In the second of a four-part series on suburban Canada, the Globe and Mail looks at how suburban communities are dealing with the aging of baby boomers -- a "battle that's lost ahead of time."
"Canada's suburbs were built for young families with cars -- forget the sidewalks. Yet they're going to fill up with grandmothers and grandfathers who may not be able to walk, much less drive, a transformation that has implications for policy-makers and city planners.
Instead of zippy throughways, tomorrow's inner suburbs may want to consider pedestrian-friendly streets with benches and crosswalks. And maybe the corner store will have to be made accessible on foot, rather than by SUV.
'These suburbs weren't designed with seniors in mind at all. There's going to have to be a lot of retrofitting,' said Mr. Hodge, former director of the school of urban planning at Queen's University in Kingston.
'Baby boomers, because of their numbers, always imposed their development model on society,' said Mr. Vaillancourt, the long-time mayor of Laval. 'When they wanted bungalows, we had to build them bungalows. Today, the same people are looking for condos and retirement homes.
'The baby-boom generation is being followed by the baby-bust generation. It's inexorable. Fighting the aging of the population is a battle that's lost ahead of time. I have no chance of winning that fight.'"
FULL STORY: Greying fringes
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
USDOT Eliminates Environmental, Equity Considerations
A new memo rescinds Biden-era regulations that prioritized renewable energy, accessibility, and equity for historically disadvantaged communities.
Study: Drops in Transit Ridership Linked to Extreme Weather
Unsurprisingly, people are less likely to use transit during extreme weather events, which are becoming more common around the country.
Washington State May Cap Rent Increases at 7 Percent
House Bill 1217 was passed by the House and will move next to the state Senate.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research