The most recent Canadian Census shows that Canada is rapidly urbanizing. Unfortunately, writes Jeffrey Simpson, its systems of government and economic development strategies are stuck in a rural past.
"This week's census told us what we already knew: Canada, the world's second-largest land mass, is an urban country. Actually, Canada is increasingly a suburban country, since the suburbs of the large cities are growing faster than the urban cores.
Beyond suburbia lies what planners call exurbia: cities within striking distance of the big ones, connected to them by highways and sprawl. Taken together, "peripheral municipalities" (the Statistics Canada term) grew by 11 per cent from 2001 to 2006, compared with 4.2 per cent for central cities. Put another way, the periphery grew by about 900,000, central cities by 500,000.
The drift to urban/suburban/exurban areas mocks the electoral system. Legislatures remain weighted toward rural areas or, in the case of Parliament, toward Atlantic Canada (and Saskatchewan), where the population remains steady while other areas grow.
Some day, someone will bring a Charter of Rights argument against the existing electoral maps. They will claim that the maps discriminate (as they clearly do) against urban/suburban voters by according them less representation than equality merits. You might think a court would refuse to hear the case on the ground the issue is political. Under the Charter, courts are wont to rule on just about anything."
FULL STORY: We have seen the future, and it's sprawl and emissions

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie