Spacing Toronto

Op-Ed: Why is there so little rental construction?

A developer unpacks the math that makes purpose-built rental so challenging to build

By Jonathan Diamond

This is an op-ed column by Jonathan Diamond, a principal at Well Grounded Real Estate Development in Toronto primarily consists of condos, with significantly more condos being built than rental apartments. Furthermore, the skew towards condo development exists in an economic context in which rental vacancy rates are at an all-time low and relatedly, rents are at an all-time high. One would think this scenario provides developers with an incredible opportunity to develop rental buildings... Read more

Housing

LORINC: Major planning change for Toronto’s major streets

Council is debating a transformational plan to allow small scale apartments on every main artery in Toronto
By John Lorinc
Green Space

Clearcutting in the Don Valley

Giant machines have felled every tree and scraped all vegetation through great swaths of the Don Valley to make way for the Ontario Line subway. Photographer Steven Evans captures stunning images of the impact, accompanied by text by Ian Darragh.
By Ian Darragh
Traffic

OP-ED: Addressing Toronto’s congestion will take more than technology

We first have to recognize that congestion is an intractable problem whose solution requires the meaningful participation of diverse stakeholders, say Mahtot Gebresselassie and Tricia Wood
By Mahtot Gebresselassie and Tricia Wood
Events

Book launch of expanded and updated edition of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto

Toronto's changed and so has Stroll. A new edition for a new city.
By Spacing
Bikes

OP-ED: The bicycle licence, again

A recent attempt to enable the city to licence food couriers is a reminder of why cyclist licences have been long abandoned, says Albert Koehl
By Albert Koehl
Photos

The Ground We Share

Street photographer Zun Lee’s exhibit for:GROUND demonstrates to Torontonians that we can reclaim our public spaces.
By Trent Weston

Green Space

Shadowland: Photography down in the ravines

Photographer Sasha Chapman explores the ways in which our ravines reflect the city above
By Sasha Chapman
Spacing

Spacing nominated for National Magazine Award

The magazine's 20th anniversary issue is a nominee for Best Editorial Package
By Spacing
Podcast

PODCAST: Spacing Radio 077, Spring cleaning in Toronto

In this episode: Terrible trash cans and Russian hackers
By Spacing Radio
Community

Are commercial “third places” a dying breed?

A recent renovation of his local Starbucks that discourages spending time there has Craig Meerkamper pondering the loss of spaces to hang out between home and workplace.
By Craig Meerkamper
Waterfront

Dangerous Development: ‘Boulder beaches’ are unsafe and bad for us and our environment

At a time when Ontario Place has been put off limits, the City's new approach to making beaches is not an improvement
By Steve Mann
Housing

LORINC: It’s time to talk about the Committee of Adjustment

These tribunals attract the worst kind of NIMBYism and don't belong in a city that needs to fight a housing crisis on every front
By John Lorinc

Culture

The Ultimate Guide to the Best Songs About Toronto

In the Fall 2023 issue of Spacing (coming soon to a store or mailbox near you), we shine a spotlight on five “Toronto Troubadours” — musicians “dedicated...
By Todd Harrison
Pandemic

LORINC: The pandemic is about cities

Viruses, in the abstract, don’t care much about their host organisms, beyond the latter’s on-board, physiological defenses. Yet it’s clear the coronavirus...
By John Lorinc
Waterfront

What’s really happening at Ontario Place? (Part 1)

The investigation by Ontario Auditor-General Bonnie Lysyk into the Ford government’s removal of 7,400 acres of prime farmland and wetlands from the...
By Ian Darragh
Housing

LORINC: The Tories’ use-it-or-lose housing ruse

On the north-east corner of Bathurst and St. Clair West sits a snazzy purpose-built condo sales office, ostensibly there to promote Foret, a giant...
By John Lorinc
Waterfront

Q&A with Steven Evans on photographing Ontario Place

With the chaotic Greenbelt scandal swirling in the background, the updated plans for the Ford government’s deeply contentious and destructive scheme...
By John Lorinc
Waterfront

What’s really happening at Ontario Place? (Part 2)

Sequel to Part 1 of “What’s really happening at Ontario Place?“ Ontario Place was conceived by Conservative Premier John Robarts in 1968 as an...
By Ian Darragh

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