| dc.description.abstract | Urbanization can have damaging effects on many cities by exacerbating existing social and
environmental inequalities. Income inequality can have implications on urban environments
particularly if it leads to strong physical polarization of income groups within the physical limits
of a city. As cities become increasingly polarized with respect to income, there is evidence to
suggest the inequitable distribution of environmental amenities (e.g., urban forest, lakes etc.)
may follow. This outcome is an important sustainability issue given the known environmental
and health benefits associated with green space access. In this study, the spatial distribution of
median household income in urban Halifax was evaluated using local indicators of spatial
autocorrelation (LISA) to estimate the degree of polarization of income groups from 2001-2016.
Over 15-years, spatially distinct regions in Halifax were identified that have remained
predominately high- and low-income, with other areas emerging with the expansion of highincome
into new suburban developments. In this study PlanetScope (4-band VIS-NIR) satellite
imagery was used to quantify % tree canopy and % short vegetation features which are
important aspects of green space. Tree canopy was unevenly distributed with low-income
neighbourhoods having less availability during the 15-year study-period. The results of this study
suggest there is some relationship between income and distribution of green space in Halifax. | en_US |
