The Globe and Mail
Vancouver Seeks to Avoid Tragedy, Make Shelters More Practical
Homeless people may avoid seeking help or services because there is a lack of space secure their belongings in shelters. The death of a homeless woman in Vancouver last winter highlights the severity of the problem.
The Globe and Mail
Toronto Street Furniture Program Blasted
The city of Toronto is rolling out a new street furniture program. Lisa Rochon calls the new additions to the city's sidewalks an "assault on civic life".
The Globe and Mail
Clearing 30,000 Cars From Vancouver's Streets
When it hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics next year, Vancouver will need to clear more than 30,000 vehicles off its roads everyday to avoid total gridlock. Doing so will require much cooperation from locals.
The Globe and Mail
Urban Residents Are Accidental Environmentalists
Margaret Wente is surprised to learn from reading David Owen's Green Metropolis that her new city lifestyle is super-green, thanks to the advantages of density.
The Globe and Mail
"Attached" to Urban Economic Growth
A new study suggests that cities for which residents have a higher degree of emotional attachment and loyalty have greater levels of economic growth.
The Globe and Mail
Can Sc-Fi Movie Change the Fortunes of Soweto Slum?
The box office hit "District 9" was shot in a real Soweto slum, and now the residents are hoping that the popularity of the film will lead to real improvements to the settlement.
The Globe and Mail
Can Michigan -- and Detroit -- Come Back?
Having fallen to near-bottom according to most indicators of urban vitality, Detroit is now facing the possibility of bankruptcy. But there are still reasons for optimism, writes John Ibbitson.
The Globe and Mail
Super-Cheap Housing Booms in Mumbai
Despite tumbles in the housing market, low-cost housing is undergoing a boom in Mumbai, India, where the need for affordable housing is high.
The Globe and Mail
The Costs and Benefits of the Canada Line
A new rail line connecting Vancouver to its airport is highly anticipated in the region. The costs and construction disturbances, are causing some concern, however.
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Why High Speed Rail Makes Sense for Alberta
This op-ed piece in the Globe and Mail argues that plans for a high-speed rail link between the Albertan cities of Calgary and Edmonton makes eminent sense -- at least, according to the thinking of Richard Florida and colleagues.
The Globe and Mail
Vancouver Neighborhoods "Completely Changed" by Homeless Shelters
Gary Mason describes how Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson's policy of rapid expansion of homeless shelters -- including two in residential areas -- has "completely changed" those neighborhoods.
The Globe and Mail
Will Plan It Calgary Lead Canada in Urban Sustainability?
Calgary's proposed plan "Plan It" seeks to lay out the city's future for the next 60 years, and it represents a dramatic shift away from unregulated suburbanization. It faces a lot of opposition.
The Globe and Mail
Vancouver Begins Incentive Program to Boost Affordable Housing
Next month, Vancouver will begin a two-and-a-half year incentive program to encourage developers to build affordable housing.
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Does Paris Have a Bike-Stealing Program?
Paris' bike-sharing program Vélib was supposed to make commuting more civilized; instead it has become the subject of widespread theft and abuse.
The Globe and Mail
"Canada's Greatest Architect" Eulogized
Arthur Erickson, one of Canada's most renowned architects, has passed away at age 84.
The Globe and Mail
Will it be a Small World After All?
In his new book 'Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller' economist Jeff Rubin describes how 'peak oil' will reverse globalization, revitalize cities and reinvigorate Canada's manufacturing base.
The Globe and Mail
Downturn Hits Architecture Firms
With high-profile private-sector clients scaling back prestige projects in the face of the economic downturn, architectural firms are looking instead to institutional clients and retrofitting existing buildings.
The Globe and Mail
Shanghai "Swaggers" Into the Future
With the unfettered ability to zone, plan and fund construction projects, the government of Shanghai is turning the city into what looks like "one immense architectural competition."
The Globe and Mail
Canada's Cities Need More Creativity, Says Richard Florida
In this excerpt from the Canadian edition of "Who's Your City?" author Richard Florida argues that, while Canada's cities have done well to avoid some of the economic disparities of U.S. cities, they will need to work harder still.
The Globe and Mail
The Auto Bailout's "Policy Paradox"
The American and Canadian governments are caught in a "policy paradox:" they want to promote green vehicles but they need to save their domestic auto industries. Both may not be possible, says Konrad Yakabuski.
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