Neighbourhoods matter now more than ever before. They sustain fewer social connections, but in an era of great social inequality and high levels of immigration, they have become vital as places for homeowner investment and educational opportunity for children. The Rise of the Neighbourhood in Canada, 1880s–2020s traces the changing character and significance of Canadian urban neighbourhoods, city and suburban, since the 1880s.

The book highlights patterns in neighbourhood life, particularly noticeable in larger urban areas, which are especially important for the least mobile people: workers, lower income households, immigrants, women, children, and the elderly. It explores how the physical and social characteristics of neighbourhoods affect public health, crime rates, social capital, and job opportunities while shaping the lifelong prospects of children. Analysing long-term trends, the book examines the importance of communications technology in the context of rising inequality and immigration. It shows how, as homeownership rose, neighbourhoods became vital settings for investment, increasingly financialized, reducing affordability. Using examples from all types of neighbourhoods in cities small and large, from St. John’s through Montreal and Winnipeg to Victoria, The Rise of the Neighbourhood in Canada argues that the current prominence of neighbourhoods will persist.

Richard Harris is a professor in the School of Geography and Geology at McMaster University.

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