| Urbanization---the movement of people from rural areas to urban centres---has been described as a corollary of beneficial progress in the Western world. As industry has flourished over the last hundred years, people have been drawn to industrialized cities to work and to take advantage of the economic opportunities available. This change in the distribution of populations is often considered to reflect positive changes in society. While the process of urbanization has now slowed considerably in developed countries, it is a driving force in developing nations. Unlike the urbanization of the developed countries, however, this process does not reflect positive change for the South. Rather, the influx of people to the cities has placed too high a demand on infrastructure, health services, and sanitation. As a result, the process of urbanization in these countries has raised concern for many world development agencies including the World Bank, the United Nations Center for Human Settlements, the British Department for International Development, and the United States Agency for International Development. The evidence presented in this thesis suggests that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), however, does not recognize this problem as cause for concern, and has no policies, programs, or strategies in place that appropriately address the issue of urbanization in the South. Potential reasons behind CIDA's non-conformity with its global partners are considered, and the possibility of change is discussed. Nevertheless, any policy changes made by CIDA must come soon, before the effects of urbanization cause irreparable damage to developing nations. |
