Re-examining suburban dispersal: Evidence from suburban Toronto

In recent studies, arguments have been made attesting to the growing spatial dispersion of Canadian agglomerations. Using the patterns of office development, this article presents an analysis of suburban Toronto during the last two decades. The suburban domain, like the metropolitan region as a whole, is stratified into concentrated and dispersed spheres. A part of the development is scattered; however, for the most part, it is contained within large and discrete clusters. This pattern has evolved sequentially following key corridors of metropolitan growth. As growth moved farther ftom the central city, older clusters depreciated and newer clusters became hubs of development. Dispersion has indeed been on the rise, but it has been principally associated with the development of single-family homes and shopping areas. Regarding office development, the suburban realm of Canada's largest urban region is still rather clustered.