Path Dependencies of Urban Sprawl: Learning From the Evolution of a Mid-Size City and Its Transition From a Destination to Commuter Community

Suburban sprawl research in Canada is directed to bigger cities. The evolution of suburban sprawl in the context of smaller Canadian mid-size cities such as Halifax is much less understood. This paper explores the outcomes of suburban sprawl in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. By tracing the evolution of the built form, this paper highlights various path dependencies that contribute and reinforce the built form of Lower Sackville today such as policy, physical geography, infrastructure, and changes in urban needs. During a period of post-suburban densification, planners can benefit from understanding the path-dependent systems that underlie the urban fabric of mid-size cities.