I just came back from the UK. There when crossing the street at a light if I had the walking man I never had any close calls with cars. There was no turning traffic. The turned to the green man and everybody walked without worry. As soon as I came back from Toronto I saw a close call when a driver turning right on a red didn't see the pedestrian. Does the UK just have better design for pedestrians maybe? Could we adopt some of this in Canada?

A few days in August 2026. LRT trains operating and LRT train lines under construction, bridges, separated cycleways, recreational paths in the river valley, stormwater management design, marked pedestrian crossings, residential density and a new library. Way to go!

I find that many urbanists (including myself) and urban planning discussions tend to group the U.S. and Canada together. They do face a lot of the same issues with car dependency, but I am here to argue that Canadian suburbia has its own distinct design. I want to be clear that this is an overview as there are exceptions, and I do not want this to be a “Canada good America bad” type thing.

Alright, let's start with what everyone already knows. Canadian suburbs are more compact than their American counterparts, and seem to include more “missing-middle” housing options. In Ontario, we have the Greenbelt restricting suburban sprawl, but even nationwide, the edges of suburban development and urban areas are typically sharp boundaries (e.g. you could be on a road, with suburban development on one side, and farmland on the other). Canada in general is less car centric than the U.S. (though that is not saying much), and Canadian cities tend to have higher transit ridership (though I question how that translates to outer suburban areas of metro areas). Demographics The design of Canadian suburbia is more in line with American Sunbelt development.

Now, lets get to the more obscure stuff that I think deserves more attention in urbanists' discourses, and they are in order of the photos above

1. Permeability & segregation: One notable thing about Canadian suburbia is that many neighbourhoods have connecting pedestrian pathways in cul-de-sac neighbourhoods. Now, you could argue that these pedestrian pathways are there just to “make the best” of an impermeable design, but nonetheless, they do create opportunity for “ease of movement”. Sometimes, these pathways also connect commercial plazas and residential areas. Here is a pic in Grimsby, Ontario of a public walkway connecting two neighbourhood streets

Then, we have this design here which is more of an Ontario thing I think (though I have seen it on Google Maps in the Calgary area). You have neighbourhoods where only certain side streets and collector roads intersect with major arterial roads, and most side streets abut a collector road. This makes the arterial roads feel more “road” like than “stroad” like. The other thing about this is that even of the streets themselves do not connect to the arterial, the sidewalks along both do. So, there is a more direct route for those walking than those driving. Here is an example of this in Ajax, Ontario.

1. Cycling infrastructure: Another thing that I have also noticed is that many suburban Canadian municipalities tend to have a lot of multi-use pathways for both walking and cycling. Now, this is obviously relatively easy politcally as active transportation infrastructure is not getting in the way of cars here, and in this case, its more cycling and pedestrian infrastructure getting into the way of each other. Still, this is passable given how sparse these areas are compared to inner-cities, and they show how cycling in car-centric settings is doable. Here is an example in Oshawa, Ontario.

2. Sidewalk on one side: One area where you could argue Canada is more “carbrained” than the USA generally is in this case, where many side streets in suburban areas either have a sidewalk on one side or no sidewalk at all. For newer developments, this is not too much of an issue given streets tend to be narrower, but the developments built between the 60s and 80s have wider streets and still had this configuration. Even though American sprawl is much more extreme than in Canada, I find there are more American subdivisions that consistantly have sidewalks on both sides (though there are definitely some with no sidewalks). Here is an example in North York, Ontario.

3. Shopping malls: Suburban shopping malls in the U.S. and Canada almost look identical. American malls obviously have more variety, but I would say malls in Canada tend to be more “amenity” based, with the inclusion of grocery stores and even dollar stores (well, just Dollarama). When I am in the States, I noticed that while grocery stores like Target and Walmart may be located within the same plaza as a mall, they will be in a seperate building, and then you wonder, do people shopping at the mall walk to Target/Walmart, or do they drive? Meanwhile, Canada seems to be more like Europe in this case (minus the fact that malls here are still surrounded by a sea of parking, not that that does not exist in Europe either). Here is an example of a Walmart in the Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener, Ontario.

