2.3 Responding to Brampton’s Growth Profile

Library facilities are built, staffed and programmed in accordance with the needs of the population that are served. As the number and the socioeconomic characteristics of people living in Brampton changes, Brampton Library will need to be in a position to respond if residents are to obtain the various benefits that the Library brings. Similarly, the City of Brampton is charting a new vision for how it envisions the planning and development of the built environment and Brampton Library will be an important player in terms of the quality of life that is being pursued.

Keeping Pace with Population Growth

The Statistics Canada Census recorded Brampton as Canada’s ninth largest city by population, and the fourth largest city in Ontario. Between the 2001 and 2016 Census periods, Brampton’s annual population growth rate of 4% has exceeded many other large GTA municipalities including Vaughan, Markham, and Mississauga. Growth statistics demonstrate the considerable rate of change in Brampton’s population compared to when the previous Library Facilities Master Plan was prepared.

The year 2021 population estimate of 698,000 persons for the City of Brampton means that there are now 156,000 more people living in Brampton (a 29% growth rate, averaging nearly 3% per year) compared to when the previous Facilities Master Plan was approved in 2011. Significant and continue population growth is forecasted over the current master planning period with a year 2026 forecast of 789,000 persons and a year 2031 forecast of 854,000 persons, thereby adding 156,000 persons over the next 10 years.6

The Brampton 2040 Vision identifies the beginnings of a desired urban structure whereby a new ‘Uptown’ and a revitalized Downtown are the hearts of the city, and are accompanied by five ‘Town Centres’. From the perspective of Brampton Library, these identified nodes are important as they will concentrate residents and employment opportunities where the Library can play a pivotal role. Just as importantly, the Library can form an integral part of other civic transformations envisioned through the Brampton 2040 Vision such as complete and connected communities, a thriving arts scene, and social and health harmony.

The upcoming 2021 Census will provide further insights with respect to the accuracy of current population estimates while updating a number of socio-demographic indicators that will be discussed in the paragraphs that follow. Brampton Library will need to consider the release of 2021 Census data in the months and years to come to determine how they may affect the Library FMP and the Library’s ongoing facility development strategy.

There are an estimated 698,000 presently living in the City of Brampton, representing growth of 156,000 persons compared to 2011 when the previous Library Facilities Master Plan was approved.

Another 156,000 persons are forecasted to be added to the City’s population during the 10-year planning period for the current Library Facilities Master Plan, to reach a projected population of 854,000 by 2031.

Embedding Libraries within the City’s Urban Structure

The Brampton 2040 Vision7 is a collective description of Brampton’s ideal future, and offers multiple visions oriented to city-building through a number of lenses. Although Brampton Library is an autonomous operating unit within the City’s departmental structure, the Library works with the City to advance common objectives related to city building, community development, and other investments in quality of life. Brampton 2040 Vision is a blueprint for the entire city and is understood to be playing a central role in the ongoing City of Brampton Official Plan Review process. Accordingly, the Brampton 2040 Vision is an important document to be considered through the Library FMP as facility development strategies will need to have regard for the future urban structure and associated visions established across different areas of the city.

The Official Plan Review must comply with Provincial and Regional population growth allocations. As part of this work, the City is examining three population growth scenarios for its “Built Up Areas (BUAs)” and “Designated Greenfield Areas (DGAs)” based on current trends, regional conformity policies, and Brampton Vision 2040. This work will lend further insights as to where population growth will be directed within City boundaries. Initial projections direct the majority of growth over the next 10 years to the DGAs, adding over 100,000 new residents in those areas between 2021 and 2031. The extent of such greenfield-focused growth will potentially create needs for new branches, particularly in areas that are not located in reasonable proximity to an existing branches. Another 30,000 to 50,000 new residents are forecasted to be added to the BUAs meaning that growth-related pressures can expect to be placed on existing library branches, some of which may not be easily expanded due to the built-up nature of the lands around them.8

As noted through the Branch Profiles presented in Section 2.0, a number of existing library branches are located in areas identified for future growth and revitalization. Most notably are the Downtown, Uptown and Town Centres identified in the Brampton 2040 Vision where libraries will play part of defining the intended quality of life through arts, education, and civic engagement. Within or near to these identified areas, existing library branches are likely to be subjected to growth-related residential and employment pressures as well as the continued evolution of socio-demographic characteristics of residents living within them. On this basis, all existing library branches are integral parts to helping the City achieve its Brampton 2040 Vision but in particular the Four Corners, Chinguacousy, Gore Meadows, and South Fletcher’s Branches will be of prime importance in the future urban structure. New library space can also be anticipated in any underserved areas resulting from changes to the urban structure.