Urban Land Economics ECON 312 A01 (1.5 credits) CRN 23922

ECON 312: Course Outline — Last updated January 8, 2021 Page 1 of 14

Faculty of Social Sciences

Department of Economics

Urban Land Economics

ECON 312 A01 (1.5 credits)

CRN 23922

January 11, 2021 – April 12, 2021

We acknowledge with respect the Lekwungen peoples on whose traditional territory the university

stands and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land

continue to this day.

Instructor: Alan Chaffe (he/him/his/they/them/theirs)

E-mail: [email protected]

Office hours: Students can connect with me through my Zoom office hours or via the online question

forum in Brightspace.

Zoom Office Hours: Monday: 1:30–2:20pm; Tuesday: 10:30-11:20am; Friday: 12:30-1:20pm;

or by appointment. Additional hours will be announced prior to the term tests and the final

exam. All times in this outline are stated in Pacific Time (i.e., Victoria time). To join my Zoom

office hours and ask questions, click on the following link:

https://uvic.zoom.us/j/82907073010

Online Question Forum: A question forum has been created on our Brightspace page where

you can also ask questions related to the course material. When you open our Brightspace page,

you will see the following:

To ask course questions, click on the tab titled

“Course Question Forum” and then click on

“Question Forum.”

mailto:[email protected]



Class times: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:30pm to 3:20pm.

All lectures will be held online through Zoom. Lecture notes and recordings of the lectures will

be available via Brightspace. The Zoom link to join the online lectures is:


Calendar description:

Applications of economic principles to the economic role of cities and the spatial structure of urban

areas. Topics include land use and the built environment, urban external effects and land use, land use

planning and the urban land market, and the role of cities as centres of consumption and production.

Note: Credit will be granted for only one of ECON 312, ECON 412, and ADMN 445.

Prerequisites: One of ECON 103, ECON 103C, or ECON 180.

Course objective:

This course has been designed to provide students with an introduction to urban land economics and

urban life. The course deals with the economic analysis of cities with a focus on current issues and

public policy. We will use economic analysis to explain why cities exist and where they develop, how

cities grow, and explore the location choices of households and firms. We will also explore the causes

and consequences of urban problems such as pollution, crime, poverty, high housing costs, segregation,

gentrification, and congestion. These topics will be examined from a public policy perspective. Special

attention will be given to recent developments and current issues: Public transportation and ride

sharing, housing affordability and policy, gentrification, concentrated poverty, amalgamation (e.g.,

Greater Victoria), and the economic role of festivals and events in shaping cities.

Learning outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to understand:

• What a city is, why they exist, and how and why they grow

• The location decisions of firms and why they cluster

• The costs and benefits of amalgamation and the impact on local growth

• How housing prices are determined and why the determination of housing values differs from

other types of goods

• The forces that shape, and the effects of, gentrification, urban sprawl, segregation, and housing

unaffordability

• The role of the local government in fostering cultural and social capital for economic gain

• The patterns of crime and poverty within cities

• The externalities of urban transportation systems and how policies can alleviate negative

externalities

• The role of governments in setting public policy to address urban challenges

Optional course textbook and course materials:

There are a variety of textbooks that can provide students with an overview of urban land economics.

The textbook that I have chosen for this course is listed below. This textbook is optional, as I will

provide detailed PowerPoint notes and I will make use of additional books, journal articles, and

research papers to supplement the textbook. These additional resources will be posted to our



Brightspace page. I have chosen this textbook because I believe that it provides a well-rounded survey

of the major developments in urban land economics.

O’Sullivan, A. (2019). Urban economics 9th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education.

You will need a basic calculator for this course.

Assessment summary:

Discussion board participation 10%

Term tests x2 35% (20% best test; 15% lowest test)

Decision/briefing note 25%

Final examination 30%

Note: The term tests, decision/briefing note, and the final exam are all essential course requirements,

meaning that they must be attempted in order to pass the course.

