
 sitting
 on
 porches,
 the
 Scenario
Participant

backyard
get‐togethers.
She
barely
knew
her
neighbours
now.

 



No
lights
showed
in
the
house,
but
the
front
door
was

unlocked.
 She
 paused
 in
 the
 front
 hall.
 "Tom?"
 she
 called

hopefully.




No
 answer.
 He'd
 probably
 forgotten
 to
 lock
 the
 door

when
 he
 left
 in
 the
 morning.
 She'd
 give
 him
 hell
 about
 that,

when
she
found
him.




She
 heard
 a
 sound
 from
 upstairs;
 her
 heart
 squeezed

tight.
"Tom?"
She
ran
up
the
stairs
and
into
his
room,
but
he

wasn't
 there.
 Then
 she
 heard
 a
 crash
 from
 the
 bathroom,

skittered
across
the
hall
and
flipped
the
light
switch.



Tom
slumped
on
the
floor,
his
eyes
closed,
something

at
his
side,
something
she
couldn't
compute:
a
syringe.



"Tom!"
She
knelt
by
him,
her
hands
shaking.
"Tom,
oh

Tom,
are
you
all
right?"



His
 eyes
 fluttered
 open
 for
 a
 second,
 then
 he

shuddered.



"Jesus,
 Jesus."
 She
 stabbed
 911
 on
 her
 cell
 phone.
 "I

need
 an
 ambulance.
 Immediately.
 My
 son's
 unconscious
 …

Half
an
hour?
That's
too
long.
Can't
you
come
faster?...
I
don't

know,
 maybe
 a
 drug
 overdose….
 Please,
 please
 hurry!"
 She

spit
out
her
address,
then
broke
the
connection.




She
sat
on
the
tiled
floor,
cradled
in
his
head
in
her
lap,

and
waited.