The Globe and Mail

Vancouver Skyline

Controversy Precedes Departure of Vancouver Head of Planning

Brian Jackson will retire after stepping down from his position as chief planner for the city of Vancouver.

August 13, 2015 - The Globe and Mail

Toronto Chief Planner Supports Gardiner Expressway Removal

Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat has broken rank from Mayor John Tory on the issue of whether to replace or remove an elevated highway along the city's waterfront. The cost to replace the expressway, $919 million, is more than removing it.

May 25, 2015 - The Globe and Mail

Ontario to Join Quebec in Cap-and-Trade Program

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne made a strong case for taking decisive climate change action when she signed an historic agreement to join the Quebec program that trades carbon with California.

April 17, 2015 - The Globe and Mail

Vancouver Waterfront

Industrial Meets Residential in New Vancouver Zoning

Vancouver created its MX zone as a solution to a persistent challenge for planners—how to retain industrial jobs and affordable housing in downtowns.

January 26, 2015 - The Globe and Mail

Toronto to Narrow its Traffic Lanes

Toronto will begin rolling out a program to narrow traffic lanes on the city's streets. The new lane policy, recently completed, was in the works for the past year.

November 28, 2014 - The Globe and Mail

Happy

How Urban Design Begets Happiness

A new book by Charles Montgomery makes the case that many of the best possible outcomes for the built environment require human interaction—whether commuting to work or walking around residential neighborhoods.

March 24, 2014 - The Globe and Mail

Developer Bows in Downtown Toronto Big Box Battle

Torontonians who have been fighting a Walmart in Downtown’s belovedly indie Kensington Market neigbourhood appear to have won their battle against a goliath developer. A revised development proposal features significantly scaled-down retail units.

February 17, 2014 - The Globe and Mail

Condo Developers Respond to Demand for Dog Amenities

As Toronto's condo-boom continues, condo buyers and councillors alike are calling for developments to be designed with canines in mind. Developers are now looking to include amenities like “pet spas” and rooftop 'dog runs' in their developments.

February 11, 2014 - The Globe and Mail

Young Driver

Millennials and Cars: Would If They Could

Recent trends in declining car ownership, along with the Millennial generation’s widely-reported abhorrence for driving, have some wondering if the era of car dominance is over. But what if the decline just comes down to trouble paying the bills?

January 24, 2014 - The Globe and Mail

Fear of "Hyperdensity" Grips Toronto's Leaders

Since it was passed in 2006, Toronto's growth has largely gone according to its Official Plan, with new development clustered in key areas of the city. But the city's chief planner and others fear some areas are in danger of becoming "hyperdense".

December 27, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Canadian Social Housing Vulnerable as Federal Funding Disappears

Low-income Canadians who depend on subsidized housing will face uncertainty in the coming years as federal funding agreements come to a close. Ottawa has, as of yet, no plans to renew them.

December 16, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Multiple Choice Referendum to Decide Vancouver's Transit Future

British Columbia will proceed with a public referendum on transit spending for the province. In an interesting wrinkle, Premier Christy Clark says the referendum will offer multiple choices. City leaders are concerned about the possible outcomes.

December 14, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Could a Gas Tax Hike Pay for Toronto's "Big Move"?

A government-appointed panel has recommended raising Ontario's gas tax to help pay for an ambitious 25-year transit construction plan dubbed the "Big Move". Political opponents were quick to reject the proposal.

December 13, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Growing Concern over Loss of Canada’s Best Farmland

Amid data showing a dwindling supply of prime Canadian agricultural land, a commencing study seeks to strengthen preservation policies.

November 18, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

nope

Toronto's Problems Are Bigger Than Rob Ford

Sure, having a boorish crack-smoking mayor who refuses to get help or step down is a problem. But Toronto's existential problems are structural, writes Richard Florida. The city's "outmoded growth model and system of governance" threaten its success.

November 8, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Will Rob Ford Take Toronto Down With Him?

With the news this week that Toronto police have in their possession the video that allegedly shows him smoking crack, Mayor Rob Ford has been thoroughly disgraced. Marcus Gee argues the scandal threatens "the success of Canada’s biggest city."

November 2, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Were Vancouver's 2010 Olympics Worth the Investment?

A new report says the investments made in hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were worth it. But could the area have gotten the same benefits without the Games?

October 24, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

How Cities Can Help Get the Kids to Daycare

Erin Anderssen takes a critical look at the role of our cities in the provision of much needed childcare. While municipally-delivered childcare has been successful in Scandinavia, some Canadian cities are left playing with alternative approaches.

October 24, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

Young Candidates Ride Anti-Sprawl Rhetoric to Mayoral Victories in Alberta

On Monday, Calgary elected anti-sprawl crusader Naheed Nenshi to a second term as Mayor. And in Edmonton, 34-year-old Don Iveson, "an up-and-coming hot shot of the same vein of progressive politics", was elected to replace the city's retiring mayor.

October 23, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

The Corner Store: Mark of a "Dynamic Neighbourhood"

In Vancouver, the presence of corner stores indicates diverse, dynamic, and affordable neighborhoods. But is the disappearance of such stores from neighborhoods across the city a sign that residential areas are becoming unbalanced?

September 17, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

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