There are few things as dramatic as a disaster. With climate change leading to greater and more frequent disasters in every part of the country, how we deal with them has become the focus of many communities. For some people, the key to forecasting, mitigating, and potentially even preventing disaster lies in good data. In this episode, Civic Tech Fredericton's Bernie Connors tells us how the River Watch app helps people in New Brunswick track annual flooding. And Josh Bowen, manager of the Nort...
Feb 12, 2020•22 min
In this episode, we talk about public space issues of the past, present, and future. Spacing Publisher Matthew Blackett tells us how the magazine itself sprung out of conversations about the public realm in the early 2000s. Longtime Toronto City Hall journalist and news editor at Canadaland Jonathan Goldsbie takes us through some of the activism around billboards, corporatizing street furniture, and surveillance cameras. And researcher, activist, and Spacing contributor Cara Chellew talks about ...
Jan 31, 2020•34 min
A major component of "smart" cities is finding new ways to harvest data, and integrate it into ongoing urban planning. Obviously, embedding sensors throughout the public realm creates multiple privacy concerns. This is something David Fewer, director of the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa, advises municipalities on, regularly. But, data is power, and Newmarket Ontario's Director of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives Susan Chase explains how Soofa...
Jan 15, 2020•23 min
This is the second of three special French-language episodes of Future Fix, or "Face au Futur." Quand on pense à la mobilité dans le cadre des villes intelligentes, il nous arrive souvent de penser aux villes futuristes qui ont marqué notre imaginaire avec leurs voitures volantes ou les hyperloops. Pourtant, la mobilité intelligente est déjà présente dans nos quotidiens de manière plus organique et concrète. Dans cet épisode, nous nous sommes intéressés au projet de Tramway de la ville de Québec...
Jan 08, 2020•26 min
This episode was a live panel discussion, moderated by our host in London, Ontario. The "Heritage Matters in Conversation" event was put on by the Ontario Heritage Trust, to explore how to rethink, revitalize, and renew approaches to heritage in the province. Guests included Alissa Golden, heritage project specialist with the City of Hamilton; Steve Cordes, executive director of Youth Opportunities Unlimited in London; Morag Kloeze, brewmaster at Mudtown station Brewery and Restaurant in Owen So...
Dec 31, 2019•52 min
Many people across Canada live without reliable access to food. At the same time, much of the food we do have goes to waste — 2.2 million tonnes, according to advocates. We need to change the way we produce food, as well as change the linear economy that leads to so much waste, and leaves many people without this basic necessity for life. Barbara Swartzenruber, executive director of Guelph's Smart Cities Office, tells us about "Our Food Future," a Smart City Challenge-winning proposal to create ...
Dec 04, 2019•20 min
It's been a while since we delved into the always amusing world of Toronto transit. There have been major proposals from the province, major decisions made at council, and the TTC are going into arbitration with Metrolinx. With so much to unpack, we assembled an expert panel to take us through the major transit news: columnist Matt Elliott, Toronto Star transit reporter Ben Spurr, and York University geography professor and Spacing urban affairs columnist Tricia Wood. Believe it or not, it was a...
Nov 29, 2019•59 min
This is one of three special French-language episode of Future Fix, or "Face au Futur." Dans cet épisode, nous avons voulu réfléchir à la façon dont le monde académique pourrait s'insérer dans le concept de ville intelligente. Le nouveau Campus MIL de l'Université de Montréal, inauguré en septembre 2019, correspond bien à l'idée que l'on pourrait se faire d'un établissement universitaire intégré dans un contexte de ville intelligente. Geneviève O'Meara, la porte-parole de l'Université de Montréa...
Nov 21, 2019•25 min
Access to reliable internet has become an essential service, necessary for local businesses, education, and even healthcare. But there's a connectivity gap which has left over half of rural communities without this level of service. While higher levels of government have been making some moves to expand service beyond major urban centres, it's been slow going. Some communities are taking on the problem themselves. In this episode, Mayor Larry Oakden paints us a picture of Hamiota, Manitoba, and ...
Nov 13, 2019•19 min
It's easy to be excited by the promise of new technology, and bold, transformative "smart city" projects. Often that promise is made by companies who offer to pull municipalities into the future, at a speed that leaves local government and leadership behind. But Pamela Robinson, director of Ryerson's School of Urban and Regional Planning, and Future Cities Canada Fellow, says local government still has a role to play in smart city projects. And Jonathan Dewar, executive director of the First Nat...
Oct 23, 2019•24 min
Before Canada elects a new federal government, we thought we'd take a look at what the various parties are talking about, or neglecting to talk about, when it comes to Canadian cities and towns, and the urban agenda. And we've put a great panel together for you: Spacing Senior Editor John Lorinc, Toronto Star city hall reporter Jennifer Pagliaro, and TVO urban affairs reporter John Michael McGrath.
Oct 17, 2019•49 min
We begin this month by tuning in to the Special Committee on Governance, which was created to find ways to adjust to the changes imposed on Toronto City Council in the middle of last year's election. We catch up with journalist and Walkcast creator Tim Querengesser, as he explains the "MacKinnon Report" — a long list of recommendations commissioned by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party, which may mean belt-tightening for cities and towns in that province. Chief Commissioner...
Sep 30, 2019•33 min
Spacing and Evergreen proudly present The Future Fix: Solutions for Communities Across Canada, a special podcast series. In our first episode, we explore the unique relationship between the town of Innisfil, Ontario, and the controversial ride-hailing company Uber. Jason Reynar, the town's chief administrative officer, explains this relationship, and how it has changed transit choices for the people there. The Future Fix is a partnership between Spacing and Evergreen for the Community Solutions ...
Sep 25, 2019•17 min
Lanrick Bennett starts us off, talking about a pop-up pilot bike lane project on Toronto's Danforth Ave. Jared Kolb is stepping down as executive director at Cycle Toronto. After nine years, he tells us what he's learned about safe streets advocacy. Jamie Michaels tells us about his graphic novel "Christie Pits," all about a moment in Toronto history when everyday people stood up to racist hatred. And Spacing publisher Matthew Blackett sits down with urban designer Mikael Colville-Andersen — hos...
Aug 30, 2019•50 min
To celebrate three years of the Spacing Radio, we have an in-depth conversation with urban designer Ken Greenberg. We talk about his new book "Toronto Reborn: Design Successes and Challenges," the growth of the modern city from its humble postwar roots, Sidewalk Labs, Doug Ford, and more...
Aug 01, 2019•35 min
This episode, we partnered with Park People to bring you highlights from their national Heart of the City conference: the first of it's kind in Canada. We speak to Rena Soutar, the first Reconciliation Planner for the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation about decolonizing parks planning. Skateboarder and documentary filmmaker David Boots takes us on a tour of Peace Park in Montreal. And Park People's own Jake Tobin Garrett tells us what was uncovered in the inaugural Canadian City Parks Repo...
Jul 02, 2019•43 min
In this episode, activist/organizer Dave Meslin talks about his book "Teardown: rebuilding democracy from the ground up." We join Thomas McKechnie, playwright and organizer with Foodsters United — a new union working for a fair deal for food delivery workers in precarious employment. We speak to Urban Strategies Inc. partner Joe Berridge about his book "Perfect City: an urban fixer's global search for magic in the modern metropolis." In conjunction with Spacing's upcoming Laneways issue, we spea...
May 30, 2019•58 min
This month we look at how major swings in provincial politics are affecting cities across Canada. We talk to journalist and Walkcast host Tim Querengesser about the recent Alberta election, and how it impacts the city agenda in Edmonton and Calgary. Spacing urban affairs columnist and York University geography professor Tricia Wood walks us through Doug Ford's most recent transit plan for Toronto and the surrounding region. And McGill law dean Robert Leckey tells us about the push back from Mont...
Apr 30, 2019•54 min
In this episode, we dive into a few Big Ideas. First up is National Geographic explorer and geographer Daniel Raven-Ellison, who started a movement to have London, England declared a National Park City. And, I speak to Charter City Toronto steering committee members Doug Earl and former mayor John Sewell about how to gain recognized autonomy for the City in the constitution.
