Creative Communities is pleased to present the second in a two-part series on the Creative Economy for small cities.

Part One of this series, explored how livability and sustainability foster the Creative Economy in small cities as much as the traditional “3 T’s”: tolerance, technology, and talent.  It is equally important to note that many of the growth strategies associated with the creative model have been perceived as less successful in smaller Canadian cities than in their metropolitan counterparts.

Creative Communities is pleased to present the first in a two-part series on the Creative Economy for small cities.

In the creative attraction model of urban development popularized by the University of Toronto’s Richard Florida, Canada’s small cities sometimes seem like losers by default. In a version of creativity measured by technology parks, numbers of immigrants, and so-called “bohemian” occupations, cities like Sudbury, Moncton and Kingston routinely appear at the bottom of both real and imagined hierarchies of city success. How, then, should smaller Canadian communities—ones that are often grappling with de-industrialization and population decline—go about attracting educated, diverse individuals and building a foundation for a future in the creative economy?

Youth out-migration is a hot topic in many communities across Ontario.  At last week’s KIS Showcase the issue was raised during the Discovery Workshop testimonials.  Although most were concerned with this ongoing trend in Eastern Ontario, one participant questioned whether we should be worried about youth leaving our communities.  My answer: yes and no.

Over the past months, we’ve heard increasingly depressing news about economic crises, first in the U.S. and then spreading around the world, bankrupting once-invulnerable financial institutions and industries upon which our economies have relied and thrived for years.  In some instances, notably Iceland, the downturn has not only hit industries, but even entire nations.  In response, we’ve also heard attempts by federal, state and provincial governments to jump-start sluggish or eroding economies, boost industries, create jobs, and stop the leakages before they become floods.  We also hear about solutions: interest rates are lowered, big industries are offered incentives and funding appears for infrastructure projects, always a favourite instrument in the government’s economic recovery tool belt.