Today more than 80 percent of Canadians live in urban areas, making Canada the second most urbanized nation in the world. Globally, cities have become major drivers of economic activity. A nation's competitive advantage is directly related to the performance of its cities, not just economically, but socially and culturally as well. So in a global era, where the wired world allows instantaneous transfers of capital and information, paradoxically the importance of place is actually increasing.

In Canada, there is growing recognition of the national and local importance of urban spaces as sites of innovation, economic development and social and political interaction. And yet, Canadian cities, as constitutional wards of their provinces, often have little control over addressing challenges to urban success.

To help Canada and Canadians make the transition to new economies and politics of place, CPRN is addressing several paths of research including the intersection of social and economic policy in local places, and issues of citizenship and governance in cities and city-regions.