Spacing | Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

The photographic techniques of Toronto’s City Photographers

Exploring another side of the "roadway" archives of Toronto's official photographers, Arthur Goss and Howard MacDonald

By Peter MacCallum

In May 2026, as part of the Contact Photography Festival, the City of Toronto Archives opened a new didactic exhibition entitled “Subseries 58: Department of Public Works Roadway photographs.” For this exhibition, which runs until April 31, 2027, curator Paul Sharkey has taken a conceptual approach to a photo series created between 1910 and 1957 by City Photographer Arthur Goss and his successor Howard MacDonald. Instead of using a conventional layout, he has arranged large numbers of... Read more

Vancouver Spacing

UCS #104: The Tourist Experience

See our Launch and Introduction about the launch of the © Urban Cartoon Syndicate and the announcement by CityHallWatch. *** Related Readings: ‘Utter...
By Urban Cartoon Syndicate
Vancouver Urban Design

The City in the Present

One place, one time. A queue curving around the block for a croissant that went viral, a transit card mapping the pulse of a city in motion, a sun cutting a corridor of light down 42nd Street once a year. Physically present in a city.
By Yuval Fogelson
Toronto Politics

Howard Moscoe and the limits of municipal power

The legendary councillor, who died last month, will be commemorated by the city and the TTC, but even a fighter like him couldn't win every battle
By John Lorinc
Vancouver Urban Design

The Pasts of the City

Understanding the city’s past through the evidence it left behind: what was documented, what was drawn on maps, and what simply survived.
By Yuval Fogelson
Vancouver Spacing

UCS #103: Vancouver Villages Plan

See our Launch and Introduction about the launch of the © Urban Cartoon Syndicate and the announcement by CityHallWatch. *** Related Readings: Villages...
By Urban Cartoon Syndicate
Toronto Bikes

Bike Lane Closed

Toronto Cyclists Bear the Burden of Construction Impacts
By Jessie Ye

Vancouver Urban Design

The City in Tenses

Cities are built toward futures of their time. What we inherit gets adapted, protected, bulldozed, or recovered, as we find ourselves living in yesterday's tomorrow.
By Yuval Fogelson
Vancouver Features

Vancouver’s Villages Debate in Plain English

The Villages Plan: What It Is, Why It's Happening, and Why Some People Are Concerned
By Erick Villagomez
Vancouver Culture

UCS #102: The White Elephant

See our Launch and Introduction about the launch of the © Urban Cartoon Syndicate and the announcement by CityHallWatch. *** Related Readings: Vancouver...
By Urban Cartoon Syndicate
Vancouver Features

Book Review – Planning the Future of Abu Dhabi: A Canadian-Emirati Collaboration for Sustainable Urbanism

Edited by Larry Beasley and Michael White (UBC Press/On Point Press, 2026) There is a version of city-building that planners often imagine, if not quietly...
By Erick Villagomez
Toronto Photos

The rise and fall of National Rubber

Photographer Peter MacCallum documented the National Rubber Industries Cawthra Avenue Plant in the West Toronto Junction, 1991-2026
By Peter MacCallum
Toronto Bikes

The truth about the University Avenue bike lanes

The evidence does not support the negative narrative some are peddling
By Lanrick Bennett

National Podcast

THE OVERHEAD: When Policy Pauses Public Ownership

Spacing and the Balanced Supply of Housing research node proudly present The Overhead: Understanding Canada’s Affordable Housing Crisis, a special podcast series.
By Spacing Radio
National Podcast

The Overhead: What We’ve Learned About Evictions

Spacing and the Balanced Supply of Housing research node proudly present The Overhead: Understanding Canada’s Affordable Housing Crisis, a special podcast series.
By Spacing Radio
Toronto Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 094, The Landlords

In this episode: rental construction, Bill 60, and tenants' rights.
By Spacing Radio

Toronto Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 93, Everything Eglinton

In this episode: celebrating the Crosstown, lessons learned, and Scarborough's Golden Mile.
By Spacing Radio
National Podcast

The Overhead: Rent Control and Rent Hikes

Spacing and the Balanced Supply of Housing research node proudly present The Overhead: Understanding Canada’s Affordable Housing Crisis, a special podcast series.
By Spacing Radio
Toronto Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 92, Resolutions for Toronto leadership

In this episode: the election starts now, the Doug Ford problem, and public toilets.
By Spacing Radio
National Podcast

The Overhead: Community land trusts gaining ground

Spacing and the Balanced Supply of Housing research node proudly present The Overhead: Understanding Canada’s Affordable Housing Crisis, a special podcast series.
By Spacing Radio
National Podcast

The Overhead: Decommodifying Housing

Spacing and the Balanced Supply of Housing research node proudly present The Overhead: Understanding Canada’s Affordable Housing Crisis, a special podcast series.
By Spacing Radio
National Podcast

The Overhead: Indigenous-led housing

Spacing and the Balanced Supply of Housing research node proudly present The Overhead: Understanding Canada’s Affordable Housing Crisis, a special podcast series.
By Spacing Radio
Toronto Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 90, Bless this urban mess

In This Episode: we talk incremental change, embrace urban chaos, and take a stroll down Toronto's laneways
By Spacing Radio
Toronto Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 089, Global ideas for local placemaking

In This Episode: what is placemaking and what can we learn from placemakers around the world?
By Spacing Radio
Toronto Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 088, Big City Mayor Takes on Canadian Housing

In This Episode: recent Vancouver history, Canada's new housing minister, and Scarborough cuisine
By Glyn Bowerman

More Podcasts

Toronto Waterfront

Jet Dreams on Toronto Island (Part 1)

Premier Doug Ford and the Toronto Port Authority, the federal agency that owns Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, have been extraordinarily secretive...
By Ian Darragh
Toronto Bikes

Modernizing e-bike rules

This article is co-authored with Muskan Fatima. E-bikes are good for our cities. They offer reliable transportation for people of all ages and abilities...
By Albert Koehl
Vancouver Features

I’m Voting for Neighbourhoods. Are You?

I believe that Vancouver is, first and foremost, a “City of Distinguished Neighbourhoods”, and that Vancouver neighbourhoods are poised to...
By scothein
Toronto Waterfront

Rees Park: The rug that can tie the post-FIFA waterfront together

The waterfront as an east-west canvas for events and animation in Toronto will show its potential like never before during the upcoming FIFA World Cup...
By Tim Kocur
Toronto Community

OP-ED: Invitation as Urban Policy

This spring, at Bloomberg CityLab in Madrid, social prescribing reached the agenda of the world’s largest cities summit for the first time. It was a...
By Kate Mulligan
Toronto Bikes

The truth about the University Avenue bike lanes

Over the past year, I have written multiple times about how misinformation and selective framing continue shaping Toronto’s transportation debates. In...
By Lanrick Bennett

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