Good for Cities

Urban planning is everywhere. From videos about walkable cities and public transit to debates about housing affordability, millions of people are learning about cities through YouTube and social media. But as urban planning content reaches wider audiences, a new question emerges: who do we trust to explain how cities work? In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Uytae Lee...

Do Current Community Consultation Practices Work for Urban Planning and City Building? Community consultation is a key part of public participation in urban planning, but is it working as intended? In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki is joined by Crystal Legacy to explore the growing crisis of consultation in city building and infrastructure planning. They discuss the limitations...

In this episode of the Good for Cities podcast, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Nyasha Harper-Michon about community-led architecture, urban planning, and building more inclusive, sustainable cities. They explore how architects can integrate community engagement into design, align development with local needs, and navigate challenges like affordable housing, climate change, and urban inequality. Nya...

Financial landlords claim to contribute to the housing stock, but they also have higher rates of eviction and above guideline rent increases than other housing providers. Since the 1990’s, ownership of rental housing by financial firms has drastically increased, with more financial landlords, such as investment trusts and asset managers owning more apartment buildings than before. This has contrib...

As housing costs rise and neighbourhoods change, many communities are asking a fundamental question: how can current community members help shape the future of their neighbourhoods?  Community land trusts are increasingly part of that conversation. While often framed as a tool for permanent affordability, CLTs also represent a broader shift in how land is owned, governed, and stewarded. In this ep...

Autonomous vehicles, or self-driving cars, are often seen as the future of urban mobility, promising safer streets, smoother traffic, and more efficient transportation. But how autonomous vehicles are governed and regulated will ultimately determine their impact on cities. In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Andrew Miller about autonomous vehicles policy, safety regul...

Water is essential, but our infrastructure to deliver it is often invisible until it fails. In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Kerry Black, Canada Research Chair at the University of Calgary, about the challenges, trade-offs, and innovations shaping water systems in Canada. They discuss the 2026 Calgary water main rupture, why governments prioritize new projects over...

What possibilities and risks does high-speed rail pose for Canadian cities? On this episode of Good for Cities, host Matti Siemiatycki is joined by Yonah Freemark to unpack the pros and cons of high-speed rail in Canada. They explore how high-speed rail can improve people’s lives by cutting travel times, enhancing access to jobs and services, and boosting economic opportunities, especially for sec...

​​What do the biggest stories of 2025 tell us about the state of our cities? On episode 6 of Good for Cities, host Matti Siemiatycki is joined by his brother, Elliot Siemiatycki, to reflect on a pivotal year for urban life. They explore the highs and lows shaping cities faced in 2025, from falling crime rates and congestion pricing to deepening housing challenges, strained transit systems, and the...

Access to reliable infrastructure financing is a key determinant of how rapidly growing cities can develop, yet funding models are shifting in ways that could reshape urban futures across the Global South. Traditional sources of capital are shrinking, while new streams are stepping in, raising questions about who sets the rules and whose priorities are being served. In this episode of Good for Cit...

Access to safe and affordable housing is a key determinant of well-being in any city, yet unaffordability remains a defining crisis of our time. Housing prices have skyrocketed way ahead of wage growth, putting home ownership and affordable rent out of reach for many. What are the causes of deteriorating housing affordability, and what can be done about it? In this episode, Matti Siemiatycki, Dire...

Bike lanes are central to city planning, but why do they spark such fierce debate? On Good for Cities, host Matti Siemiatycki sits down with infrastructure expert Dr. Shoshanna Saxe to cut through the "bikelash" and analyze the numbers. They discuss how to balance public benefits - like the 44% reduction in car-bike conflicts on Bloor Street and the reported 49% jump in retail sales in some urban...

What role does beauty play in shaping our cities? On Good for Cities, host Matti Siemiatycki sits down with Alex Bozikovic, the Architecture Critic for The Globe and Mail, to dive into the world of design and urban planning. They discuss the critical role of architecture criticism, how to define truly outstanding architecture, and the importance of design in massive projects like Transit-Oriented...

Can tall buildings make our cities better? On Good for Cities, host Matti Siemiatycki and award-winning architect Naama Blonder tackle this essential question. They discuss how to overcome pushback, shoebox-sized units, and the loss of human scale to design high-rises that contribute to greater livability and affordability.