Sometimes I’ll hear people in Toronto talk pejoratively about all of the development that’s been happening at Yonge & Eglinton (in midtown). They’ll say it’s too much density. But then you come across charts like the ones above (source previously shared here) and you realize… Read More
I take the UP Express train into the office every day (here in Toronto). This is a rail service that we have spoken about many times over the years on this blog. It started as an airport link that was too expensive, but was then… Read More
Back in 2016, the City of Toronto announced plans to run a transit-priority pilot on King Street in the downtown core. What this meant was that cars would be restricted to only certain movements and that streetcars would be given priority. This pilot was ultimately… Read More
On most days, I walk to the office. That is going to be changing later this summer, but what I’m about to say will still apply. Because I walk more often than I drive, whenever I have to go somewhere that necessitates a car and… Read More
Consider the following stat: 65% of all transit trips across the US in 2019 came from just 6 metro areas: New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, these are all places with dense and walkable urban centers. In other words,… Read More
I have a great deal of respect for Warren Buffet. Much of what I know (or think I know) about investing has come from listening to and watching him and his partner Charlie Munger. Surely they have got to be the most successful investors living… Read More
I was having coffee this week with a self-described luddite and, after we ordered our coffees, he surprised me by pulling out his iPhone and initiating ApplePay. Knowing him and his general views on technology, I said, “I’m surprised that you of all people are… Read More
I have remarked this before, but I’ll say it again anyways: sneakers are very popular in Paris. Everybody seems to be wearing cool and colorful sneakers, regardless of what the rest of their outfit happens to look like. Full business suit? Why yes, you should… Read More
This is a great diagram from Smart Density comparing the urban and regional rail networks of Toronto, London, and Paris. All are at the same scale. What immediately stands out to me — besides Toronto’s relatively miniscule network — is Paris’ compactness. I have said… Read More
I was driving to the office from the Junction last week, and I passed a brave individual waiting at this bus stop on Parkside Drive: I immediately thought to myself, “what an undignified and silly bus stop.” There’s a little bit of paving so you… Read More
BRANDON DONNELLY 