Author Archives: urbanrenaissanceinst

Book reviews – Our relentless drive to cooperate

Posted on March 21, 1998 by urbanrenaissanceinst

(March 21, 1998) The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Leave a comment

What would happen if . . . we raised highway speed limits?

Posted on March 21, 1998 by urbanrenaissanceinst

(March 21, 1998) We asked Frank Navin, professor of civil engineering, and Michael Cain, director of research at Saftey by Education (Not Speed Enforcement), to comment Continue reading →

Posted in Automobile, Transportation | Leave a comment

Planners from hell – Food not politics

Posted on March 21, 1998 by urbanrenaissanceinst

(March 21, 1998) In 1988, a group of civic-minded San Franciscans cooked up a plan to address the city’s hunger problem. They convinced supermarkets and bakeries to donate surplus food destined for the trash, stirred up a storm, and served vegetarian fare for free public parks and plazas. Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Public transit, Regulation, Toll roads | Leave a comment

Local Heroes

Posted on March 21, 1998 by urbanrenaissanceinst

(March 21, 1998) “Do you have a place to sleep tonight?” asked Father Emmett Johns. The man Montreal’s street kids call Pops and the founder of the Bon Dieu dans la rue waited for an answer he knew would not come easily. Continue reading →

Posted in Housing | Leave a comment

Firemen, Inc.

Posted on March 21, 1998 by urbanrenaissanceinst

(March 21, 1998) Contracting out garbage collection. Tolling roads. Privatizing public transit. Charging user fees at libraries. With provincial governments downloading responsibilies to local levels, municipalities are weighing their options, hoping to douse the need for tax hikes by finding savings in local government that don’t fray the social safety net. Continue reading →

Posted in Regulation | Leave a comment