Ontario

Hard Rock Coliseum

Unique 'Audio Portraits' Pay Homage to Urban Noise

One man's noise pollution is another man's symphony.

February 27, 2017 - CityLab

Toronto Sidewalk

Toronto Sidewalk Cafes Get Squeezed By Pedestrian 'Clearways'

Proposed rules to enforce wider paths on Toronto city sidewalks for pedestrians and the disabled is creating angst in local operators of sidewalk cafes.

February 18, 2017 - CBC

Ottawa

Ottawa's Rapid Transit Corridor Design Approved

Twenty-four stations and a new dedicated bus lane have been approved in Canada's capital city.

February 10, 2017 - CBC

Traffic

Living Next to a Major Roadway Increases Dementia Risks

A new study has once again linked the perils of living near a pollution source to public health, this time finding that dementia risks increase in people who live near a major road.

January 10, 2017 - Mother Jones

Edmonton, Canada

Downtown Edmonton Hopes to Flip Parking to Parks

The Canadian city is working to take 18 downtown lots and convert them from surface parking to green space.

December 13, 2016 - CBC News

Toronto

Toronto Could Take a Radical Step by Tolling Local Roads

In some of the biggest transportation planning news of 2016, the City of Toronto is considering a proposal to toll the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway in an effort to raise funds for infrastructure improvements.

November 29, 2016 - The Globe and Mail

Toronto Little Italy 2

Budget Cuts to Hit Toronto's Planners Despite City's Continued Growth

Many in Toronto's planning department voiced concerns about proposed cuts to the budget, in part because of the growing number of applications they're receiving.

November 23, 2016 - The Toronto Star

Toronto Underpass park

Friday Eye Candy: Take a Virtual Reality Tour of Toronto's Underpass Park

The ASLA has rightfully identified virtual reality as a powerful promotional tool for the field of landscape architecture. Soon, we'll all be ditching plan views and offering virtual tours of proposed and completed projects.

November 18, 2016 - American Society Of Landscape Architects

Toronto Construction

Toronto's Population Boom Turning Into a Hospital Shortage

Downtown Toronto has grown and its hospitals are struggling to keep up with growing demand for their services.

November 4, 2016 - Toronto Globe and Mail

Toronto

Lessons in Transit Fares from Toronto's UP Express

Faced with the underwhelming performance of the newly opened UP Express, Toronto transit officials did something drastic: they slashed the cost of a ride.

October 22, 2016 - Torontoist

Elgin Street, Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa Learns Street Design Can't Please Everyone

The city of Ottawa's plan to make improvements to Elgin Street has elicited conflicting opinions between businesses, residents, and commuters on what should be prioritized in order to make a better street.

October 13, 2016 - The Ottawa Citizen

Ottawa

How a Cartoon Enabled Meaningful Parking Reform in Ottawa

Want parking reform without tears?

September 18, 2016 - CityLab

Another Transit Lesson for New York (and Other Cities) from Toronto

Just as Toronto's subway cars provide an example of the benefits that await New Yorkers when their new 'open gangway' cars arrive in 2020, Toronto's extensive streetcar network also provides an example for New York — of what not to do.

September 11, 2016 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Kids Crossing the Street

How Toronto's Chief Planner Prepared Her Children to Walk Alone to School

Toronto Chef Planner Jennifer Keesmaat describes how she prepared her children for an old-fashioned commute to and from school.

September 7, 2016 - The Toronto Star

Toronto Moss Park

Redevelopment Plans and Gentrification Concerns for Toronto's Moss Park

Urban renewal of the 1960s built large amounts of public housing in the formerly industrial neighborhood of Moss Park in Toronto. Now, the neighborhood and its eponymous park have become home to some of the most impoverished people in the city.

September 3, 2016 - Toronto Star

Toronto Subway

Toronto Commuters Like Their Open Gangway Subway Trains

The New York Times transit reporter, Emma G. Fitzsimmons, reports from Toronto to see what riders think about their 'open gangway' subway cars. By 2020, New York will receive 750 of these cars that have no doors separating the cars.

August 30, 2016 - The New York Times

Rail Deck Park

Planetizen Week in Review: August 8, 2016

It only takes two minutes to catch up on the biggest news stories of the week.

August 8, 2016 - Planetizen

Rail Deck Park

Toronto Wants a Deck Park to Span Downtown Rail Tracks

The Rail Deck Park could end up being known forever as the #RailDeckPark the way the social media buzz built for this splashy project proposal this week.

August 4, 2016 - CBC News

Moses-Saunders Power Dam

Calling for Approval of 'Plan 2014' to Restore Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River

Political leaders are still seeking support for the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Plan 2014, which has been circulating since November 2014.

August 3, 2016 - American Rivers

Toronto Transit

Toronto Transit Plans Take First Step Forward

The first phase of Toronto's 15-tear transit plan took a crucial step forward this week.

July 15, 2016 - Urban Toronto

News from HUD User

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

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.