Toronto’s former chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat writes “mid-sized cities hold the key to economic growth and quality of life in Canada, and they’ve taken too long to realize it“:

“Many municipalities talk the talk when it comes to seeking sustainable growth, yet create market distortions through flawed policy that continues to facilitate sprawl. Almost every mid-sized Canadian city has recognized in policy documents the importance of a compact, mixed-use, liveable urban centre to its identity, attractiveness, population growth and economic development. And yet our latest census data reveals car-oriented suburban growth is unfettered in mid-sized Canadian cities. The vast majority of growth—80 per cent—is suburban-auto oriented.”

Hoo boy does that resonate.