With the growth of knowledge-based economies, cities across the globe must compete to attract and retain the most talented workers. Seeking Talent for Creative Cities offers a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the diverse, dynamic factors that affect cities’ ability to achieve this goal.


Based on a comparative national study of 16 Canadian cities, this volume systematically evaluates the concerns facing workers operating in a range of creative endeavours. It draws on interviews, surveys, and census data collected over a six-year research program conducted by experts in business, public policy, urban studies, and communications studies to identify the characteristics and features of particular city-regions that influence these workers’ mobility and satisfaction. Seeking Talent for Creative Cities represents a rigorously empirical test of popular wisdom on the true relationship between urban development and economic competitiveness.