Toronto: The Accidental Metropolis

Toronto is evolving with a style and character unique in the world, widely recognized for its livability. Now its economic power and its critical and largely successful function as a crucible of immigrant settlement is becoming more and more evident. Remarkably, the emergence of Canada’s cities on the world stage, and Toronto’s rise to the top dozen in global status, has been largely accidental. How did this happen?

This video features a keynote address held on June 20, 2018, by world-renowned urban planner Joe Berridge which traced Toronto’s trajectory as “the accidental metropolis” and discussed where Toronto – and Canadian cities generally – are headed in the years to come. This event was co-sponsored by the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance and the Canadian Tax Foundation and was moderated by Heather Evans, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Tax Foundation.