British Columbia

British Columbia

How Zoning Discrimination Still Affects Canadian Cities

Policies that encouraged urban segregation and led to the displacement and disenfranchisement of communities of color continue to reverberate in Canada's urban centers.

June 7, 2021 - The Globe and Mail

Vancouver

Vancouver Considers Easing Rezoning for Social Housing

The proposal would let non-profits build housing developments of up to six stories without a public rezoning process in mid-rise neighborhoods.

April 29, 2021 - The Province

CanadaLine

Displacement Concerns Grow Along With Residential Developments in Vancouver

In its efforts to build a more environmentally sustainable region by prioritizing transit and transit-oriented development, cities in the Vancouver region also create displacement risks for people who already use and depend on transit.

April 13, 2021 - The Tyee

Vancouver 2012

Vancouver Might Allow Non-Profit Housing to Skip Rezoning Application

Vancouver is considering eliminating a rezoning application, which could save non-profit developers up to two years in the city's approvals process.

January 28, 2021 - Daily Hive

Parking Lot

Is the Era of Over-Parking Over?

Cities like Vancouver are rethinking parking minimums as they try to meet climate goals, reduce traffic, and reallocate street space to other modes.

January 11, 2021 - Sightline

Japan High Speed Rail

WSDOT Report Outlines Plan for Cascadia High-Speed Rail

A regional high-speed rail network could be coming to the Pacific Northwest, linking cities from Oregon to British Columbia.

December 31, 2020 - The Urbanist

Vancouver Skyline Bikes

Vancouver Again Raises its Empty Homes Tax

The Vancouver Empty Homes Tax will soon be three times as high as it was when adopted in 2017.

November 29, 2020 - CTV News Vancouver

Vancouver Car Free Robson

Vancouver's State-of-Art Climate Action Plan Incorporates Multiple Goals

The city of Vancouver's new Climate Emergency Action Plan incorporates a comprehensive scope of goals, including affordability, public health, and social equity, which can help build broad public support.

October 29, 2020 - City of Vancouver Climate Emergency Action Plan

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver Affordable Housing Programs Could Be the Envy of the Continent

It will take a combination of local, provincial, and federal funding, but Vancouver, B.C. recently approved the most ambitious vision anywhere in North America to directly address homelessness and housing affordability challenges.

October 21, 2020 - Globe and Mail

Vancouver Skyline

Big Investors Cornering the Canadian Rental Market

What's good for pension funds and real estate investment trusts is likely bad for renters.

August 18, 2020 - Vancouver Sun

Social Justice

Anti-Racist Reforms for the Urban Planning Status Quo

An urban planner in Vancouver defines the roots of racism in city building, and calls on urban planners to be more effective anti-racist allies.

June 24, 2020 - The Tyee

Modern high speed bullet train in China

Economic Stimulus: Another Chance for High-Speed Rail in the U.S.?

High-speed rail advocates in the Pacific Northwest are pushing for a high-speed link between Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland to be part of future economic stimulus spending in the United States.

June 17, 2020 - The Urbanist

TransLink Canada Line

1,500 Temporary Layoffs for Transit Workers in Vancouver

Sad days for public transit agencies in Canadian cities could be a sign of layoffs to come for U.S. transit agencies.

May 3, 2020 - Vancouver Sun

Toronto Uber

The Final Major Holdout in North America Finally Welcomes Uber and Lyft

After a brief appearance in 2012, ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft had yet to touch down in Vancouver, British Columbia. That changed on January 24.

January 26, 2020 - Quartz

Seattle Ferry

Washington Attempts to Adopt a Cleaner Cars and Clean Fuels Programs

A Pew Stateline article tackles the challenges of reducing carbon emissions from transportation compared to electricity generation and looks at recent initiatives announced by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee aimed at decarbonizing transportation.

January 21, 2020 - Pew Stateline

Central Waterfront Toronto

Two Perspectives on Surging Canadian Housing Costs

Real estate prices in Toronto and Vancouver continue to rise, but there is not consensus about what is behind the growing housing crisis and the best solutions to pursue.

December 20, 2019 - The Star

British Columbia

Vancouver Making Room for More Apartments

As a response to rising rental prices and low vacancy rates, Vancouver planners have created a package of zoning and process changes to provide incentives for new multi-family developments.

November 25, 2019 - The Vancouver Sun

Vancouver

Vancouver Launches a New Citywide Planning Process

The first days of public engagement for Vancouver's new citywide plan began this week in Vancouver.

November 17, 2019 - Vancouver Sun

Salish Sea

A Surprising Lack of Geographic Knowledge

Have you ever heard of the Salish Sea? Neither have most of the people who live near it, in cities named Seattle and Vancouver.

November 16, 2019 - Phys.org

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver, Rain City

Vancouver has committed to green stormwater infrastructure by approving a Rain City Strategy that establishes an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan for each watershed in the city.

November 14, 2019 - Water Canada

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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Mpact Transit + Community

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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.