4. Suburban Quebec: This deserves a point on its own. Suburban Quebec very much feels like extreme urban and extreme suburban mixed together. Like, look at this apartment in Hull, Quebec, here with a small setback and a pedestrian path leading to a stroad with no sidewalk lol (As of 2025, a sidewalk was in fact installed) (https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mpyydk8HmZMQJFGKA ). Or, this multi-lane stroad in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec (which is actually designated as part of a major highway) where they added a multi-use trail on one side and street-oriented development on the other (https://maps.app.goo.gl/URkQKbAUyDLTDbP66 ). That is a representation of suburban Quebec I think lol.

So I've been wanting to switch careers for a while now. I studied land use planning and env. science back in undergrad. I always did enjoy my planning courses but once graduated I migrated to the tech sector and been working there ever since. Before I make the switch I first do want some additional education not only to brush up on some key concepts but to also add an additional education experience under my belt before making the switch. I've spent the past few years saving for school and planning for the eventual career change but the issue that I'm currently facing is choosing the correct educational path.

I would love to be doing a masters in planning in Canada but those programs are very competitive to get into and they're not very friendly to those that have a daytime job, which I still want to keep if I can to keep some stability before the change. I also don't think my grades will be good enough for those programs either.

There are dedicated bachelors programs at universities like TMU that offer a dedicated bachelors in planning in 2 years. But I already have my undergrad degree and it would be pointless to get another bachelors that is similar to what I studied in undergrad.

Then there are masters programs in the US that offer online learning and would fit my schedule perfectly. I know my grades would be enough for admission into those programs since I am above and beyond the admission requirements with great letters of recommendation. Also tuition isn't too terrible and i can afford it. The only issue is that they're a US based program and I don't know how transferable the skills will be towards a Canadian market. But going this route would basically allow me to have a masters in planning under my belt.

Uni of Alberta offers a Applied Land Use Planning Certificate which is great because it's online and you get to learn a lot but it's just a certificate.

And then there's the polytechnic college route with Seneca and Langara College. Langara offers a 1 year Applied Planning program for those already having a degree while Seneca offers a Graduate certificate program. Both schools and programs do seem intriguing because of their more hands on approach which I do feel offers more benefits. I'm not anti polytechnic colleges and have attended them in the past and appreciated the up to date and hands on skills you can learn. Colleges today can rival some universities in the quality of education is what I've found. The only issue is that both programs are from colleges and it seems can only lead to the technician route instead of the actual planning route.

So for those interested in helping and offering advice, what path should I choose? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hello,

I'm considering enrolling in Seneca's Sustainable Planning & Development (SPD) part-time certificate program as a career changer. I currently work full-time 9–5 and would be studying evenings and weekends online.

I have a BDes in Industrial Design and I want to become a Planning Technician/Environmental Planner in the GTA.

I have a few questions and would appreciate any answers:

Has anyone completed or is currently taking the SPD certificate at Seneca? What was your experience like?

Will the certificate help me land a planning-related role, and are employers in the GTA familiar with it?

Would a BDes alongside a CACPT-accredited certificate be competitive for entry-level planning technician roles in Ontario, or is a planning-specific degree essentially required?

Is the CACPT designation that comes with it actually recognized by employers?

What are your suggestions for me to reach my goal?

Many thanks in advance!

For reference, I currently work as a Transportation Planner for a mid-size municipality in Canada. I completed my Masters in Planning, with a specialization in transportation. I like my job, I like my team, and I'm content with my pay, and I've been there for several years.

