Accidentally On Purpose

Massive property damage and pedestrians being injured (or killed) is our transportation system functioning precisely as designed. This is how it was designed to work.

Community, Member Post, Neighborhoods, Transportation, Walkability, Planning Profession, In the Neighborhood, Engineering Profession, Urban Design, dear winnipeg, Top StoryMichel Durand-WoodApril 14, 2022advocacy, canada, Winnipeg, neighborhood, city council, community

Not Just Bikes: The Only Car-Free Place in Canada (and Why You Can’t Live There)

Just off the coast of Toronto, Canada's largest city, you'll find a group of 15 small car-free islands. But just in case you thought you'd like to live here: you can't.

Video, Neighborhoods, Top StoryJay StangeApril 13, 2022Not Just Bikes, canada, Canada, car-lite, car culture, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, walkability, Homeownership, homeownership

Red Light, Green Light, No Insight

When we hand our whole transportation system to engineers, we shouldn’t be surprised that the values of their profession override the values of the public. It’s time for a new paradigm.

#SlowtheCars, Member Post, Transportation, Top StoryMichel Durand-WoodMarch 4, 2022transportation, public transportation, engineers, engineering profession, traffic engineering, canada, Canada, Winnipeg, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer, #SlowTheCars

The Death of a Car City

Michel Durand-Wood takes us on a hilarious walk through the stages of grief as he puts a financial spike in the heart of his beloved city’s unsustainable 2050 Master Plan.

Transportation, #NoNewRoads, Top StoryMichel Durand-WoodJanuary 3, 2022car culture, induced demand, Winnipeg, car dependency, canada, cars, transportation, financial solvency, local government, #NoNewRoads

Legalize the Village

The author of Happy City helped build a home that addressed some of the greatest challenges of our times. But his home is illegal almost everywhere in his city—and in your city, too.

Housing, Zoning, Top StoryCharles MontgomeryDecember 16, 2021Homeownership, housing, housing affordability, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, Housing, housing cost, co-housing, canada, Canada, Vancouver BC, zoning, upzoning

Holy Leaping Dollars, Batman!

Unless we start making better accounting choices today, we’ll be facing service cuts and tax increases every year going forward. …That is, until the day we can’t anymore.

A Stroad Called "Wonderland"

This new Not Just Bikes video features an Ontario stroad that’s anything but wonderful.

#NoNewRoads, Pattison, Roads and Streets, Transportation, Top StoryJohn PattisonOctober 28, 2021STROADS, Not Just Bikes, Ontario, canada, Canada, suburban development pattern, roads, #NoNewRoads

Traffic Deaths Aren't "Meant to Be"

Our broken transportation system wasn’t pre-ordained; it was built out of the choices we’ve made. And we need to start making better ones if we want to fix it.

#SlowtheCars, Member Post, Roads and Streets, Transportation, Top StoryMichel Durand-WoodOctober 4, 2021Safety, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, STROADS, Street Design, streets, canada, Canada, Winnipeg, transportation, #SlowTheCars

What To Do When Your City Won't Listen to Reason

When you’re a change-maker, there’ll be times when you’ll feel like you’re losing your mojo. Here’s how to get back on your feet to keep making your city or town a stronger place.

Community, Member Post, Neighborhoods, Top StoryMichel Durand-WoodAugust 24, 2021advocacy, canada, Winnipeg, neighborhood, city council, community

Where Should We Be Focusing Climate Change Efforts?

If we continue toward a suburban development pattern, then should we move climate change efforts away from cities and to the suburbs, as well?

Upzoned, Podcast, Suburban Experiment, Coronavirus, Top StoryStrong TownsJuly 28, 2021Podcast, Upzoned, suburban experiment, climate, environment, canada

How People-Centered Is Toronto's "People-Centered" Vision?

Google’s Sidewalk Labs pulled out of Toronto’s Quayside project. But does Toronto’s new vision for the project really put people at the center?

Podcast, Urban Design, Top StoryStrong TownsMarch 24, 2021canada, Canada, Toronto, smart cities

Best of 2020: Legalize Accessory Commercial Units

Accessory Commercial Units spur entrepreneurship and build a city’s prosperity. The problem? Many zoning laws make them functionally illegal.

Zoning, Best of Blog, Top StoryAshley SalvadorDecember 8, 2020accessory dwelling units, entrepreneurship, edmonton, canada, small business, zoning, Best of 2020

Parking minimums are costing your city. For a way forward, look to Edmonton.

The story of how Edmonton, a sprawling prairie city, became the first major Canadian city to end parking minimums—and what the rest of us can learn from its example.

Taking Action, Success Story, Parking, Top StoryJohn PattisonNovember 11, 2020parking minimums, Parking, edmonton, canada

Want more local businesses in your neighborhood? Then legalize “Accessory Commercial Units.”

Accessory Commercial Units spur entrepreneurship and build a city’s prosperity. The problem? Many zoning laws make them functionally illegal.

ZoningAshley SalvadorAugust 17, 2020accessory dwelling units, entrepreneurship, edmonton, canada, small business, zoning

The Most Important Planning Concept You’ve Never Heard Of

Our systems of planning and permitting too often give large developers an unfair advantage over local builders. And one little-discussed planning concept does a lot to explain why.

Zoning, Gray, Top StoryNolan GrayAugust 27, 2019zoning, canada