Ontario wins award for urban planning

The Globe and Mail reports that Ontario has won the "Daniel Burnham Award" for large-scale planning from the American Planning Association (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061220.TORBRIEFS20-2/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario). This is the first time a non-US party won the award.

The award recognized the "Places to Grow" initiative of the provincial government. An expert from the Places to Grow website explains the program:

• The focus of the plan is to create complete communities, with a greater mix of housing, parks, businesses and services that will make them more livable. The plan sets clear standards for growth and development, while giving local governments the flexibility they need to maintain their unique identities.

Affordable housing and infrastructure improvements are integral parts of the overall "Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006" plan, that the "Places to Grow" initiative is part of.