Mark (he/him)
@markedwardson.com
Just another engineer who fell down the urbanism rabbit hole
Vancouver/Victoria
Vancouver/Victoria
Statscan must have talked to their national building code colleagues and figured that our population is getting wiped out in the next earthquake
I'm sorry, what data are these projections based on? Because OMG
February 18, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Statscan must have talked to their national building code colleagues and figured that our population is getting wiped out in the next earthquake
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
The 2026 Budget freezes transit funding and forces service cuts. Write your MLA and tell them to protect transit funding! At the minimum, the BC gov should allow local governments to make up for lost funding. #yyj #bcpoli
bettertransityyj.ca/2026/02/17/2...
bettertransityyj.ca/2026/02/17/2...
“We fall behind by standing still”: Transit riders warn provincial transit cuts set up fiscal cliff
February 17th, Victoria BC Transit advocates are warning that proposed BC Transit funding cuts tee up a disastrous scenario for transit services across the province. Budget 2026, released Feb 17th,…
bettertransityyj.ca
February 18, 2026 at 7:36 AM
The 2026 Budget freezes transit funding and forces service cuts. Write your MLA and tell them to protect transit funding! At the minimum, the BC gov should allow local governments to make up for lost funding. #yyj #bcpoli
bettertransityyj.ca/2026/02/17/2...
bettertransityyj.ca/2026/02/17/2...
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
"The District is prohibited from holding a public hearing on this rezoning application pursuant to section 464(3) of the Local Government Act"
You love to see it, folks!
You love to see it, folks!
February 17, 2026 at 1:43 AM
"The District is prohibited from holding a public hearing on this rezoning application pursuant to section 464(3) of the Local Government Act"
You love to see it, folks!
You love to see it, folks!
February 16, 2026 at 11:42 PM
(from last sunday)
February 16, 2026 at 12:21 AM
(from last sunday)
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
The prefab pessimist line seems to be that because a series of prefab firms have failed that the underlying conditions are immutable.
I don't expect venture-backed firms to be able to change fragmented codes and approval processes. That's the job of researchers and advocates.
I don't expect venture-backed firms to be able to change fragmented codes and approval processes. That's the job of researchers and advocates.
February 11, 2026 at 3:51 PM
The prefab pessimist line seems to be that because a series of prefab firms have failed that the underlying conditions are immutable.
I don't expect venture-backed firms to be able to change fragmented codes and approval processes. That's the job of researchers and advocates.
I don't expect venture-backed firms to be able to change fragmented codes and approval processes. That's the job of researchers and advocates.
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
YIMBYs and urbanists often make the point that you should let people live where they want: near jobs, schools and amenities. I'd like to make a special case for Canada: we should let people live where the weather is good!
open.substack.com/pub/carboncr...
open.substack.com/pub/carboncr...
Canada has exactly one city with good weather and it’s too tiny
Or how to cure thousands of Canadians of Seasonal Affective Disorder
open.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:38 AM
YIMBYs and urbanists often make the point that you should let people live where they want: near jobs, schools and amenities. I'd like to make a special case for Canada: we should let people live where the weather is good!
open.substack.com/pub/carboncr...
open.substack.com/pub/carboncr...
The lack of rain protection at the Bute St plaza really sucks, a pergola that lets you get soaked is the epitome of no fun city imo
February 10, 2026 at 6:27 AM
The lack of rain protection at the Bute St plaza really sucks, a pergola that lets you get soaked is the epitome of no fun city imo
til one early plan (2002) for the Canada Line involved boring the whole thing, *under* a future M-Line extension
Also a Nelson station sure would have been nice for me personally
www.projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p/58851099aa...
Also a Nelson station sure would have been nice for me personally
www.projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p/58851099aa...
February 8, 2026 at 8:10 AM
til one early plan (2002) for the Canada Line involved boring the whole thing, *under* a future M-Line extension
Also a Nelson station sure would have been nice for me personally
www.projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p/58851099aa...
Also a Nelson station sure would have been nice for me personally
www.projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p/58851099aa...
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
The main span of the Casano-Loutet overpass was installed this week and can be seen on the DriveBC highway camera. The pedestrian and cycling overpass is expected to be completed in July.
#NorthVancouver #BikeYVR
#NorthVancouver #BikeYVR
February 8, 2026 at 12:29 AM
The main span of the Casano-Loutet overpass was installed this week and can be seen on the DriveBC highway camera. The pedestrian and cycling overpass is expected to be completed in July.
#NorthVancouver #BikeYVR
#NorthVancouver #BikeYVR
I think the hand-wringing over voters blaming the Feds for a major, nation-wide crisis is overwrought tbh. If the voters want a strong federal government to solve this issue we should manifest one
February 7, 2026 at 6:26 PM
I think the hand-wringing over voters blaming the Feds for a major, nation-wide crisis is overwrought tbh. If the voters want a strong federal government to solve this issue we should manifest one
Something I don't get, why are there a surprising number of townhouses with _porches_ as part of large developments in Vancouver? This seems really bad for accessibility and convenience?
