A 2013 report from Sustainable Prosperity, “Suburban Sprawl: Exposing Hidden Costs, Identifying Innovations”, says it’s time to expose the myth that sprawling suburbs provide cheaper housing than developments closer to urban cores. The report shows that the actual economic and environmental cost of sprawl amounts to billions of dollars and is passed on to taxpayers by municipalities that fail to recover the costs.
It calls on all local authorities to learn from the few municipalities that are leading the way by examining existing development policies and identifying new ways to encourage efficient high-density neighbourhood development that will spread the cost of development more equitably and not leave a legacy of debt to future generations.
See the full report at
Media coverage:
The Globe and Mail: Sham of ‘free parking’ just one of the hidden costs associated with urban sprawl
The Toronto Star: Hidden costs of sprawl will cripple cities, report says