Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Toronto

#MinimumGrid: Toronto Advocates Move Politicians Beyond Bike Platitudes

By Michael Andersen | Sep 25, 2014 | 5 Comments

Michael Andersen blogs for The Green Lane Project, a PeopleForBikes program that helps U.S. cities build better bike lanes to create low-stress streets. Almost all urban politicians will tell you they think bikes are great. But only some actually do anything to make biking more popular. In Toronto’s current mayoral and city council election, a […]

Fixing a Blank Wall Streetscape With Storefront Retrofits

By Angie Schmitt | Sep 5, 2014 | 20 Comments

Every city has places where the buildings present a blank face to the sidewalk. A dark, recessed arcade deadening the pedestrian environment or a soulless concrete wall fronting a windswept plaza. Consultant Brent Toderian, formerly the planning director for the city of Vancouver, pointed out a cheap and easy solution to this problem. He calls them […]

After Cyclists Protest, Toronto Will Protect Downtown Bike Lanes

By Angie Schmitt | Aug 13, 2014 | 2 Comments

In a victory for bike safety in Toronto, officials have agreed to add protective posts to three new downtown bike lanes. Toronto striped two buffered bike lanes in July and is preparing to add another. Local cyclists were expecting the lanes to have some physical protection to keep out illegally-parked cars and shield riders from […]

Crack-Smoking Aside — Does Rob Ford Have a Drunk Driving Problem?

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 4, 2013 | 11 Comments

What’s the best way describe the state of Rob Ford’s mayoralty in Toronto? At this point, “train wreck” might be too kind. Late last week, news broke that Toronto police were in possession of the famous but elusive video showing the executive of Canada’s largest city smoking crack. The news cycle has, understandably, been dominated […]

Two Drivers Jump Sidewalk in Toronto, Injure 10 — Cops Blame Pedestrians

By Angie Schmitt | Jul 8, 2013 | 3 Comments

Today in police behaving badly, this madness from Toronto… Ten people were injured — including six pedestrians — following a collision in which two drivers jumped the curb. The crash was found to be caused by an “illegal road manuver” on the part of one of the drivers. But that didn’t stop Toronto Police Constable […]

Rob Ford’s Greatest Hits

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 26, 2012 | 11 Comments

Rob Ford, internationally renowned nemesis of the livable streets movement, was removed from his post as mayor of Toronto today after being found guilty of violating local ethics laws. Ford will have an opportunity to appeal the ruling. As villains go, Ford was actually sort of ideal: brash, unthinking, and prone to embarrassing himself. The Canadian […]

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