Cities must build back better in COVID-19 era
Challenges are many, but there are also great opportunities to do things differently
The COVID-19 pandemic is an urban crisis. Globally, over 95 per cent of all cases are in cities. The outbreak is precipitating a devastating health emergency and exposing the deep inequalities plaguing cities around the world. Because COVID will be with us for years, cities and their residents will have to learn to live with it. They should also seize the opportunity to build back more resilient urban spaces to make us safer from the present disaster, and the next one.
The COVID-19 pandemic will not spell the death of cities. For thousands of years, cities have been hotbeds of contagion. Yet talented people have always returned drawn by the prospect of high quality jobs, better wages and more attractive lifestyles than the countryside.
The COVID-19 crisis will acceler- ate changes that were already underway in cities around the world, including Canada. For example, it will speed-up the movement of some people and businesses away from the most large expensive cities to more affordable ones. It will also hasten the digitization of governments and businesses and the shift to remote working, the adoption of micromobility options like bicycles and scooters and the greening of public spaces.
The pandemic is also creating an unprecedented opportunity to fix big urban problems like soaring income inequality, chronic poverty and unaffordable housing; underresourced public health systems and poor quality long-term care; and vulnerabilities associated with climate change.
Around the world, city leaders see COVID-19 as an opening to reimagine city living. One standout example is Amsterdam’s city council which is rapidly integrating the principles of “doughnut economics” into urban planning to ensure that everything from food and water to energy, income, housing and education meet minimum standards and are ecologically sustainable.
Building our cities back better requires a change of mindset. All city leaders want to stimulate employment and spur innovation. The trick is to do this in a way that is both inclusive and climate friendly. Today’s leading cities foster private enterprise and investment while simultaneously promoting greener and circular economies and reducing concentrated disadvantage. Consider how Ottawa recently approved a climate change master plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100 per cent by 2040.
Second, future cities must be people-centered and offer micromobility solutions. The pedestrianization of cities encourages physical distancing, reduces congestion, decreases pollution, improves public health and increases real estate values. Walkable cities like Montreal and Vancouver are a big draw for young creative people who are more interested in good schools, attractive parks and reliable broadband than much else.
Third, cities need to scaleup egovernment services. Digitization leads to leaner and more distributed government as well as a more competitive setting for business to thrive. Take the case of Mississauga’s Smart City plan that includes a Wi-Fi blanket to reduce digital divides and improve communication with residents. Cities from Guelph to Toronto have put their data online and this can help incubate innovation. Hamilton is moving in this direction, too.
Fourth, cities can take advantage of the spectacular rise of remote working. Well before the crisis, a survey determined that almost 40 per cent of all Canadians work from home. During the pandemic, over 67 per cent of workers have been asked to work from home. This means there is a tremendous opportunity for mid-sized cities to attract high-value and tech-savvy workers and their families who wish to leave the “big city.”
As cities emerge from lockdowns they do not need to decide between a pro-business strategy or a plan that is greener and socially progressive. COVID-19 provides an unexpected opening to achieve both goals — but this requires bold leadership. It is worth recalling that most Canadians do not want to return to the “old normal.” While the challenges of working at home are real, about two thirds of all Canadian employees who shifted to remote work report feeling satisfied.
Cities may be down in the wake of COVID-19, but they will bounce back — and many for the better. Virus or no virus, the underlying economic reality is that there is tremendous value in mingling people and sharing ideas.
While cities will continue being where the action is, local authorities will need to work harder than ever to retain and attract their most talented residents while protecting their most vulnerable. If they do, then everyone wins.