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Should we build in holes right from the start?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Given the size of potholes across much of Canada this spring, it’s probably hard to imagine that any municipality would want to build pavement with holes in it. However, the day might be coming sooner more»»
Tax reform plan proposed in Halifax
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It costs the Regional Municipality of Halifax about $256 a year to provide solid waste services to a household. That’s about $156 more each year than the average residential property tax owner currently more»»
Pedestrians are criss-crossing in Calgary
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
The city of Calgary is trying to make life easier for its pedestrians by introducing two new “criss-cross” intersections near the downtown core.
The intersections provide pedestrians with an exclusive more»»
Back-to-nature playgrounds
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Is it an airplane? A snake? Maybe a car, a balance beam or a table for a tea party? If you’re an adult, you might see only a fallen log, but for children fallen logs can become whatever they imagine. more»»
Growing Public Awareness of Municipal Issues
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
A recently released national survey conducted for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) shows that Canadians are becoming increasingly aware of the financial challenges facing municipalities. more»»
Surveillance cameras popular, but costly
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Across the country, the cameras are going up.
Local politicians in cities like Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto, as well as many smaller municipalities, are increasingly turning to surveillance cameras more»»
Parking Meters - Dialing for Dollars
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It’s not hard to see why drivers might like a system that lets them pay for city parking through their cell phones.
They set up an account, then simply dial in their request for parking time. No more more»»
Municipalities show off a less thirsty garden
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It’s time to admit it. We’re addicted to grass.
The image of a lush green lawn, unblemished by even a single dandelion or patch of clover, is undoubtedly the Canadian ideal of front yard perfection. more»»
Plan cities for people, not cars
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Gil Penalosa, executive director of the Canadian organization Walk and Bike for Life, (www.walkandbikeforlife.org) has built a travelling slideshow that is both inspiring and overwhelming.
It’s inspiring more»»
Municipalities Leading the Way into Darkened Enlightenment
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It’s looking like much of Canada will go dark on March 29th.
Across the country, dozens of municipalities have now pledged to turn off their lights and participate in the first international Earth Hour more»»
Are municipalities headed toward a bidding war for doctors?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
The city of Belleville has put its offer front and centre. Head to the Ontario city’s web site (www.city.belleville.on.ca) and you can’t miss it. In big, bold letters – near the top of the page – the more»»
Ewe Oughta See ‘Em Mow
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Fifteen years ago, the sheep in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta were simply lawn mowers.
In 1992, with about 150-acres of publicly-owned but difficult to maintain turf, the city brought in a herd of about more»»
Is it fairer to go fare-free?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
There’s no municipality in Canada that asks drivers to deposit cash into a fare box when they back their car out of the driveway in the morning.
Annual budget discussions never focus on whether a town’s more»»
Rebuilding in Sri Lanka
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
The pictures on the news on Dec. 26, 2004 were largely of mourning people and devastated homes. But the deadly tsunami that swept the South Asia region that day also washed away many of the most essential more»»
You are where you live?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
We know that jumping into our car for every outing not only contributes to air pollution, but also makes us fatter and less healthy. Yet the vast majority of our suburban subdivisions are designed so more»»
When the Rubber Hits the Road
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Anyone interested in a way to build roads more cheaply? Roads that last longer? What about roads which are quieter, more skid-resistant and easier to clear of ice? Want to get rid of a bunch of scrap more»»
Mortgage versus Rent
Are P3s really a magic bullet for Canadian municipalities?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Public-private partnerships, or P3s as they’re now typically called, are increasingly garnering favour from the federal government. In fact, Ottawa has gone so far as to suggest that they be given consideration more»»
Attracting Green Technology Companies to your Municipality
by John Nicholson,
M.Sc., P.Eng
What municipality wouldn’t forward-thinking company moving in, setting up shop, and attracting high-paying jobs? During the heady days of the dot-com boom, it seemed every municipality had a dream more»»
Finding a Champion for Canada's Infrastructure
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Sewers aren’t terribly sexy. Voters rarely care about wastewater treatment plants – unless a new one’s planned for their backyard. And the term ‘infrastructure deficit’ has been known to cause eyelids more»»
How long is too long?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Jae Eadie served the Winnipeg voters for 26 consecutive years as a city councillor. But last fall, he faced off against rookie candidate Scott Fielding, who suggested Eadie had overstayed his usefulness. more»»
Tracking the Vital Signs of Canada’s Communities
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
How long does it take people to get to work? How many yearly visits have residents made to their local library? What percentage of citizens contribute to charities?
In communities across Canada, those more»»
Jobs vs. the Environment: How does a Municipality Choose?
by John Nicholson,
M.Sc., P.Eng
My summer vacation involved a trip to Thunder Bay on the shores of Lake Superior. The City and surrounding area has much to offer and I recommend it as a summer vacation destination.
Like most more»»
Finding Your Way in Whistler
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
On a bright, crisp winter afternoon, a wander through the well-known ski village of Whistler, British Columbia can be a journey of discovery. Its curvy, pedestrian-oriented streets meander past shops more»»
Water, water everywhere...
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
In an astoundingly short period of time, bottled water has gone from unknown to ubiquitous. Rare is the public event or gathering that doesn’t feature the convenience of the clear refreshment, served more»»
Thermal Treatment or Landfill – How to Choose
by John Nicholson,
M.Sc., P.Eng
What to do with municipal waste is a challenge facing many municipalities. For a municipal politician, solving the waste problem is fraught with many dangers –angry letters and phone calls, protests more»»
The Blogging Mayor
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It might be slightly understating the case when John Steins describes himself as “not a stereotypical mayor.”
