Civic Engagement
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UCS #124 – Past & Future?
The © Urban Cartoon Syndicate was launched in May 2024, jointly with Spacing Vancouver. Published roughly weekly by a group of cartoonists and...
By Erick Villagomez -
Election 2026: Now That the Elections Are Over, How Do We Stay Engaged?
This article is part of a series by Christopher Balkaran on ways to approach and engage with the municipal election campaign. “Revendiquer avec classe!â€...
By Christopher Balkaran -
PODCAST: Spacing Radio 096, Toronto Election Council Races
To prepare you for the Toronto municipal election happening now until October 26, we’ve prepared an expert panel on the council races that stand out...
By Spacing Radio -
City Primer — Part 6: Why Civic Literacy Matters
Most people do not spend much time thinking about municipal government. They think about finding housing, getting to work, walking their children to...
By Erick Villagomez -
City Primer — Part 5: Why Municipal Politics Feels So Broken
A public hearing runs late into the evening. Dozens of residents take turns speaking. Some support the proposal. Others oppose it. City staff present...
By Erick Villagomez -
City Primer — Part 4: Why Cities Are Always Short of Money
Many residents assume cities operate financially in roughly the same way as provincial or federal governments. They don’t. Municipal governments are...
By Erick Villagomez -
City Primer — Part 3: Why Housing Dominates Municipal Politics
It’s possible to attend a Vancouver City Council meeting and come away with the impression that municipal government exists almost entirely to debate...
By Erick Villagomez -
OP-ED: Fighting global warming with joy
This month, more than 1,000 people from across Canada are coming to Toronto to talk about climate adaptation. The timing is good. Toronto has just come...
By Natalie Brown and Kate Mulligan -
City Primer — Part 1 – What Is Municipal Government?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Vancouver is in the midst of profound urban change. Housing costs, population growth, transportation investments, climate adaptation...
By Erick Villagomez -
PODCAST: Spacing Radio 95, Saving Toronto
First: a little rant about Doug Ford’s island airport expansion plans, which have (at least for now) been grounded. Next, the book Saving Toronto...
By Spacing Radio -
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 -
Vancouver’s Villages Debate in Plain English
If you’ve heard people talking about Vancouver’s proposed Villages Plan and wondered what all the fuss is about, you’re not alone. The...
By Erick Villagomez