Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book attempts to document the responses of the multiplicity of governmental agencies to the problems of population growth, urban development, exploitation of natural resources, regional disparities, and a host of other issues which fall within the scope of “urban and regional planning.” It deals with the nature of urban plans and discusses the implementation of plans. The book aims to illustrate the great variety of approaches to planning across Canada. It discusses a range of matters such as the escalation of land prices, land speculation and similar problems. The book also deals with a number of important land uses, such as agriculture, aggregates and forestry. It also discusses the new regional planning system in Alberta, Quebec’s long struggle to introduce regional planning, and British Columbia’s attempts to coordinate regional resource management with planning.