In fact, the Yukon artist and musician is far better known for his visual art – which has more»»
Sustainable Community Awards
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Municipalities across the country are going green. From reducing solid waste to improving public transit, innovative projects are creating more sustainable communities. Canada’s greenest municipal projects more»»
Walk softly, and make a small footprint…
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Toronto’s 50,000 municipal employees will soon join the front-line in the battle against climate change.
As part of a recently-announced Zerofootprint Toronto initiative, city staff will soon have access more»»
Calgary Still Reaping the Benefits of ’88 Olympics
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It’s not just about stadiums – although they’re pretty nice, too.
That’s one of the main conclusions of a report commissioned by the organizing committee for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics (VANOC), which more»»
Elite players help build two small Alberta towns
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
The village of Warner, Alberta – population 379 – is barely a blip on the Canadian map.
But if its determined citizens have their way, the community will some day be widely known as a centre of excellence more»»
Great places, great spaces
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Most of us know when we’re in a great city, or a great community, or even just in a great park. But when we try to describe those places, we often fall back on difficult-to-define terms, like vibrant more»»
Hoping for the Best, Preparing for the Worst
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
As Vancouver-area residents suffered through a number of violent wind and rain storms that battered the west coast last fall, they got first-hand experience of living through an emergency.
Across the more»»
Fredericton Gets Nod of Approval from Gore
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
A wide range of green initiatives has earned the City of Fredericton recognition from noted environmentalist and former American vice-president Al Gore.
The New Brunswick city, which aims to be one of more»»
A year in the life of Caledonia
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Only a year ago, the future was looking bright for the pretty little town of Caledonia, nestled on the banks of the Grand River in southern Ontario.Construction of a 250-home subdivision was to add to more»»
$60 Billion … and Growing
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
More than half of Canada’s bridges, roads and other aging infrastructure is now the responsibility of the level of government with least financial ability to care for and restore it.
While the federal more»»
To Spray, or Not to Spray?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Pesticide regulation bylaws are popping their heads through the political landscape in municipalities across Canada.
In response to health concerns arising from widespread use of lawn and garden chemicals, more»»
Landmarks, Not Landfill
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
The idea of throwing a building in the garbage may seem absurd, but that’s exactly what’s happening across the country, says the Heritage Canada Foundation.
In fact, the foundation says that Canada has more»»
Speaking Their Language
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Almost half of Toronto’s residents were born outside of Canada. And one out of every five residents in the city arrived in this country in the last 15 years.
Since 1990, Asia has been the biggest source more»»
The Changing Face of Recreation
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
In Winnipeg, they’ll soon be playing a game called ultimate disc in a park specially designed and constructed to accommodate the unique sport.
The $370,000 park will feature five fields, an irrigation more»»
Managing the Green Infrastructure
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
There are 1.9 million trees in the town of Oakville, a community of about 150,000 people, just outside of Toronto. In 2005, those urban trees removed 172 tonnes of pollutants from the town’s air, along more»»
The right to vote…who should have it?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Who should be given the right to vote in municipal elections? Is the standard “Canadian citizen, 18 years or older” formula outdated? At least one Toronto university professor believes it is.
Myer Siemiatycki, more»»
Changing Behaviour by the Numbers
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Municipalities are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of public opinion surveys to gauge citizens’ priorities and perspectives.
Typically, the surveys provide politicians and staff with more»»
The city of Yellowknife and its acting Fire Chief Darcy Hernblad no longer face a court case
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
The city of Yellowknife and its acting Fire Chief Darcy Hernblad no longer face a court case in connection with a blaze that resulted in the deaths of two firefighters.
An agreement between the Workers’ more»»
Rubber sidewalks
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
There are few people who would deny the appeal of a tree-lined boulevard, where majestic oaks or maples canopy the road and tower over the sidewalks.But as those majestic trees tower over the sidewalks, more»»
It’s 11 o’clock. Are you violating curfew?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Last summer, veteran city councillor Judy Kolada was the driving force behind a youth curfew introduced in Thompson, Manitoba.Fourteen months later she still supports the city’s bylaw, despite the threat more»»
Preparing the Torch in Vancouver
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It’s a great job, and somebody’s got to do it.As general manager of Olympic operations for the city of Vancouver, Dave Rudberg has spent the last 18 months working on the once-in-a-lifetime project he’ll more»»
Preserving our Memories
Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Across the country, there’s estimated to be about 6,000 monuments and cenotaphs honouring Canada’s war veterans. Most communities have a statue or a structure in remembrance of those who fought in military more»»
Municipalities LEED the way
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
What do a library in Calgary, an operations building in White Rock, British Columbia, an EMS Fleet Centre in Waterloo, Ontario and a civic centre in Canmore, Alberta all have in common?
Not much, except more»»
"Toronto's City Idol competition a hit"
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
Cross a hugely popular television concept with municipal politics, and what do you get?
Strangely enough, it looks like you get a winning formula called City Idol.
With municipal elections in Ontario more»»
Open doors, open eyes, open wallets?
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
It certainly takes more than just great buildings to make great cities. But it’s likely equally true to say that great cities are great – at least in part – because they celebrate their architecture. more»»
Green is becoming an increasingly popular colour for vehicles in municipal fleets.
by Kim Arnott,
Freelance Writer
With the twin goals of reducing costs and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, municipalities across the country are buying environmentally-friendly vehicles in every colour of the rainbow.From hybrid more»»
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