Course subject: Economic Development (ECDEV)

This course exposes students to the spectrum of contemporary economic development policies and practices enacted at the local, regional and national scales by a range of public, private and not-for-profit agencies. Policies and practices are evaluated in terms of the trade-offs between efficiency, equity and sustainability goals, as well as their short- and long-term impacts and outcomes.

The course is aimed at enhancing skills useful for economic development practice. The course introduces different tools frequently used by economic development and sustainability professionals, including policy briefs, place marketing strategies, grant/proposal writing, feasibility studies, needs assessments, program evaluations and knowledge synthesis. Communication and management skills are also emphasized.

This course offers a critical examination of the innovation, knowledge creation and circulation, and governance processes that underpin contemporary economic development in cities and regions. Strategies, policies and programs that are intended to support and promote innovation and economic development in urban and regional economies are analyzed.

An examination of planning issues related to the design, economics and financing of private land and building construction projects including residential high-rise condominium, low-rise residential subdivision, infill, intensification and brownfield redevelopment and industrial/commerial land development. The course focuses on developer decision-making, analysis of risk, sources of financing, planning, environmental and engineering aspects of land development. This course may include a field component. (Note: If a field trip occurs, the cost will not exceed $50.)