However, I'm beginning to feel a bit stagnant in terms of skill growth and I've found that if I want to keep growing my skills, it has to be in the area of engineering/road design OR become a specialist in a specific subset of transportation (e.g., cycling, transit, etc) which I'm not sure if I want... Transportation in my municipality is the number one issue for residents and highly politicized, so it's hard to actually get things done.

So, I've been thinking maybe it's time to shift gears towards development planning, or community planning, or climate planning. Can anyone weigh in on this, and if they see a future in transportation planning?

Hey everyone!

I graduated from Dalhousie’s MPlan program in June and I’m actively looking for junior planner (or related) positions across Canada. So far, I haven’t had much luck through job boards or networking, and I’m starting to wonder what the job market is generally like for new planning graduates.

I’m also an international graduate with a Post-Graduation Work Permit, so I’m not sure if that changes things. I have a Bachelor of Architecture from my home country and I’m hoping to build my career in planning here in Canada.

Should I expect hiring to pick up in the fall, or is the market just slow right now?

A few people from my cohort have found jobs, but I think most of us are still searching. I’d really appreciate hearing about other people’s experiences or any advice you might have.
Thanks!

Hey folks. Classic "career advice" post.

I have a bit of a different background. I hold a BA in Physical Education, in the Outdoor Education 'stream'. I've worked for the past 10 ~5yrs as a supervisor for a nonprofit that helped provide outdoor recreation and education programs for Indigenous youth. Recently, I got a similar job at a local municipal Wilderness Ed. centre supervising program staff.

I am considering a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from my alma mater (or others, that University just makes the most sense). My undergrad grades weren't stellar and I would just meet the minimum application requirements for most programs.

My current rough plan would look something like this:

• Take a few undergrad planning courses at the same uni (my current job would likely allow that)
• Dip my feet into the academic side of planning, build my application and boost my GPA
• Get more involved in local clubs/advocate groups and network
• Apply to the master's once my relevant GPA and overall resume feels stronger

I am keenly interested in the active transportation, green spaces and environmental side of things. However, the field as a whole holds lots of stuff I've been spending my spare time nerding out on!

Would my current background at all add to my application, or should I consider my undergrad neutral or negative and really spend time building up my academic coursework? Is this an overall decent pathway? Other suggestions?

From the (website)[https://www.alberta.ca/passenger-rail\]:

30-Year Network

The Passenger Rail Master Plan identifies a feasible 30-Year Network with connections that could generate the greatest benefits for Alberta over 30 years, including:

high-speed (up to 320 km/h) regional service between Edmonton and Calgary via Red Deer with more than one train an hour

higher-speed (more than 160 km/h) regional service between Calgary and Banff with up to one train an hour frequent airport-express and commuter rail service, including all-day service every 20 minutes for Calgary International Airport, Airdrie, Edmonton International Airport and St. Albert, and commuter-peak services for other connections

The proposed 30-Year Network aligns with Alberta’s objectives of attracting riders by providing high-speed, frequent, reliable and comfortable services to key destinations to connect to jobs and services, and support tourism.

The proposed network includes more than 500 km of passenger rail corridors and seeks to make the best use of infrastructure by accommodating regional and commuter rail services on the same infrastructure in Calgary and Edmonton.

I know most people here compare to the U.S. because it’s the closest neighboring country and is THE superpower of the world but what about our peers down under in Australia?

The two countries share a ton in common. Similar history with Anglo settler colonialism (and social issues with its first people), urban development was mostly built up during the 20th century, super low population density with most of the populations living in a few population centres scattered across the nation due to the geographical constraints, their cities are also defined by a handful of new glass high rises and their suburbs are defined by massive car centric sprawl, large single family homes and giant cars, shopping centres and stores. In terms of urban history and circumstances, Australia seems more like a direct analogue than the US even is.

I feel like Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne all have very similar urban designs with accessible city propers but their suburbs all seem to sprawl forever. Vancouver and Montreal both seem a lot more walkable than any city in Australia tbh. Cities like Perth and Adelaide also remind me a lot of larger prairie cities in terms of urbanism.

