Urban Planet is a daily roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues.
Canadians increasingly prefer walkable neighbourhoods with access to transit. This may not seem like shocking news but it is a significant shift. A recent study by the Royal Bank of Canada and the Pembina Institute found that, if home price were not a factor, more than 80 per cent of homebuyers would trade a large house and a long car commute for a modest or attached dwelling where they can walk to amenities, take rapid transit to work and enjoy a commute of less than 30 minutes. Pembina’s report, Live Where You Go, which focuses on the Greater Toronto Area, suggests five policy tools to make living where we work and play easier. These include: a cost location calculator, changes to development charges, taxing surface parking, reducing minimum parking requirements and using transit funding to support location efficiency.
Image from MsAnthea
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