Canada

Aerial view of farmland patchwork in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Auditor: Toronto Greenbelt Changes Favored Developers

A series of hasty removals of land from the protected Greenbelt last year were pushed through without environmental or financial analysis.

August 18, 2023 - The Globe and Mail

Aerial view of large single-family homes in Vancouver, BC suburb

Vancouver Poised to Increase Residential Zoning

The city council will vote on a proposal to eliminate single-family only zoning in favor of rules that would allow up to six units per residential lot.

July 26, 2023 - The Globe and Mail

Male cyclists wearing helmet, sunglasses, and N95 mask stands with arms crossed in front of his bike

Wildfire Smoke Takes Toll on Bike Commuters

How can people on bikes protect their lungs from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke?

June 30, 2023 - Momentum Magazine

Aerial view of New York City including Empire State Building blanketed in orange wildfire smoke

How Responsible Is Climate Change for Increased Wildfires?

“Nearly all” since 2001, according to a new study on California wildfires by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

June 15, 2023 - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Outdoor dining patio with red umbrellas in Toronto, Canada

Opinion: Toronto is Stifling its Outdoor Dining Program

New regulations and fees for outdoor dining patios, extended from a pandemic-era program, are making the process overly complicated and expensive for business owners.

June 12, 2023 - Toronto Star

Blue sign with white gas pump symbol with electric plug and "EV"

Plan for U.S.-Canada EV Corridor Announced

U.S. and Canadian officials revealed plans for an electric vehicle charging network that will connect Kalamazoo and Quebec City with EV chargers every 50 miles.

May 19, 2023 - Detroit Free Press

View from below of row of parked trucks in lot

Carzilla: How Huge SUVs and Trucks Hurt Pedestrians and Walkable Communities

Ever wonder where the supersizing of cars is going to end? Kaid Benfield dives deep into the subject and suggests five actions we can take to get to a safer spot in the road.

May 8, 2023 - PlaceShakers

British Columbia

How Much Will That Infrastructure Really Cost?

A new tool developed in British Columbia calculates the cost of infrastructure over the entire life cycle of the project.

February 26, 2023 - Strong Towns

Toronto Moss Park

Using Cellphone Data to Understand Park Use

A new University of Toronto study analyzes anonymous GPS data from smartphones to track how people use and interact with green spaces.

January 17, 2023 - University of Toronto News

University Ave and Dundas Street in downtown Toronto

Canada's Car Commuting Roars Back as Transit’s Rebound Remains Slow

Car commuting rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels, while public transit and active transportation rates are slower to recover.

December 1, 2022 - The Globe and Mail

Bike on bridge in Minneapolis with skyline in background

Study: Biking Brings Happiness

A Minneapolis study showed cyclists experienced the highest rates of satisfaction during their commute.

October 5, 2022 - Forbes

Rendering of proposed Love Park, Toronto.

Quayside 2.0 Rejects the ‘Smart City’

In a reversal from Sidewalk Labs’ now-defunct tech-heavy proposal, Toronto’s new plan for the waterfront development known as Quayside emphasizes greenery and nature.

July 1, 2022 - Technology Review

Bus bench with "armrests" to prevent lying down

How ‘Hostile Design’ Creates Unwelcoming Spaces

‘Defensive urbanism’ interventions explicitly seek to repel certain, often vulnerable, social groups from public spaces.

June 2, 2022 - Canadian Architect

Moscow, Russia

Banning Russian Oil, Part II

Part I occurred when President Biden banned the importation of all Russian fossil fuels on March 8. A month later, Congress passed legislation to codify the embargo. Getting the European Union onboard is proving cumbersome.

May 12, 2022 - Politico

Residential garage full of home storage

Why a Third of Private Garages Don’t House Cars

With curbside parking available for free in front of most American homes, residents with private garages often choose to utilize the space for household storage. Putting a price on street parking could change that.

May 5, 2022 - Sightline

Gas Pumps

Waging War on High Gas Prices

America is not at war, but that didn't stop President Joe Biden from calling the largest release of oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve that he authorized on March 31 to lower oil prices, a 'wartime bridge.'

April 6, 2022 - Washington Examiner

British Columbia

Vancouver Set To Finalize Broadway Rezoning Plan

A plan to increase density along the city's 'Second Downtown' promises to bring badly needed housing to the corridor as the Broadway subway line nears completion.

March 15, 2022 - Vancouver Sun

Fracking

Pumping More Oil to Lower Gas Prices

Proponents of increased oil drilling in the U.S. to replace banned Russian oil argue that it will decrease prices at the pump. A Texas reporter examined the claim with a University of Texas energy analyst. If only it was that simple.

March 14, 2022 - KXAN

walkable street

The Relationship Between Walkability and Public Health

New research indicates that improving public health requires targeted investments in more than just pedestrian facilities.

March 2, 2022 - Popular Science

Single-Family Neighborhood

Toronto Housing Supply Outpacing Population Growth, but Costs Remain High

According to new census data, housing production is exceeding demand in many Canadian cities.

March 2, 2022 - The Globe and Mail

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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.