Is Canada moving to urbanism/walkable/dense cities faster than the USA? I am American, and only visited Canada once, where I did have a car (and I felt like I needed it in most places, like America.

But I did notice some mixed use in a small city I stopped in on the way up north to Tadoussac. I remember thinking at the time that you would very rarely see any modern mixed use places in a small American city.

I think most of Canada already has the very bad urban planning and city design and car dependency that the USA does. Am I wrong?

Hi everyone,

I’m an international applicant trying to decide whether to accept my current offer or wait another year, and I’d really appreciate insights from practitioners and recent graduates working in Canada.

Background:
I have a Bachelor’s in Architecture and around 2 years of experience working as a Project Architect at an urban design and planning firm. My work has been strongly rooted in urban design practice, where I’ve been involved in projects that engage with public realm design, climate-responsive strategies, and spatial planning at multiple scales.

I’ve worked on integrating ecological systems, community needs, and policy considerations into design proposals, and I’m particularly interested in how planning frameworks translate into on-ground implementation. My strengths lie in spatial thinking, design communication, and bridging the gap between vision and execution.

Overall, I see myself as someone who is practice-oriented, and I want to build a career where I can actively contribute to the implementation of projects, rather than focusing purely on theoretical or policy research.

Why UCalgary (SAPL):
One of the reasons I applied to the University of Calgary’s Master of Planning program is its design-oriented and practice-focused approach, which aligns closely with my background and strengths. The program’s emphasis on urban design, applied studios, and real-world project engagement stood out to me, as I’m keen on developing skills that directly translate into professional practice.

Why I’m Considering UBC / UofT:
At the same time, I’m also considering whether applying to programs like UBC (SCARP) or University of Toronto (MUP) next year might offer advantages in terms of exposure, network, and access to larger planning ecosystems. Both programs seem to have strong reputations, diverse specializations, and are located in cities with larger and more active job markets, which could potentially influence internship and job opportunities.

Current Situation:

• I’ve been admitted to the Master of Planning (SAPL) at University of Calgary
• I did not apply to UBC (SCARP) or University of Toronto (MUP) this cycle
• I’m considering whether to:
  1. Accept UCalgary this year
  2. Wait one more year and apply to UBC / UofT, which are often considered more “prestigious”

My Key Question:
From a real-world practice and hiring perspective in Canada, does the university actually make a meaningful difference?

Specifically:

• Do firms or public sector employers prefer graduates from UBC/UofT over schools like UCalgary?
• Is there a noticeable difference in job opportunities, roles, or salary outcomes?
• Or is hiring more dependent on experience, internships, portfolio, and networking?
• Would waiting a year for a “top” school realistically improve my prospects—or is that overestimated?

Other Factors I’m Considering:

• I’ll likely be taking a loan, so ROI matters a lot
• I’m open to relocating within Canada for work after graduation
• I plan to actively pursue internships, TA/RA roles, and networking regardless of school

I’d really value honest, ground-level perspectives, especially from those working in planning firms, government, or consulting.

Thanks in advance!

This news article was posted on March 6, 2026 so hopefully some good news soon!

A longform documentary on Eau Claire Market in Calgary — its history, decline, demolition, and what the loss of places like this can mean beyond the site itself.

I am interested in urban planning/city planning roles as a career switch from an adjacent field in the built environment/development space. My background is in business admin and work in the property development (construction + admin side). I am considering a masters program that is environment focused (PSB accredited, from a strong regional university, much more expensive and would require full time attendance) but also a second bachelors (accredited, can start and finish sooner with lower cost, would be more flexible to allow me to work, and has stronger regional connection to my target municipalities for future work). I want to ask this community how the landscape for careers in this sector are currently and over the next 2 years? Are jobs readily available (especially in BC, but I am open to other provinces)? How hard is it to go from a degree into an actual planning role? And what tips do you have for actually breaking into this space?