From greenbelt to greenways: four Canadian case studies

Greenways have played a significant role in the development of urban areas in Canada over the past 40 years. This paper presents case studies of urban greenway systems located in four metropolitan areas in Canada: the National Capital Region in Ottawa, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Toronto, Ontario. A profile of each greenway is presented describing the background of the project and its geographic context, the planning approach used, the concept underlying the development plan, the adopted administrative framework, the structure of land use control mechanisms, and a discussion of the outcomes of the implementation of each plan. These four case studies represent significant examples of urban greenway planning in Canada. Although the scope, planning methods, form, and administrative framework for each greenway differ, they have common characteristics of linearity, open space conservation, and connectivity of urban areas to natural and rural environments. Collectively these examples demonstrate an evolution from an urban design approach that attempted to impose both landscape form and land use function, to an ecologically based planning approach that addresses natural factors, connections between natural and urban systems, public participation and support, and innovative government involvement.