Exploring Transformative Place-Making within the Comprehensive Spatial Governance of Toronto

Place-making is often seen as a more community-friendly means of developing urban space, as opposed to market-oriented, property-led forms of urban development. However, broadly perceived as the adjustment of spaces in line with the needs of people, place-making is criticised as being ill-defined and failing to consider the wider context in which any place-making effort is inevitably embedded. This paper establishes a connection between wider structuring forces, particularly those connected to neoliberal shifts in spatial planning and governance, and looks at “place-making” from a governance point of view. Efforts that combine social and spatial elements to address the needs of diverse communities in two areas in Toronto are showcased: one commercially viable for and one unattractive to private property development. The comparative analysis reveals the opportunities and limitations of these efforts, particularly in terms of their ability to transform existing spatial governance arrangements and the connected capacity to influence beyond the micro-scale.