Many cities in North America have been adding bike lanes in the past few years, especially as demand for outdoor activities spiked during the pandemic. Those lanes have been crucial at keeping cyclists safe, but seeing the road lose a lane has upset drivers, especially those who rely on their cars.

Enter Doug Ford, in Ontario. The premier has introduced legislation that will require municipalities to obtain approval from the province for new bike lanes, as well as removing bike lanes that are already there – even ones that just finally finished construction.

Mike and Cara discuss why this is such a popular idea, even though it won't solve Toronto's real congestion issues. They highlight the need for effective solutions to traffic congestion and the role of government in addressing these challenges, while also considering the future of bike lanes and the importance of public advocacy.

Links:
Bloor Street West Bike Lane Pilot Project Evaluation
Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension
The left is losing the battle for the bike — as it should | National Post
Breaking the Bottlenecks : Congestion Solutions for Canada

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Over and over again, we see the same problems come up when building anything physical in this country, such as a house or a train. Costs start to balloon and every project seems to end up over budget – or at least costs us more than it would cost to build in other countries.

More Neighbours Toronto’s founder Eric Lombardi attributes this largely to a system of soft corruption.

In this conversation, he highlights how convoluted processes and lack of transparency lead to inflated costs and diminished outcomes. He compares Canada's approach to infrastructure with that of European countries, emphasizing the need for standardization and in-house expertise. Lombardi proposes solutions to improve procurement processes and accountability, advocating for a more efficient and transparent system that prioritizes taxpayer value.

Links:
Canada can no longer afford to ignore its ‘soft corruption’ problem
https://thehub.ca/2024/10/03/eric-lombardi-canada-can-no-longer-afford-to-ignore-its-soft-corruption-problem/

Altus Group
https://www.altusgroup.com/
https://www.bildgta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-GTA-Municipal-Benchmarking-Study-Our-number-7147-Final.pdf
More Neighbours

Guest: Eric Lombardi, https://x.com/EricDLombardi

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

A lot of people get into advocacy for better cities and urbanism by watching what’s perhaps YouTube’s biggest urbanism channel, @NotJustBikes . But that leads many to think that with enough advocacy, their hometowns could one day also look like a city in the Netherlands. Not Just Bikes’ Jason Slaughter says it’s not that simple.

In this conversation, journalist Cara Stern and economist Mike Moffatt talk to Jason about what North American cities can learn from the Netherlands. They explore the principles of Dutch urban design, the importance of context in urban planning, and the need for holistic approaches that go beyond just implementing bike lanes.

Links:
Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can):
https://youtu.be/Uhx-26GfCBU?si=uB-fSJYD0ouxDHiv
Strong Towns:
https://www.strongtowns.org/

Guest: Jason Slaughter, Not Just Bikes https://www.youtube.com/c/notjustbikes

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.