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Cultivating the Creative Class: But What About Nanaimo?

Cultivating the Creative Class: But What About Nanaimo?. Gary Sands, AICP Laura Reese November, 2006. “Cities must attract the new ‘creative class’ with hip neighborhoods, an arts scene, and a gay-friendly atmosphere – or they will go the way of Detroit” -- Richard Florida. But, what about….

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Cultivating the Creative Class: But What About Nanaimo?

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  1. Cultivating the Creative Class:But What About Nanaimo? Gary Sands, AICP Laura Reese November, 2006

  2. “Cities must attract the new ‘creative class’ with hip neighborhoods, an arts scene, and a gay-friendly atmosphere – or they will go the way of Detroit” -- Richard Florida

  3. But, what about…

  4. Mid-Sized Canadian Cities

  5. The Virtuous Path EconomicHealth/Growth Technology Talent Tolerance

  6. Research Propositions • “Creative class” populations must be present • Correlation must exist between Creative Class and diversity, tolerance and high technology indicators • Correlation must exist between Creative Class, diversity, high technology and economic health or growth.

  7. Tolerance Measures • Visible Minorities/Immigrants • Non-Christian • Racial and Ethnic Minorities • Same Sex Couples

  8. Talent Measures • Graduate Degrees • University Employees • Design Services • Independent Artists • Arts Companies

  9. High Tech Measures • Manufacturing • Computers, Pharmaceuticals, Aerospace, Medical Devices • Services • Engineering, R&D Services, Computing, Scientific Consulting

  10. Economic Health/Growth Measures • Population • Average Earnings • Median Family Income • Unemployment • Downtown Health

  11. Factors • Gay/Creative • Diversity • High Tech Services • Computer/Aerospace Manufacturing • Life Sciences Manufacturing

  12. Gay/Creative Factor • Same sex households .68 • Design services .70 • Computer services .64 • Scientific services .60 • Independent artists .84 • Arts companies .62

  13. Diversity Factor • Black .82 • Hispanic .92 • Arabic .87 • Asian .86 • Foreign born .96

  14. Services Factor • Engineering • Engineering services .78 • R&D services .78

  15. Manufacturing Factors Computer/Aerospace • Computer Manufacturing .94 • Aerospace .94 Medical • Pharmaceuticals .80 • Medical devices .80

  16. Change in Health Over Time • Health rankings relatively stable • Healthy communities stayed healthy • Distressed communities stayed distressed • Some notable exceptions

  17. Change in Health Index Rank 1996-2001

  18. Economic Health Index Change1996-2001

  19. Conclusions • Gay/creative and Diversity indicators are separate concepts • “High Tech” includes several distinct concepts • Gay/creative and Diversity measures do not correlate with High Tech measures

  20. Conclusions • Diversity and Gay/creative are related to Economic Health • High Tech does not relate to Economic Health • No link between Economic Growth and any instrumental variable

  21. The Virtuous Path EconomicHealth/Growth Technology Talent Tolerance

  22. The Virtuous Path EconomicHealth EconomicGrowth Technology Gay/creative Diversity

  23. Next Steps • Case Studies • Education indicators • 2006 census data • Employment data

  24. And, what about Nanaimo?

  25. What about Nanaimo?: An Epilogue • One size does not fit all • Local economic development must allow for a variety of goals and strategies • Improving quality of life for residents is perhaps the most universal goal • But there are many paths to that end • Nanaimo and other mid-sized cities can be successful on their own terms

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