Winnipeg Offers Model For Detroit to Follow

Detroit should look to a neighbor in the north for advice on rebounding from industrial decline, according to this piece from New Geography, which argues that Winnipeg has already paved the way.

1 minute read

May 19, 2011, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


The key to Winnipeg's recovery is immigration.

"When Americans think of Winnipeg, they think of white guys wearing earmuffs in July, speaking with the kind of Canadian accents typically ridiculed on American sitcoms. When Canadians from outside of Manitoba think of Winnipeg, they think of a former industrial city that is hardly a draw to the much sought after "creative class" even though the city has the nation's lowest housing cost. What no one from outside the city associates with Winnipeg is immigration.

Winnipeg's immigration success is not well known outside of the province, but it is hard to dispute the facts. Smart immigration policies have helped Winnipeg stabilize its population and reverse the city's decline."

Sunday, May 15, 2011 in New Geography

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 23, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18, 2026 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22, 2026 - Washington State Standard

A rendering of the proposed building, which is tall and highlighted in yellow to stand out from the surrounding buildings.

NYC to turn city-owned property into thousands of homes

The city has scheduled a public hearing regarding the development for October.

6 hours ago - Gothamist

The new busway. The pavement is painted red, indicating it as a bus-only lane.

Buses travel at 5mph along this route in NYC. The Bronx's first-ever busway looks to change that

Prior to the busway, buses on the Bx36 route traveled as slowly as 5 miles per hour.

7 hours ago - Mass Transit

People cross the street in downtown Pittsburg.

Pittsburg launches 'EZ permits,' aims for one-day turnaround for low-risk permits

The pilot ‘fast lane’ for permits is part of a bundle of modernization efforts for Pittsburg’s permitting process.

September 29 - Smart Cities Dive

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design