Mar 28, 2019•45 min
In this episode, we look at housing from a number of angles. Spacing Senior Editor John Lorinc and urban planner Cheryll Case give us the lay of the land, and a preview of their upcoming book, "House Divided." Planner and consultant Sean Galbraith tells us how City bureaucracy can lead to fewer affordable homes. And Councillor Gord Perks walks us through what "affordability" really means.
Feb 27, 2019•54 min
To celebrate Spacing‘s 15th anniversary, and the launch of “Toronto 2033: 10 short stories about the city’s future,” we speak to a variety of experts to try to imagine what the city will be like in the years ahead. We speak to futurist Trevor Haldenby and Toronto Environmental Alliance Campaigns Director Heather Marshall, who were both consultants on the short story compilation. And technologist/journalist Bianca Wylie tells us about Google's Sidewalk Labs plan for the waterfront, data privacy, ...
Jan 31, 2019•57 min
To celebrate Spacing's 15th anniversary, and the launch of "Toronto 2033: 10 short stories about the city's future," we speak to the creative minds behind the book. Featuring editor Jim Munroe, and authors Zainab Amadahy, Elan Mastai, and Karl Schroeder. Visit toronto2033.com for the full multimedia experience.
Dec 31, 2018•56 min
In this episode, we talk to street nurse Cathy Crowe about the challenges facing street-involved Torontonians, as we dive into another winter. Architect and urbanist Brent Bellamy helps us make sense of the Winnipeg election. CodeRedTO co-founder Cameron MacLeod walks us through the advocacy group's latest transit report. And Spacing senior editor Dylan Reid and author Adam Bunch tell us about "50 Hidden Gems and Curiousities."
Nov 29, 2018•56 min
As Toronto gets ready to vote, we’ll be bringing you regular panel discussions with journalists and experts who will help you wade through what is maybe the most confusing race in the city’s history. In this, our final panel, we talk to Spacing publisher and editor-in-chief Matthew Blackett, and Spacing senior editor and weekly Toronto Star columnist Shawn Micallef.
Oct 21, 2018•43 min
As Toronto gets ready to vote, we’ll be bringing you regular panel discussions with journalists and experts who will help you wade through what is maybe the most confusing race in the city’s history. This week we have Denise Balkissoon, weekly columnist for the Globe & Mail, and John Michael McGrath, digital media producer and bi-weekly columnist for TVO.
Oct 15, 2018•47 min
As Toronto gets ready to vote, we’ll be bringing you regular panel discussions with journalists and experts who will help you wade through what is maybe the most confusing race in the city’s history. This week we have Spacing urban affairs columnist and York University geography professor Tricia Wood, and CBC city hall analyst and Humber professor Matt Elliott.
Oct 08, 2018•49 min
As Toronto gets ready to vote, we'll be bringing you regular panel discussions with journalists and experts who will help you wade through what is maybe the most confusing race in the city's history. This week we have Spacing Senior Editor John Lorinc, and Toronto Star city hall reporter Jennifer Pagliaro.
Oct 01, 2018•45 min
Toronto's election was thrown into chaos this summer by an surprise announcement from Premier Doug Ford. What's at stake, who are the stakeholders, and where do we stand as a city? We break from format, and take you through a timeline of Bill 5, speaking with city councillors and candidates to get to the root of what recent developments mean to Toronto's ongoing election.
Sep 28, 2018•34 min
We're gearing up for the October 11th Green Building Festival! We talk to celebrated architect Vivian Manasc about what makes a truly "green" building. WSP's senior facade specialist Scott Armstrong walk us through the process of giving a building a face lift. And artist/urban designer Daan Roosegaarde tells us about scale-able interventions with the urban environment that encourage a sense of stewardship. If you'd like to attend the Green Building Festival, register at gbf18.eventbrite.com. Thi...
Aug 28, 2018•41 min
In this episode, we speak with Cycle Toronto's Liz Sutherland for a Vision Zero update, and what the new Ontario government means to cycling infrastructure in municipalities across the province. And architect Brian Kucharski gives us a tour a of a laneway house on Croft Street, and what recent approved guidelines for laneways mean to density in Toronto. Finally, former parking enforcement officer Kyle Ashley is taking his love of cycling to city hall, challenging incumbent Jaye Robinson who chai...
Jul 31, 2018•51 min