Please see the evaluation schedule for the dates of the term tests and the decision/briefing note. These

dates are subject to change.

Undergraduate grading scale:

Numerical score (%) and grade point value equivalencies:

Students should review the University’s more detailed summary of grading at

https://web.uvic.ca/calendar2019-05/undergrad/info/regulations/grading.html.

Passing Grades Description

DMarginal Performance. A student receiving this grade demonstrated a

superficial grasp of the subject matter.

Failing Grades Description

FUnsatisfactory performance. Wrote final examination and completed

course requirements; no supplemental.

NDid not write examination or complete course requirements by the end

of term or session; no supplemental.

Exceptional, outstanding and excellent performance. Normally

achieved by a minimum of students. These grades indicate a student

who is self-initiating, exceeds expectation and has an insightful grasp of

the subject matter.

Very good, good and solid performance. Normally achieved by the

largest number of students. These grades indicate a good grasp of the

subject matter or excellent grasp in one area balanced with satisfactory

grasp in the other area.

Satisfactory, or minimally satisfactory. These grades indicate a

satisfactory performance and knowledge of the subject matter.

A+

A0

A-

B+

B0

B-

C+

C0

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C D F

Percentage 90-100 85-89 80-84 77-79 73-76 70-72 65-69 60-64 50-59 0-49

Grade Point 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0


Discussion board participation:

Over the course of the term, you will respond to several discussion questions (approximately 6-8

questions). These discussion questions will be posted on our Brightspace page and you will have at

least one week to respond to the questions once they are posted. In many cases, there is no right answer

to a discussion question. The purpose of the discussion questions is to get you thinking critically about

the course material and to apply the theories/concepts/principles to real-world experiences. Answering

these questions will also help improve your understanding of the course material and prepare you for

your term tests and final exam. In addition, you will be able to learn from your fellow students and it is

my hope that the discussions will help build a sense of community in our course. Since this is a large

class (90 students) I will split the class into six different groups to make the discussions more

manageable. Each discussion will be graded out of four points. Your responses will be evaluated based

on the quality of your posting and the degree to which you convey understanding of the course

material/topic being addressed. Discussions will begin the week of January 25th and a detailed

marking rubric will be posted on our Brightspace page under the “Course Outline & Assessment

Material” tab. For the majority of the discussion questions, I will give you class time to discuss the

question in smaller groups. However, each student is responsible for uploading their response on our

Brightspace page.

Term tests:

There will be two term tests for this course. The first test will be held on Monday February 8th and

will cover all material up until and including February 4th (see course structure below). The second test

will be on Monday March 15th and will focus primarily on material between February 10th and March

11th inclusive. For the second term test, however, you will need to understand and recall some of the

material from the first few weeks of the course, as there is some overlap. The tests will consist of a

series of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. The main criteria for assessment will be correct

answers with partial credit based on evidence of thinking and learning.

Both term tests will be administered through our Brightspace page. You will have 60 minutes to

complete each term test. You can complete the term tests at any time from 12:01am to 11:59pm on the

day they are held (i.e., February 8th and March 15th). We will not have lecture on the days of your term

tests. However, I will be on Zoom (use our Zoom lecture link) to answer any questions you may have

about the test. Thus, I encourage you to write the term tests during class time in case you run into any

issues or have questions.

Decision/briefing note:

In teams of two, you will write a briefing/decision note on a current urban economic challenge facing

cities. Briefing/decisions notes are used to quickly and effectively keep decision makers informed

about the issues they are responsible for. In your professional career as an economist, it is likely that

you will be asked to write a briefing/decision note.

There are a number of current challenges facing cities that policy makers must address such as

gentrification and concentrated poverty, urban transportation, amalgamation decisions (e.g., Greater

Victoria), housing and affordability, urban sprawl, poverty, etc. The briefing/decision note must be

between 1,000-1,200 words in length (not including tables, figures, appendices, footnotes, or

references) and be written using the APA style.

Each team will submit a briefing/decision note proposal by 11:59pm on February 28th. Your


proposal will be worth 5% of the total 25% allocated to the briefing/decision note assessment. The

final briefing/decision note is due by 11:59pm on April 4th. Your final briefing/decision note will be

worth 20% of the total 25% allocated to the briefing/decision note assessment.

Your briefing/decision note proposal and final briefing/decision note must be submitted as a Word

document using the drop-box on our Brightspace page. You must use the following naming format:

Last name of student 1_Student # of student 1_Last name of student 2_Student # of student 2. For

example, if Alan Chaffe (V00167622) worked with Justine Hume (V00168668), they would upload the

file as a Word document using the naming format: Chaffe_ V00167622_Hume_ V00168668. I will

provide a detailed review of what is expected for your proposal and for your final briefing/decision

note during class on February 10th. On Monday February 8th, I will also post a detailed marking rubric

on our Brightspace page under the “Course Outline & Assessment Material” tab.

Final examination:

The final examination will be cumulative. Like the term tests, the final examination will consist of a

series of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. The main criteria for assessment will be correct

answers with partial credit based on evidence of thinking and learning. The date of the final

examination will be set by the registrar’s office and held between April 15th-27th inclusive. The

finalized exam schedule will be posted on the Office of the Registrar website (www.uvic.ca/exams) by

the end of February. I will provide more information on the final exam towards the end of the term.

Evaluation schedule:

Brightspace:

Brightspace is used extensively for this course. Students are expected to be fully functional with the

system. Brightspace is an e-learning platform that will allow us to interact and collaborate over the

course of the semester. You should regularly visit our course Brightspace page, as this is where I will

post all readings, PowerPoint presentations, lecture recordings, discussion questions, and all pertinent

course material (e.g., rubrics, practice tests, course grades, etc.). I will also post weekly announcements

on our Brightspace page. It is your responsible to read these announcements in detail. I also strongly

suggest that you turn on your email notifications so that you receive emails of all announcements that I

post to our Brightspace page. You will also complete or submit all your assessments for this course

through the course Brightspace page. Students will automatically be enrolled in Brightspace for all

courses they register for. For further information on Brightspace please visit the following pages: (1)

https://www.uvic.ca/systems/services/learningteaching/brightspace/index.php (2)

Assessment Weight Due Date

Discussion board participation 10% Ongoing

Term test #1 Monday February 8th

Term test #2 Monday March 15th

Briefing/decision note 25%Proposal due by 11:59pm on February 28th. Final

briefing/decision note due by 11:59pm on April 4th.

Final examination 30% TBD

20% (best test);

15% (worst test)

http://www.uvic.ca/exams

https://www.uvic.ca/systems/services/learningteaching/brightspace/index.php


https://www.uvic.ca/students/index.php, click on the Brightspace tab and then sign in using your

NetLink ID and password.

Zoom:

This course is run as a synchronous course, meaning that we will have regular lectures just as you

would if the course was in-person. I will use Zoom to deliver the lectures. As such, students are

expected to be fully functional with the system. I would appreciate it if you joined our Zoom lecture a

couple minutes before the start of the class. This ensures that you are admitted into the lecture. If you

join the lecture late, it may take me some time to admit you and it is also very distracting.

Although it is not mandatory, I strongly suggest that you turn on your cameras when attending lecture.

Evidence shows that turning on your cameras has the following benefits:

1. Students who turn on their cameras are more likely to pay attention to the lecture and thus

retain more of the material being taught (i.e., “Being seen” improves our engagement and

prevents us from multi-tasking).

2. Turning on our cameras improves communication by capturing non-verbal cues (i.e., we get

to see people's faces and better interpret their reactions).

3. Turning cameras on helps to establish a sense of community.

I also encourage you to use your full name in your Zoom profile. This will allow me to track your

participation and allows those in attendance to identify and address you during lecture activities. Using

your full name also allows us to get to know one another and helps establish a sense of community.

Course experience survey (CES):

The university uses an online survey format for course evaluations. I value your feedback on this

course. Towards the end of the term, as in all other courses, you will have the opportunity to complete

an anonymous survey regarding your learning experience. The survey is vital to providing feedback to

me regarding the course and my teaching, as well as to help the Department of Economics improve the

overall program for students in the future. The survey is accessed via MyPage and can be done on your

laptop, tablet, or mobile device. If you do not receive an email invitation, you can go directly to

http://ces.uvic.ca to complete the survey. I will remind you and provide you with more detailed

information closer to the time that it is to be completed, but please be thinking about this important

activity during the course.

Course policies:

This course adheres to the Undergraduate Course Policies of the Department of Economics

(https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/economics/undergraduate/home/course%20policies/index.php) that

deal with the following issues:

• Academic concessions

• Academic integrity (plagiarism and cheating)

• Attendance

• Grading

• Inclusivity and diversity

• Late adds

• Late assignments

• Review of an assigned grade

• Students with a disability

https://www.uvic.ca/students/index.php

http://ces.uvic.ca/

https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/economics/undergraduate/home/course%20policies/index.php


• Term assignments and debarment from examinations

• Travel plans

• Waitlists

The following policies are explicitly included because of their importance.

Course prerequisites

• It is assumed that all students registered in the course have the required prerequisites. Note that a

student cannot apply for a late drop or appeal a grade on the basis that they do not have all the

prerequisites for this course.

Term tests and final examination:

• Attendance at all scheduled examinations is mandatory. Consideration for missed examinations will

be given only on the basis of documented illness (i.e., a doctor’s note), accident or family affliction,

and for no other reasons. In the event of a missed final examination, students are advised to follow

the procedures outlined in the University Calendar (https://web.uvic.ca/calendar2019-

09/undergrad/info/regulations/exams.html#).

• Students are advised not to make work or travel plans until after the examination timetable has been

finalized. Students who wish to finalize their travel plans at an earlier date should book flights that

depart after the end of the examination period. There will be no special accommodation if travel

plans conflict with the examination.

Waitlist policies

• Instructors have no discretion to admit waitlisted students or to increase the number of students

allowed in a course. Students on the waitlist should discuss with the instructor how to ensure they

are not behind with coursework in the event that they are admitted. Waitlist offers cease after the

last date for adding courses irrespective of published waitlists.

Academic integrity

• I take cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic misconduct very seriously. You are

permitted and encouraged to have discussions with other classmates about the course material and

your discussion questions and briefing/decision notes, but you are required to submit original work.

Original work is work not received from others, copied, nor based on the work of others. Submitted

work may be checked using plagiarism detection software.

• Cheating includes copying answers or other work from other students, sharing information or

answers to test questions, using unauthorized materials such as Internet resources when completing

term tests or your examination, and having another person complete an assessment for you. It is

also a violation of academic integrity to aid others in cheating.

• Academic integrity requires commitment to the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and

responsibility. Students are expected to observe the same standards of scholarly integrity as their

academic and professional counterparts. A student who is found to have engaged in unethical

academic behaviour, including the practices described in the Policy on Academic Integrity

(https://web.uvic.ca/calendar2019-05/undergrad/info/regulations/academic-integrity.html) in the

University Calendar, is subject to consequence by the University.

• Sharing course materials including lecture notes, term tests, final exams, and other assessments on

note-sharing sites or through other means without permission from the instructor violates the Policy

on Academic Integrity.

https://web.uvic.ca/calendar2019-05/undergrad/info/regulations/academic-integrity.html


• For further information on the University’s plagiarism policy and to understand what plagiarism is,

please visit https://www.uvic.ca/library/research/citation/plagiarism/index.php#whatis).

University policy on human rights, equity, and fairness

• The University is committed to promoting, providing, and protecting a positive, supportive, and safe

learning and working environment for all its members. I expect you to embrace an inclusive learning

community that respects and recognizes that we are enriched and strengthened by diversity

including, but not limited to, ethnicity and national origins, language, gender and gender identity,

sexuality, ability, age, socioeconomic status, and spirituality. We are all here to learn and should

have equal opportunities to do so. Please visit and review the UVic equity policy at

https://www.uvic.ca/equity/index.php.

Discrimination and harassment

• Discrimination and harassment are prohibited at the University of Victoria. Members of the

University Community have the right to work, study, and participate in activities at the university in

an environment free of discrimination and harassment. Please visit and review the discrimination

and harassment policy at

https://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/assets/docs/policies/GV0205_1150_.pdf

Accessibility and health resources

• The University is an equal opportunity university. Students with diverse learning styles and needs

are welcome in this course. If you encounter barriers to academic goals that may require academic

accommodations, please feel free to discuss this with me and register with the Centre for

Accessible Learning (CAL) as soon as possible. The CAL staff are available by appointment to

assess specific needs, provide referrals, and arrange appropriate accommodations. For further

information on the services provided by the Centre please visit: https://www.uvic.ca/services/cal/.

The sooner you let us know your needs the quicker we can assist you in achieving your learning

goals in this course.

• University Health Services (UHS) provides a full-service primary health clinic for students, and

coordinates student health and campus initiatives (https://www.uvic.ca/services/health/).

• As do I, the University has a strong commitment to student learning, as well as social, personal, and

ethical development. As such, the University offers a wide range of personal, learning, and career

counseling services (e.g., depression, self-esteem, loss and grief support, stress, anxiety, speaking

publicly, thinking critically, making and using notes, and career advice), as well as other resources

for students. Please visit https://www.uvic.ca/services/counselling/ for further information.

• Indigenous UVic students have access to many sources of support on campus. To learn more about

the programs and services available to you, such as Indigenous counselling services and the Elders

in Residence, and non-academic programs that may be of interest, please visit

https://www.uvic.ca/services/indigenous/students/index.php.

Sexualized violence prevention and response at UVic

• UVic takes sexualized violence seriously and has raised the bar for what is considered acceptable

behaviour. To learn more about how the university defines sexualized violence and its overall

approach visit www.uvic.ca/svp. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexualized

violence and needs information, advice, and/or support please contact the sexualized violence

resource office in the Equity and Human Rights (EQHR) department. Whether or not you have

been directly impacted, if you want to take part in the important prevention work taking place on

campus, you can also reach out to the Sexualized violence resource office in EQHR, Sedgewick

https://www.uvic.ca/library/research/citation/plagiarism/index.php#whatis

https://www.uvic.ca/equity/index.php

https://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/assets/docs/policies/GV0205_1150_.pdf

https://www.uvic.ca/services/cal/

https://www.uvic.ca/services/health/

https://www.uvic.ca/services/counselling/

https://www.uvic.ca/services/indigenous/students/index.php

http://www.uvic.ca/svp


C119 (Phone: 250.721.8021; Email: [email protected]).

E-mail correspondence

• Emails should be limited to critical matters, such as inability to complete an assessment or

prolonged illness. In all e-mail correspondence, please include the course name and number in the

subject line. In addition, please include your full name and student number in the e-mail. It is best if

questions on course material are asked during online office hours or by using the Online Question

Forum in Brightspace.

General policies

• The course outline will be updated regularly for clarity and may change to adapt to the needs of the

class. I will notify you of any changes and post the revised copy on our Brightspace page.

• To fully benefit from the course, I encourage you to actively participate in lectures. Active

participation in the class involves participating in classroom activities, asking questions, and taking

notes on pertinent material. Doing so will help you achieve greater success in the course.

• The best way for you to learn the material and succeed in this course is to (i) attend each class

having read the material for that lecture, (ii) actively participate in the class by taking part in

classroom discussion and activities, (iii) study and review the required readings, (iv) complete all

assessments, and (v) ask questions in class, after class during office hours, through Brightspace, or

by arranging a meeting with me outside of office hours.

• In fairness to your fellow classmates who submit their work on time, I will deduct 15% per day for

late assessments. After three days, I will not accept the briefing/decision note unless you provide a

formal doctor’s note. Note that weekends count when assessing late penalties.

• Students are encouraged to make use of the services offered by the Centre for Academic

Communication (CAC) (https://www.uvic.ca/learningandteaching/cac/). The CAC provides several

resources for students, including writing and editing support. Particularly, I encourage you to take

advantage of the free services for writing and editing your briefing/decision note.

• There is no such thing as a stupid question! All questions are welcomed. You should make use of

my online office hours and are free to set up appointments with me for individual or group sessions

to ask questions, review course material, or to speak about briefing/decision note topics. If you find

that you are struggling with the course material, please get in touch with me as early as possible so

that we can work to resolve this. I am here to work with you and to help you succeed!

• The University does set out other course policies that we are required to follow, and these can be

found at: http://www.uvic.ca/science/math-statistics/undergraduate/course-policies/index.php/23-

course-policies/675-important-course-policy-information.

• The Department of Economics also sets course policies that we must follow, and these can be found

at: http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/economics/undergraduate/home/courses/course-policies.php.

• In the first class, we will develop community standards (i.e., classroom etiquette) for our learning

environment (community-learning standards). You should uphold these community-learning

standards and the requirements stated above. I will ask you to sign a course agreement indicating

that you agree with and understand the course requirements and community learning standards. The

signed course agreement is due by Sunday January 24th by 11:59pm. Students who fail to

submit the signed course agreement will lose three percentage points from their participation score.

Important university dates:

• January 11th: Second term classes begin for all faculties

• January 19th: Last day for 100% reduction of tuition fees for standard second term courses

• January 22nd: Last day for adding courses that begin in the second term

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.uvic.ca/learningandteaching/cac/

http://www.uvic.ca/science/math-statistics/undergraduate/course-policies/index.php/23-course-policies/675-important-course-policy-information

http://www.uvic.ca/science/math-statistics/undergraduate/course-policies/index.php/23-course-policies/675-important-course-policy-information


• January 31st: Last day for paying second term fees without penalty

• February 9th: Last day for 50% reduction of tuition fees for standard courses

• February 15th – 19th: Reading Break – No classes

• April 2nd: Good Friday – No classes

• April 5th: Easter Monday – No classes

• April 12th: Last day of classes in the second term

• April 15th: Examinations begin for all faculties

• April 27th: Second term examinations end for all faculties

Tentative course structure:

There is quite a bit of reading required for this course. You are advised to read ahead in order to

prepare for the lectures. Note that the schedule may be adjusted slightly depending on timing and the

length of class discussions. I have provided a number of optional readings (i.e., they are marked

“Optional”) that may be useful for writing your briefing/decision note. Note that the reading list is

likely to evolve as we move through the course together. With the exception of readings from our

optional textbook (i.e., they are marked “(UE)”), all readings will be posted to our Brightspace page.

January 11 – Course overview and introduction

• Overview of course syllabus

January 13, 14, & 18 – Key concepts and principles

• Chapter 1 pp. 3-6 (UE)1

• O’Sullivan (2009). Introduction and axioms of urban economics. In, Urban economics 7th

Edition (pp. 1-11). New York: McGraw-Hill.

• Polèse, M. (2013, Winter). The five principles of urban economics. City Journal. Retrieved

from https://www.city-journal.org/html/five-principles-urban-economics-13531.html

• Chapter 2 (UE)

• Optional: Glaeser, E. (2007). The economics approach to cities. NBER Working Paper 13696.

Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/papers/w13696

• Optional: Statistics Canada (2018). Census dictionary. Retrieved from

https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm

January 20, 21, & 25 – Why do cities exist? Trading and factory towns

• Chapter 3 (UE)

January 27 & 28 & February 1 & 3 – Agglomeration economies and amalgamation

• Chapter 4 (UE)

• Rosenthal, S. S. & Strange, W. C. (2001). The determinants of agglomeration. Journal of Urban

Economics, 50(2), 191-229.

• Slack, E. & Bird, R. (2013). Merging municipalities: Is bigger better? Institute on Municipal

Finance & Governance. Retrieved from

https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/imfg/uploads/219/imfg_no_14_slack_birdr3_online_final.pdf

• Chaffe, A. (2018). Economic impact of the technology sector in Greater Victoria. VIATEC.

Retrieved from https://www.viatec.ca/articles/economic-impact-of-the-technology-sector-in-

greater-victoria

1 Readings marked (UE) are from the optional textbook.

https://www.viatec.ca/articles/economic-impact-of-the-technology-sector-in-greater-victoria

https://www.viatec.ca/articles/economic-impact-of-the-technology-sector-in-greater-victoria


• Optional: Brown, M. W. & Rigby, D. L. (2013). Urban productivity: Who benefits from

amalgamation? Economic Analysis Research Paper Series, Statistics Canada. Retrieved from

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11f0027m/11f0027m2013084-eng.pdf

February 4 – Review for term test #1

February 8 – TERM TEST #1

February 10 & 11 (continued February 22 & 24; see below) – Consumer cities; central places; and

urban success: The role of cultural and social capital as economic engines

• Review of instructions and rubric regarding your final decision/briefing note

• Chapter 6 (UE)

• Glaeser, E. (2012). The consumer city: Vancouver. In, Triumph of the city: How our greatest

invention makes us richer, smarter, greener, healthier, and happier (pp. 238-241). New York:

Penguin Press.

• Jeannotte, M. S. (2003). Singing alone? The contribution of cultural capital to social cohesion

and sustainable communities. The International Journal of Cultural Policy, 9(1), 35-49.

• Optional: Department of Canadian Heritage (2016). Social impacts and benefits of arts and

culture: A literature review. Retrieved from

http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/pch/CH4-187-2016-eng.pdf

• Optional: Andersson, M., Larsson, J. P., Wernberg, J., & Westlund, H. (2016). Social capital

and the economics of cities. Swedish Entrepreneurship Forum. Retrieved from

https://entreprenorskapsforum.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/WP_53.pdf

February 15, 17, & 18 – Reading break, no classes

February 22– Consumer cities; central places; and urban success: The role of cultural and social

capital as economic engines (continued; see above readings)

February 24 & 25 – Urban growth

• Chapter 7 & 8 (UE)

• Polèse, M. (2009). Why do some places generate more wealth than others? In, The wealth &

poverty of regions: Why cities matter (pp. 1-17). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

March 1, 3, & 4 – Land rent, manufacturing land, and office space and tall buildings

• Chapter 10 (UE)

• Chapter 11 (UE)

March 8 & 10 – The price of housing and rent and residential land use

• Chapter 12 (UE)

• Gyourko, J., & Saiz, A. (2006). Construction costs and the supply of housing structure. Journal

of Regional Science, 46(4), 661-680.

• Optional: Chowhan, J. & Prud'homme, M. (2004). City comparisons of shelter costs in Canada:

A hedonic approach. Analytical Series: Prices Division, Statistics Canada. Retrieved from

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/62F0014M2004017

• Optional: Keshishbanoosy, R. & Taylor, L. (2019). New approach for estimating the rent

component of the Consumer Price Index. Statistics Canada. Retrieved from

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/62f0014m/62f0014m2019002-eng.pdf?st=Ms-fs88


March 11 – Review for term test #2

March 15 – TERM TEST #2

March 17, 18, & 22 – Spatial distribution, suburbanization, urban sprawl, and the monocentric city

• Chapter 13 & 14 (UE)

• Persky, J & Wiewel, W. (2012). Urban decentralization, suburbanization and sprawl: An equity

perspective. In N. Brooks, K. Donaghy, & G. J. Knapp, Oxford handbook of urban economics

and planning. New York: Oxford University Press.

March 24, 25, & 29 – Neighbourhoods: Segregation, gentrification, & urban poverty and crime

• Chapter 15 (UE)

• The Economist (2018, June 23). In praise of gentrification: Cities. The Economist, 427(9097),

24-25.

• Doan, P. L. & Higgins, H. (2011). The demise of queer space? Resurgent gentrification and the

assimilation of LGBT neighbourhoods. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 31(1), 6-

25.

• Jargowsky, P. A. (2011). Urban poverty, economic segregation, and urban policy. In N. Brooks,

K. Donaghy, & G. J. Knapp, Oxford handbook of urban economics and planning (pp. 292-317)

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Optional: Walks, R. A., & Maaranen, R. (2008;). Gentrification, social mix, and social

polarization: Testing the linkages in large Canadian cities. Urban Geography, 29(4), 293-326.

• Optional: Ley, D. (1986). Alternative explanations for inner-city gentrification: A Canadian

assessment. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 76(4), 521-535.

• Optional: Allen, M. (2018). Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2017 [only pp. 3-29].

Statistics Canada. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-

x/2018001/article/54974-eng.htm

• Optional: Zhang, J. (2011). The cost of crime in Canada, 2008. Department of Justice.

Retrieved from https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/crime/rr10_5/rr10_5.pdf

March 31 & April 1 – Affordably housing and housing policies

• Chapter 17 (UE)

April 5 – Good Friday, no classes

March 7 & April 8 – Urban transportation and public policy

• Chapter 19 (UE)

• Glaeser, E. L., Kahn, M. E., & Rappaport, J. (2008). Why do the poor live in cities? The role of

public transportation. Journal of Urban Economics, 63(1), 1-24.

• Hall, J. D., Palsson, C., & Price, J. (2018). Is Uber a substitute or complement for public

transit? Journal of Urban Economics, 108, 36-50.

• Optional: Foth, N., Manaugh, K., & El-Geneidy, A. (2013). Towards equitable transit:

Examining transit accessibility and social need in Toronto, Canada 1996-2006. Journal of

Transport Geography 29, 1-10.

April 12 – Class conclusion & exam review


Ready, set…let’s go:

As is the case with many topics, urban economics lends itself to debate and interpretation. As a result,

this class requires extensive participation from students. Together, we will discover the topics through

open discussions.

If you do not learn a lot about urban economics, or do not find this course interesting or enjoyable, then

I am not doing my job. I love teaching economics, and I consider it my responsibility to help you

succeed. As we move together as an organic learning community, we must work together. If you have

questions in lecture, ask them. If you discover publications or videos related to the course material,

please send them to me so that they can be shared. If you have suggestions for improving the course,

please let me know. As in any university course, what you get out of this course will depend on what

you put into it. Together, let’s create a community-learning environment where we all succeed!

“We can be absolutely sure of a few things about future cities. The cities will not be smaller, simpler

or more specialized than cities of today. Rather, they will be more intricate, comprehensive,

diversified, and larger than today’s, and will have even more complicated jumbles of old and new

things than ours do” (Jane Jacobs).

“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones”

(John Maynard Keynes).

“Educate yourself as much as you can with life. Just go out there” (Julian Morris).

“If we look deeply at life, we realise that the benefits we receive from society are largely attributable

to their location. Benefits are local to the areas that we live in: the roads we drive on, the stores we

shop at, and the services we use” (Martin Adams).


Course agreement:

I, ______________________________________ have read the course outline and understand the

(Student Name)

course requirements stated in the course outline and the community-learning standards that we

established during the first class.

______________________________________________ _________________________________

(Student Signature) (Date)

On our Brightspace page under the tab “Course Outline & Assessment Material,” I have created a

discussion board (i.e., “Signed course agreement) for you to submit the above statement.

I will also be signing this agreement ☺

Welcome to our learning community!

Documents

Urban Land Economics ECON 312 A01 (1.5 credits) CRN 23922