Hemson develops strategies for the future. The firm has undertaken numerous assignments addressing issues of urban structure, growth management, planning policy implementation and the effects of economic and social trends. The diverse blend of consulting resources in our firm enables us to take a comprehensive approach to a full range of planning and long-range strategy issues. Key areas of the firm’s planning practice include:
Hemson is among the most experienced firms in the province concerning long-range economic and demographic growth outlooks.
Mr. Mathew, who has primary technical responsibility for Hemson’s extensive practice in economic and demographic forecasting, has developed and refined a number of forecasting techniques which have become the industry standard, including key elements of the Ontario Government’s guidelines for municipal forecasting techniques. Hemson prepared the population and employment forecasts that formed the basis of Schedule 3 of the Province of Ontario’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Hemson has prepared forecasts of population, housing and employment for many metropolitan areas across Canada, and for all CMA’s in Ontario and regularly prepares detailed forecasts at small geographic areas, such as local municipalities, sub-municipal settlement areas and traffic zones.
Hemson has undertaken numerous growth management, long-range strategic planning and adequacy of land supply assignments for municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) as part of the conformity to the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the Growth Plan). The firm has also completed many similar assignments in other parts of the province where broader planning directions increasingly mirror the principles that have been codified in the Growth Plan.
Our municipal growth management studies have typically involved assessing the long-term growth anticipated in a community, determining the need to plan for additional urban lands and recommendations for built form, density and specific lands for long-term urban development. These projects involve synthesising the input of a variety of technical experts such as civil engineers and environmental and agricultural experts. Extensive municipal, industry and public stakeholder consultation and participation processes assure that the views of the existing community are adequately represented in the growth management strategies we develop.
Hemson has completed numerous employment land and economic development studies, grounded in an in-depth understanding of broader economic patterns, local economies and shifts, the impacts of demographic change, employer and firm locational needs and the changing dynamics of employment.
Hemson senior staff regularly provide advice and expert witness testimony before the Ontario Municipal Board for planning and growth management matters, such as:
