subURBAN 2030: The Millennial Manifesto

Canada is undeniably a suburban nation and will continue as such in the future. Majority of Canadians live in suburban areas, forming the essential backdrop for much of contemporary urban life. However, traditional suburbs are outdated and ill-suited for the complex realities of contemporary living. A reinvention, both in the content and terminology, of our accepted understandings of suburban living is essential.

Through a criticism of conventional suburban development, this thesis manifests new forms of suburban living for the Millennial generation as the next wave of suburban residents. This exploration identifies Lake Wilcox in Richmond Hill, Ontario as a site for experimentation addressing issues such as density, affordability, transit alternatives, mixed land uses, diversity, flexibility, and a strong sense of identity and community, all of which can profit from emulating more urban forms for future living to construct a sustainable, healthy, suitable, and authentically Canadian suburbanism.