Exploring Practitioner Responses to Green Gentrification in Toronto, Canada

Cities are adapting to and mitigating the negative effects of climate change, but recent academic literature suggests that environmental efforts could undermine social stability through a process known as ‘green gentrification.’ This research builds on existing case-based studies on green gentrification by exploring practitioner understanding and responses to green gentrification in Toronto, Canada. Through practitioner interviews, an informal content analysis, and a literature review, this study analyzes how practitioners understand green gentrification, how they attempt to prevent it, and what they can do to better prevent it. The study finds that most practitioners did not have significant recognition of green gentrification, but they did intuitively understand it. Practitioners did not identify many mitigation tactics currently used but brainstormed ways that negative effects could be mitigated in the future. These ideas, combined with existing evidence, were consolidated into best practices that may help practitioners mitigate the negative consequences of green gentrification.