British Columbia

In a surprise move this week, Vancouver's city council abruptly relieved its high-profile Planning Director, Brent Toderian, of his duties, after six years on the job. Planetizen has spoken with the former director about what transpired.

A photo essay by Witold Rybczynski explores how a campus operates in a shopping mall in a suburban community outside Vancouver, British Columbia.

The City of Vancouver is building a 6,000 sq. ft. greenhouse atop a downtown parking garage as part of its goal to become the greenest city in the world by 2020.

In Vancouver, B.C., Trevor Hancock is helping the city make the connection between the built environment and the health of the citizens.

The Globe and Mail profiles Victoria B.C.'s community of Dockside Green, which, in addition to being an infill development, is powered by a district energy system.

In Vancouver, B.C., a newly approved plan to increase density along the Cambie corridor is sending housing prices skyrocketing and causing concern among residents about the character of their neighborhood.

Cities like San Francisco, Portland and New York are facing a problem most people didn't expect: an overabundance of farmers' markets. Vancouver's planners are keeping the numbers trimmed to make sure the current markets don't wither and die.

...or, how to say "Yes, in my backyard!" to new development proposals. A new guide developed by the Pivot Legal Society in Vancouver is intended to provide guidance for communities that actually want hard-to-place projects.

Vancouver is working to incorporate more density in traditional single-family neighborhoods by allowing additional dwellings in the backyard, adjacent to alleys.

Earlier this week, New York City officials announced a new bikeshare system that will be available to New Yorkers in 2012.

Transplanting the wildly popular pilot projects in NYC and SF across the northern border, the City launches VIVA Vancouver program that converts parts of eight streets into public spaces.

The Canadians call it "laneway housing", and in the U.S. they're often dubbed "granny units". These smaller homes in underused garage or alley locations are creating new ways to add density to areas without changing community character.

In downtown Vancouver, where bike lanes have replaced parking spots on some strips, shop owners have complained that they are bad for business. A new study disproves the theory - kinda.

The city of Vancouver is planning to offer more than $42 million in land and capital grants aimed at developing affordable housing. Its part of a 10-year plan to end homelessness in the city.

In Vancouver, B.C., a stretch of elevated freeway was closed during the 2010 Winter Olympics for safety reasons. Turned out it wasn't missed, and locals are advocating to have it removed.

Zoning codes that mandate a certain number of parking spaces for businesses that serve on-site alcoholic beverages are inconsistent with law enforcement's campaign against drunk driving, says Eric de Place.

A group of mayor in the metropolitan Vancouver area have proposed an increase in the gas tax to develop a fund for a long-stalled transit project.

Toronto artist Caroline Macfarlane found a rusted bicycle that had been locked to a bike rack for a very long time. She decided to make it into art, painting the whole bike neon pink and adding a basket of flowers. The city responded by fining her.

The city of Vancouver is beautiful, but according to this op-ed, it hasn't yet been able to create a truly vibrant city life.