The May/June issue of the Ontario Planning Journal (OPJ) features a cover story by Daniel Nixey and Iain Myrans of the Canadian Urban Institute. "Hamilton Prepares for the New Economy, the Pan Am Games and More" presents the findings of  recent work carried out in Hamilton through a partnership between Infrastructure Ontairo, the City of Hamilton and the Institute.

This video highlights some of Portland's recent transportation, heritage preservation, green building and urban design initiatives. These images were taken in February/March, 2009 by CUI staff. The accompanying article below was published in last year's Ontario Planning Journal and was used as a case study for some of the Institute's recent Value Planning initatives. The article by Iain Myrans, a Senior Planner with the Canadian Urban Institute, was published last year in the Ontario Planning Journal (Vol. 24, No. 4, 2009). We have included it in this post to compliment the the above video.

The Canadian Urban Institute recently released a publication prepared for the City of Hamilton and Infrastructure Ontario titled Building Momentum: Made in Hamilton Infraststructure Solutions. The report provides a roadmap for infrastructure investments that will help to drive the regeneration of Hamilton's local economy. The report recieved substantial coverage in the local press:

• Hamilton Spectator, February 10, 2010
• Hamilton Spectator, February 11, 2010
• CHCH TV, February 11, 2010

Access the report online from our Publications Archive.

The Canadian Press interviewed Brent Gilmour, vice president, Urban Solutions, on Monday regarding a recent housing study conducted by Demographic International. The study examines 272 cities around the world and ranked Toronto and Vancouver among the most unaffordable - with Vancouver taking the top spot.

At the CUI we do not believe that housing costs alone are enough to evaluate the overall cost of living in cities. Dense communities, which often face higher land prices, typically also offer a range of other public amenities that can lower the overall cost of living. Public transportation can offset the energy costs and fixed costs of owning an automobile, for example. Density also affords the use of technologies like district heating/cooling that can lower the overall energy costs of heating and cooling and reduce green house gas emissions.

Read the full article from the Canadian Press on CTV's website by clicking here.