Canada
Planning Senior-Friendly Cities
As part of its ongoing series on Canada's aging population, the Globe and Mail looks at what is being done to adapt cities for a large cohort of senior citizens.
Will Big Business Go Green On Its Own?
Peter Mithin asks if government should lead be creating and enforcing green building standards, or leading by example instead?
Stopping Sprawl, Slowing Emissions, Improving the Economy
A new report suggests that making policies in Canada to avoid urban sprawl development will reduce pollution and boost the economy.
Toronto Institutes Green Roofs With City Hall Example
Last year Toronto became the first North American city to mandate green roofs on all new residential, commercial and institutional buildings larger than 21,500 square feet. Now it has created a 118,000 square foot example on top of the City Hall.
Voluntary Canadian Census Might be Seriously Flawed
An internal Statistics Canada simulation of a voluntary census -- conducted prior to the federal government's announcement that the mandatory long form census would be scrapped -- reveals serious concerns over potential inaccuracies.
The Gradual Greening of Canadian Cities
Canadian cities like Montreal and Vancouver are riding the green train, aiming to transform themselves into some of the greenest cities in the world.
Canadian Politicans: Come to Your Census!
In this op-ed for the Globe and Mail, four leading Canadian scholars argue that the Harper government's unilateral decision to scrap the long form census should be put to a vote in the House of Commons.
Clock Running Out on Canadian Stimulus Spending
With some construction projects behind schedule, municipal governments are asking the Harper government to extend their "spend-it-or-lose-it" deadline of March 31 2011.
Revitalizing Downtown in Small and Mid-Sized Cities
Small and mid-sized cities in Canada are taking innovative steps to revitalize their downtowns, and lure businesses and entrepreneurs back.
Defending the Census
John Lorinc, author of the New City, points out the many ways that the Canadian long-form census -- which is set to be scrapped -- informs city planning, strategic planning and social service provision.
Census Chaos Looms as Stats Canada Chief Resigns in Protest
Canada's chief statistician has quit in a very public protest over the Harper government's announced plan to replace the Canadian Census "long form" with a voluntary census.
WSJ Editor Rethinks The American Dream
NPR's Steve Inskeep interviews Wall Street Journal economics editor David Wessel on aspects of the American dream of home ownership that apparently are not working. Not only does Wessel suggest eliminating the tax deduction, but pushes renting too.
Vancouver's Laneway Homes Begin to Arouse Complaint
The idea was for the homes to be 'mortgage helpers' or cheaper way to house elderly parents. Since the citywide policy was passed last year, 89 laneways have been approved and some are already generating complaints.
Differing Densities in Three Canadian Cities
This report from The Globe and Mail looks at a recent study of three of Canada's big cities -- Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto -- and compares their densities and development patterns.
Provinces, Cities Fill Canada's Federal Policy Vacuum
Jeffrey Simpson argues that, in most policy areas that matter to Canadians, the federal government is doing almost nothing, while provinces and cities are moving ahead with innovation in energy, climate change and transportation.
Canadians Overinvested in Their Homes, Says Florida
Richard Florida writes that Canadians great love for homebuying (with a greater home ownership rate than even the U.S.) could be economically instable.
Canada Loans Michigan $550m For Bridge
With no US government or private funding available, the Canadian government has announced it will pony up the remaining funds for a new toll bridge connecting their country with Detroit, which they see as a jobs creator.
Canadian Cities Wiring for Electric Vehicles
For electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to really take off, there needs to be a coordinated effort between planners, developers and the utilities to ensure the infrastructure is in place. Some Canadian cities are already taking action.
Major Shift in Canadian Cities Towards Diversity
According to the latest census data projections, Canada will become a remarkably diverse nation in the coming decades, with increasing ethnic and racial mixing being concentrated in the nations' cities.
A Breakthrough in Desalinization?
Desalinization is a costly process because of the massive electricity needed to make it work. A Canadian startup believes it can cut that cost by 80% with a thermo-ionic process.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
