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Edmonton Journal

Southwestern expansion: rise of suburbs tracks with in-migration

Edmonton's booming southwest is punching above its weight. It's also showing how Edmonton is changing. Article content Heritage Valley, home to neighbourhoods that include Blackmud Creek, Cavanagh, Chappelle Gardens, Desrochers Villages and Paisley, among others, is now home to an estimated 62,981 residents, which is nearly equivalent to the entire population of Grande Prairie. Neighbouring Windermere, adjacent and just west of Heritage Valley, and housing communities such as Ambleside, Glenridding Ravine and a number of neighbourhoods falling under various Keswick designations, among others, meanwhile, is expected to reach a total of 74,000 residents or a population larger than the City of Medicine Hat. Article content Article content Article content Further, these Edmonton suburbs are showing that suburban settings, which were once thought as homogenous and lacking in vitality are far from that. Additionally, they're the landing place for many new Canadians. Article content Article content That data and more comes from a recently released BILD Edmonton Metro case study on urban growth. The 48-page document, released in mid-July from the organization that bills itself as voice of the real estate development industry, focuses on Heritage Valley and Windermere. It states that urban growth in Edmonton is not only necessary to accommodate new arrivals — especially in light of longer-term growth that foresees the provincial capital's population rising from 1.2 million people to a level of two million or more — and that it's a powerful economic driver for the city. Article content The study also shows that the private sector has invested more than $3.2 billion in Heritage Valley and Windermere, and that when operating and maintenance costs are extrapolated, an estimated $60 million surplus (annually) could be provided to the city-wide budget for other investments. Article content 'Having led community development across Alberta, I can say with confidence, Edmonton is leading the way,' said Mike Kohl, senior vice-president, Alberta communities for Brookfield Residential, which has brought Heritage Valley neighbourhoods like Chappelle and Paisley to fruition. 'Now's not the time to introduce roadblocks or undo meaningful progress that we've achieved together.' Article content Toggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image Next Gallery ImageToggle gallery captions View All 3 Photos 1 of 3 Article content A growing share of immigrants — more than 40 per cent — are now settling outside gateway cities like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, according to Dr. Sandeep Agrawal, founding director of the School of Urban and Regional Planning and associate dean at the University of Alberta, who was part of the case study. Article content 'Almost all newcomers are settling in new suburbs in the southeast, southwest and west sides of Edmonton,' said Agrawal, who has spent years mapping Edmonton's ethnic enclaves. 'This pattern mirrors what we're seeing across Canada: the suburbanization of new immigrants.' Article content As to why, he points to affordability, community networks and culturally attuned services. Article content As to where they are settling here, Agrawal, notes that German newcomers have shifted toward southwest and south-central Edmonton as opposed to earlier choices like Kenilworth and Terrace Heights on the east side of the city. Chinese arrivals are expanding their choices from inner-city neighbourhoods to more suburban zones, while South Asians and Filipino communities grow into newer southeast and west segments of the city.