Canada

Detroit Bridge

Canadian Government Permits Another Privately Owned Bridge From Detroit

Soon there could be a second cable-stayed bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Canada, running alongside the existing Ambassador Bridge and owned by the same private entity.

September 7, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

Rosa Parks, Jane Jacobs, Frederick Law Olmsted

Poll: Who Are the Most Influential Urbanists?

The world has changed since Planetizen crowdsourced its "Top Urban Thinkers" in 2009. Which urban planners, designers, doers, and dreamers do you think have had the most influence on the world?

August 21, 2017 - Planetizen

Staten Island Ferry "Spirit of America"

Friday Eye Candy: An Infographic for Every Transit Mode

Fans of public transit rejoice. A new infographic explores the rolling stock of most of the major cities in the United States and Canada.

August 18, 2017 - CityLab

City Hall

Impacts of AVs and E-Commerce on Municipal Budgets

A new report from Urbanism Next/SCI takes you through a city’s budget—both revenues and expenditures—and describes the areas that will be affected as AVs become commonplace and e-commerce takes on an even larger role in retail

August 4, 2017 - Urbanism Next

Olympic Stadium

Quebec Olympic Stadium Now a Shelter for Asylum Seekers from the U.S.

The government of Canada is scrambling to build a policy in response to growing numbers of asylum seekers crossing the border between the United States and Canada.

August 3, 2017 - The Globe and Mail

Vancouver Skyline Bikes

Overcoming Density Opponents by Listening to Them

Urbanist Brent Toderian does not begrudge NIMBYs; he values them. In an interview with David Roberts of Vox, he explains that the problem doesn't lie with development opponents as much as it does with the decision-makers.

June 21, 2017 - Vox

Calgary Suburbs

Canada's Growth Trending Toward the Suburban

According to this opinion piece, the tales of urbanizing Canada are overblown. "We're a suburban nation," says one of the sources quoted in the article.

May 30, 2017 - The Globe and Mail

Roman Forum

Top Twitter Feeds for 2017

Make Twitter great, for once.

April 30, 2017 - James Brasuell

Construction

Canadian Lumber Tariff Expected to Raise Home-Building Costs

Home buyers are likely to pay the cost of a recent decision by the U.S. Commerce Department.

April 25, 2017 - The New York Times

Subway Entrance

Friday Fun: All the Colors of the U.S. Transit Rainbow

An intrepid grad student at MIT created a graphic that shows off the color palettes of U.S. and Canadian transit lines.

March 31, 2017 - Next City

W-S_125_pipe_yard

President Trump Approves Construction of Keystone XL Pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska

Following through on a January executive action, President Trump announced Friday that he was approving the oil pipeline that his predecessor had rejected over a year ago. Oil is already flowing from Steele City, Nebraska to Gulf Coast refineries.

March 27, 2017 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

Water

Trump Budget's Devastating Effect on the EPA and Two of America's Greatest Water Resources

President Trump's budget for 2018 has the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency take the steepest hit—31 percent. Funding for two vital programs, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Chesapeake Bay Program, will have their funds eliminated.

March 20, 2017 - E&E News [Subscription]

Canadian Prime Minister Wins Award for Being Pro-Oil Sands and Pro-Environment

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is treading a fine line between supporting the economy of oil-sands dependent western Canada and fighting climate change, as impossible as that might sound. His efforts were rewarded by the energy industry.

March 14, 2017 - CBC News

Homes

In Appreciation of Gentle Density

How does one talk about density without frightening people? One term that's floating around is "gentle density," referring to the missing middle between mid-rise and detached homes.

March 12, 2017 - Metro Toronto

North Vancouver Skips Past 'Secondary Suites,' Allows a Third 'Coach House' on Every Lot

While some cities debate secondary units and parking controversies, the city of North Vancouver is allowing three units on every single-family lot in the city—parking requirements not included.

March 7, 2017 - North Shore News

Ottawa Moving Ahead with Second Part of its Light Rail Plan

A new tunnel moving east under the Sir John A. Parkway gets approval from National Capital Commission.

January 31, 2017 - Metro News

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Recalling Canada's Former, Climate Change-Denying Prime Minister

There are similarities between the policy actions of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government and the nascent Trump Administration. The differences in approach between these two examples are also telling.

January 27, 2017 - The Atlantic

Dakota Access Pipeline

Trump Reverses Obama's Rejections of Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines

Fulfilling two campaign promises, President Trump conditionally approved two controversial pipelines to transport oil sands from Alberta and Bakken oil from North Dakota, certain to stir opposition from environmentalists and Native Americans.

January 24, 2017 - USA Today

Seattle Light Rail

Transit Ducks in a Row for 2017

2017 will be a big year for transit openings around North America. What will come in the years to follow has a lot to do with the Trump Administration.

January 16, 2017 - the transport politic

Toronto Little Italy

Disproving the Worst Planning Misconceptions with Numbers

Walkability and density have been studied closely, and now their worth has been quantified and proven, according to Brent Toderian in a piece for Metro Toronto.

January 6, 2017 - Metro Toronto

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.