The asocial society and urban form in Canada: A scoping study

Abstract

In 2018, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in Canada identified the ‘Emerging Asocial Society’ as a Future Global Challenge Area. This ‘asociality’—our collective lack of engagement and disconnection; the pandemic of loneliness—is escalating. And while perceived as worsening, it is not new, and had been identified as a concern in the latter half of the mid-twentieth century. Because this phenomenon also coincides with a significant shift in built form / neighbourhood configuration patterns during the post-War era, a possible link between asociality and urban design is difficult to ignore. Based on the hypothesis that urban form contributes to growing disengagement, this scoping study documents recent research examining the relationship between urban form and social outcomes in Canada. The intent is two-fold: First, to document the extent and nature of social outcome-based urban form research in Canadian municipalities, and second, to examine the research as a body of work. This review reveals an overall lack of Canadian-specific studies on this topic, and what is available lacks geographic and methodological diversity. Though limited by these two aspects, and despite most articles not examining third spaces specifically, the research points to the important role ‘third spaces’ play in creating social connectivity. Nuanced information about organizing urban form around third spaces also emerges, providing insight into opportunities at different urban scales. Further, viewing the research through this ‘third space’ lens reveals gaps in knowledge and therefore helps identify future research opportunities capable of influencing residential development policy in municipalities across Canada.