Resource Towns as New Towns

Within the general context of formulating a national new communities policy, resource towns have been identified as having a special relevance for Canada. In the past, a major part of the Canadian new town experience has been the development of resource communities. And while existing resource sites are sufficient to accommodate a significant portion of the estimated increase in Canadian natural resource production through to the year 2000, the opening up of new resource sites will require the establishment of 2 new resource towns. It is crucial, then, that planners understand both the historical development and the special problems of resource communities since only with this background can planning take place in a comprehensive and progressive fashion.