Toronto's suburbs have often been dismissed as bland and banal. A closer look, however, reveals a diverse, complex landscape whose rapid changes have profound implications for the metropolis as a whole.
"In contrast to the central city—a bastion of progressive urbanism which, under the intellectual and moral guidance of Jane Jacobs, avoided the meat ax of modern postwar urban renewal," write geographers Jean-Paul Addie and Rob Fiedler, "Toronto’s suburbs have tended to be dismissed in pejorative terms as gray, flat sprawl."
This view drastically oversimplifies life outside of the downtown core, however. From the creation of dense satellite downtowns to shifting immigrant settlement patterns, dramatic changes are transforming the city's suburbs and leading to new questions about their relationship to Toronto as a whole.
The authors present six case studies of suburban sites that illustrate how some of these issues are playing out.
Read the full story: On the (cutting) edge of the global city
Tuesday's Election May Hinge on the Changing Demographics of Suburbs
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Denser, More Urban Suburbs
Social changes in America relating to work, demographics and the family are changing the face of suburbs around the US.
Empty Nesters Stuck in the Suburbs
Just when boomers are ready to return to the city to enjoy all its cultural offerings, they find themselves priced out. Many do downsize, however, from large single family homes to more urban areas close to home.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
California High-Speed Rail Authority picks trainset manufacturer
The California High-Speed Rail Authority aims to start servicing passengers by 2033.
What could the future of LA transit look like under Raman?
The mayor-elect views broken sidewalks and potholes as crises that can be fixed with better governance.
States are counting on battery farms. Some towns don’t want them.
While fire safety has improved, some communities are still wary.
Dallas releases zoning code overhaul to officials
The drafted overhaul is over 400 pages long.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello