| The concept of “sustainable development” persists in policy formation at all levels of government in Canada. Only over the past decade has a diverse range of scholars begun to examine the role of ecologically-sensitive land use planning in sustainable development. Growth management plans provide a rare opportunity for local governments and local residents to discuss long-term visions for their region on a wide range of issues. Officially launched in 2002, Halifax Regional Municipality's (HRM) Regional Planning project, a twenty-five year development plan, is a forum for changing planning and environmental values within the local administration. The critical relationship between planning policy and environmental policy arises for municipal governments addressing urban growth management issues.; This thesis explored governance factors affecting the development of an environmental basis for planning objectives within HRM's Regional Planning process. A qualitative case study approach was used to examine the views and experiences of four stakeholder groups in the local planning process. Semi-structured interviews, observation of public consultations, and document review assisted in the case study exploration. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
