Infrastructure Institute

Have you had a chance to read our latest publication? Missed Connections - Locating Equity in Toronto's Transportation History https://lnkd.in/gxzW7YD5 This new report from the Infrastructure Institute explores the historical development of the city’s transportation infrastructure and its impacts on communities then and today. In contrast to the American legacy of highway-driven neighbourhood demolition and displacement, Toronto’s legacy is mostly one of inequities created by transit projects that were planned but never built. The archival research explores over 60 years of Toronto’s history to understand if and how considerations of social equity shaped transportation decision-making. Tracing key events in three distinct eras of the City’s planning, it reveals a pattern of delayed and denied investment created by fiscal conservatism, stigmatization of density, deference to homeowners, and political strife, even as growing inequities were already apparent and acknowledged. Through case studies of three Toronto neighbourhoods – Flemingdon Park, Malvern, and Eglinton West, the report explores how these historical forces have produced lasting disparities in transportation access, leaving communities behind. This project was commissioned by the City of Toronto. This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate Program.

🚨Calling all emerging Black leaders across the GTHA! As a part of our expanded FutureBUILDS offering in 2025, we are proud to announce that applications are now open for FutureBUILDS NEXT, a NEW fellowship program developed by Monumental and funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre - Centre des Compétences futures! In its inaugural year, FutureBUILDS NEXT will focus on supporting emerging Black leaders. Are you? ✅ Black-identifying ✅ Between the ages of 18 - 32 ✅ Passionate about affordable housing and community development ✅ Eager to take on future leadership roles in Toronto’s non-profit housing sector This FREE two month program (running throughout June and July 2025) offers: 🏘️Access to a network of like-minded peers, established leaders and professionals advancing innovative and impactful non-profit housing initiatives 🫂A full day, immersive off-site retreat where you’ll begin to build life-long connections ✈️ An exciting travel-based learning opportunity within Canada to learn from experts and leaders on the ground 📚10 weeks of interactive, structured learning with guest speakers and panels discussions unpacking practices and strategies to get non-profit housing built APPLY NOW! The application deadline is May 6th, 2025. For more details on eligibility and the application process, visit https://lnkd.in/gyrizTrF Don’t forget to register for our information session on April 16th at 12PM! https://lnkd.in/gZe4zkWm -- #Monumental #FutureBUILDS #FutureBUILDSNEXT #RealEstate #RealEstateDevelopment #Toronto #GTA  #BlackLeadership #Leadership #AffordableHousing #CommunityDevelopment #NonProfitHousing #Mentorship #Fellowship #CareerDevelopment #Opportunities #EmergingLeaders Kofi Hope, DPhil Zahra Ebrahim Navtej Saini Keisha St. Louis-McBurnie Maleeha Shams Eunice Wong Alyson Doyle-Braithwaite Suleekha H.

Is Toronto Ready for Congestion Pricing? As Toronto faces its own congestion crisis, is it time for Ontario’s capital city to reconsider its take on tolls? Director of the Infrastructure Institute, Matti Siemiatycki sat down with TVO’s The Agenda to discuss what tolls in Toronto could look like for drivers. https://lnkd.in/g3AdE9P8

SofC affiliated initiative the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG) is hiring a Manager, Programs and Research (Term). This position takes a leadership role in the activities of the Institute, overseeing operations and designing major research programs in municipal finance and governance; working closely with authors on the production of publications; establishing and sustaining relationships with stakeholders; and representing the Institute externally on high-level task forces and committees as required. IMFG is the only institute in Canada that focuses solely on municipal finance and governance issues and on large cities and city-regions, and the only one that works with graduate students so they have the expertise to work on municipal finance and governance issues in government and the private sector or to undertake further academic research. Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/gY4MTD5n

Are you a BIPOC individual who is interested in developing real estate in the GTHA? Would you benefit from a chance to learn more about the process, get connected to mentors, and join a supportive community to help you bring your development to life? If so, you may be interested in FutureBUILDS – a project developed by Monumental in partnership with the SofC affiliated initiative The Infrastructure Institute, and funded by the Government of Canada's Future Skills Centre - Centre des Compétences futures. Learn more and apply now: https://futurebuilds.ca/

For over 60 years, Toronto has planned and cancelled transit lines, often leaving marginalized communities without the infrastructure they need. Our latest report at the Infrastructure Institute explores this history, showing how repeated delays and policy decisions have created a ripple effect, deepening transportation inequities. It serves as an important reminder of how broader political actions shape everyday decisions—like access to transportation. This report was a year in the making, during which we dug through archives to analyze past council reports, maps, and transit plans like Transit City (2010), Network 2011 (1985), and GO-Urban Plan (1972), attended international conferences, and more! Through our research, we aimed to highlight how systemic barriers have shaped who gets access to transit and how some communities—like Flemingdon Park, Little Jamaica, and Malvern—have been left behind.  Amidst these challenges, what stood out to me most was seeing how residents and grassroots organizations, across different contexts, have come together to push for transit justice and fight displacement. With Toronto ranked as one of the loneliest cities in Canada in 2023, this report is a reminder that the cost of transit delays isn’t just economic—it’s social. Limited mobility affects access to jobs, essential services, and most importantly, each other. Transportation isn’t just about getting from Point A to B—it’s also about connecting communities along the way. As Toronto moves forward with new transit expansions, we hope this report sparks conversations (connections and collaborations!) on how to make transportation more equitable in our city and neighbouring regions. Proud to have worked with Yinnon Geva, Lorina Hoxha, Isaac Mendita, and Matti Siemiatycki (and the rest of the II team) on this important project! Read the report & join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/erzmadTM And if the full report feels like a lot—don’t worry, we’ve got a short version too! 😎 #TransportationJustice #Toronto #EnvironmentalJustice #UrbanPlanning #TransportationEquity

2023 and 2024 were great for us at Infrastructure Institute! Get caught up on all our exciting endeavours and achievements.

It was a pleasure working with the Infrastructure Institute on this report on the history of transportation development in Toronto and its impact on transportation equity in the City today. Through an exploration of over six decades of transportation and land use planning history and three neighbourhood case studies, the report tells a story of how multiple ambitious transit plans were delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving a legacy of highly uneven transportation access between the City's core and inner suburbs. While the economic costs of having to play catch-up are clear, the social costs of decades of inequitable service are much harder to quantify. As we disseminate the report among colleagues and incorporate its findings into our projects, I hope its historical lessons will prompt critical considerations of what equitable outcomes look like in our current era of transit expansion. Thanks again for your great work Yinnon Geva, Alexandra Lambropoulos, Isaac Mendita and Matti Siemiatycki.

Let's connect! Enjoy great discussions over refreshments and great music! Join us on Wednesday March 19th, 2024 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm at The Loft, Spaces Queen W - 180 John Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1X5 for FutureBUILDS’ 2025 Launch Event. We are excited to share what is in store for FutureBUILDS this year! Register here: https://lnkd.in/ghWsfiKM Applications are open for our second cohort of the FutureBUILDS Incubator cohort! Visit futurebuilds.ca/incubator for more information on how to apply. FutureBUILDS is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre - Centre des Compétences futures. #accelerator #incubator #propdev #realestate #startuplife #entrepreneur #builtworld #innovation #torontoevents #paneldiscussion

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