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Abstract:
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Pioneered by massive retail chains like Wal-Mart and Home Depot, retail development in North America over the last decade has seen an increasing trend toward suburban “big-box” stores. Like most North American cities and towns, Winnipeg has experienced this trend first hand. Although its proponents often tout this type of development as a source and sign of economic development, a more careful examination of the physical and economic effects of big-box development reveals that it comes at considerable cost; requiring expensive infrastructure, increasing automobile dependency, and decimating local and downtown retail markets. As a result, the big-box trend is being met by an increasing resistance by many local and even national governments worldwide. ThepurposeofthisreportistoexaminewhatWinnipeghasdonetoencourageand/ordiscourage suburban big-box development, and, drawing on what other communities have done or are doing, propose ways that Winnipeg can limit or at least control big-box development more effectively in the future. |