Brent Toderian barnstormed Edmonton, Canada recently, giving the city an A+ for policy aspirations and a D- in budgetary prioritization. That sounds like a problem in many other cities as well.
"Former Vancouver city planner Brent Toderian had some harsh words for council as he assessed the city’s progress on building a smarter, more sustainable city," according to an article by Elise Stolte.
Stolte quotes Toderian (who is also a blogger for Planetizen) directly in the article:
You’ve got excellent aspirations. A+ for policy and probably a D- for budgeting prioritization. The money doesn’t match the vision and in many cases they’re diametrically opposed…
Toderian delivered that message to the city's councilors and mayor, citing especially the city's ambitious plans to prioritize higher density, walkable neighborhoods, while instead funding projects that prioritize only vehicle circulation. Stulte also shares details of how Toderian pitches the benefits of a pro-mobility (read: not anti-car) plans and budgets.
Read the full story: 'Money doesn't match the vision,' veteran city planner tells Edmonton councillors
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