Categories
History Ontario Travels

The long way to Pembroke

A few weeks ago, I went for another long-distance bus trip. I started my journey in Downtown Toronto, and continued on to Peterborough and Pembroke, before arriving in Ottawa late in the evening.  Apart from the Toronto-Peterborough leg aboard a packed, delayed bus, this was the most pleasant of all my long-distance bus trips. Greyhound’s […]

Categories
Brampton Development Urban Planning

The death and life of Shoppers World Brampton

Shoppers World Brampton is destined for development as an urban mixed-use hub. The planning details have now been revealed.

Categories
History Transit

Suburban Toronto’s transit past and future on north Yonge Street

Stop 17 shelter in Thornhill On Yonge Street in Thornhill, a small green hut sits beside the busy roadway at the entrance to Cricklewood Park. On the side of the small building, a wood sign says “Stop 17.” Hundreds of buses and thousands of cars pass by this hut daily, yet few may know about […]

Categories
History Roads

The road to Paris and London

Distance Sign on Highway 5, Clappison’s Corners Early European settlers to Ontario were not very imaginative when they came up with local place names. Although some towns and townships have First Nations names (Toronto, Chinguacousy, Niagara), or named for First Nations leaders allied with the British (Tecumseh, Brant), most cities, towns, and townships were given the […]

Categories
Infrastructure Ontario Transit Travels

O-Train impressions: this is what LRT looks like

Confederation Line train approaching Tremblay Station Last weekend, I visited Ottawa to check out the new Confederation Line LRT. Canada’s newest rapid transit line, delayed by two years, finally opened on Saturday, September 14. It is the second LRT to open in Ontario this year; Waterloo Region’s ION service opened in June. The new 13-station […]

Categories
Ontario Roads

The north needs roads

Nipigon River Bridge, August 2019 In January 2016, a bridge over the Nipigon River failed. Located roughly 100 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, it formed part of the Trans-Canada Highway. The only east-west link between Western and Eastern Canada was severed, with the only detour through the United States. Climate change, road safety, and access […]

Categories
Roads Toronto

Let’s rock out for Vision Zero

The Major Street Boulder On September 18, Toronto Star columnist Jack “The Fixer” Lakey wrote about a boulder that was dug up during construction in the Annex. Bloor Street is currently being dug up between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue as the city replaces watermains and reconstructs the roadway. New parkettes at Major Street and Howland […]

Categories
Maps Toronto Transit

A departure from TTC wayfinding improvements

Despite many recent improvements to TTC design and wayfinding standards, two recent changes miss the mark.

Categories
Politics Toronto Transit

How TIFF lost the plot

504 King Streetcar diverting onto Spadina on Thursday, September 5 For the sixth year in a row, King Street between University and Spadina Avenues was closed for four straight days. This closure was for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) “Festival Street,” which took place between Thursday September 5 and Sunday September 8. In addition, […]

Categories
Intercity Rail Ontario Travels

Trekking across Northern Ontario

VIA RDC train about to depart Sudbury for White River Last month, I embarked on a journey from Toronto to Thunder Bay, a distance of over 1,300 kilometres. My journey took me nearly three days as I opted to travel by bus and rail, rather than by car or by air. Though I had to […]