February 7, 2026 at 4:57 AM
Something I don't get, why are there a surprising number of townhouses with _porches_ as part of large developments in Vancouver? This seems really bad for accessibility and convenience?
Kinda fascinating claim about NA train crash standards, hadn't read this argument before
February 7, 2026 at 4:32 AM
Kinda fascinating claim about NA train crash standards, hadn't read this argument before
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
Our crew-built work is one big way that we’re delivering the Seattle Transportation Levy.
By using in-house construction crews, we complete improvements that you’ve requested with lower costs and faster timelines.
Here are 9 recently completed projects from our inspector’s camera roll:
By using in-house construction crews, we complete improvements that you’ve requested with lower costs and faster timelines.
Here are 9 recently completed projects from our inspector’s camera roll:
February 4, 2026 at 11:55 PM
Our crew-built work is one big way that we’re delivering the Seattle Transportation Levy.
By using in-house construction crews, we complete improvements that you’ve requested with lower costs and faster timelines.
Here are 9 recently completed projects from our inspector’s camera roll:
By using in-house construction crews, we complete improvements that you’ve requested with lower costs and faster timelines.
Here are 9 recently completed projects from our inspector’s camera roll:
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
Fireworks back at English Bay after Vancouver puts up $2 million vancouversun.com/news/firewor...
February 5, 2026 at 3:30 AM
Fireworks back at English Bay after Vancouver puts up $2 million vancouversun.com/news/firewor...
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
In a big city where people live in apartments it’s not a frivolity that people can come visit and have a place to stay. As my friend @grids.reillywood.com has previously pointed out, an exceptionally egregious example is B.C. Women’s and Children’s Hospital
February 4, 2026 at 2:15 AM
In a big city where people live in apartments it’s not a frivolity that people can come visit and have a place to stay. As my friend @grids.reillywood.com has previously pointed out, an exceptionally egregious example is B.C. Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
Here is what I've been doing this past week: git.olaren.dev/Olaren/mapto...
A little python program that generates poster for cities! You might have seen stuff like this around lately, but I modified it to put an emphasis on rail infrastructure :3
A little python program that generates poster for cities! You might have seen stuff like this around lately, but I modified it to put an emphasis on rail infrastructure :3
January 25, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Here is what I've been doing this past week: git.olaren.dev/Olaren/mapto...
A little python program that generates poster for cities! You might have seen stuff like this around lately, but I modified it to put an emphasis on rail infrastructure :3
A little python program that generates poster for cities! You might have seen stuff like this around lately, but I modified it to put an emphasis on rail infrastructure :3
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
Canadian local government finance. I promised a review of this article last night, but got diverted. Here we go.
This article's representation of a potential 'muni' option in Canada misses a lot of key points, which suggests proponents may be missing them as well.
ottawacitizen.com/news/infrast...
This article's representation of a potential 'muni' option in Canada misses a lot of key points, which suggests proponents may be missing them as well.
ottawacitizen.com/news/infrast...
Aging infrastructure is a ticking time bomb. Would tax-exempt municipal bonds help?
Tax-exempt bonds would allow investors to buy into their own home communities while earning safe, competitive returns, advocates say.
ottawacitizen.com
January 22, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Canadian local government finance. I promised a review of this article last night, but got diverted. Here we go.
This article's representation of a potential 'muni' option in Canada misses a lot of key points, which suggests proponents may be missing them as well.
ottawacitizen.com/news/infrast...
This article's representation of a potential 'muni' option in Canada misses a lot of key points, which suggests proponents may be missing them as well.
ottawacitizen.com/news/infrast...
Reposted by Mark (he/him)
With 2025 in the books, we take a look back over the last year for our annual Vancouver City Council Road Safety Report Card. 📝
How did each councillor score? Where did the mayor land? (Spoiler: at the bottom.)
Read the full report card here: visionzerovancouver.ca/2026/01/21/v...
How did each councillor score? Where did the mayor land? (Spoiler: at the bottom.)
Read the full report card here: visionzerovancouver.ca/2026/01/21/v...
Vision Zero Vancouver: 2025 Vancouver Council in Review
With year 3 of this council’s term complete, it’s time for our annual report card! See our 2024 and 2023 scores here. As always, we look for every road safety motion that came to counci…
visionzerovancouver.ca
January 26, 2026 at 1:01 AM
With 2025 in the books, we take a look back over the last year for our annual Vancouver City Council Road Safety Report Card. 📝
How did each councillor score? Where did the mayor land? (Spoiler: at the bottom.)
Read the full report card here: visionzerovancouver.ca/2026/01/21/v...
How did each councillor score? Where did the mayor land? (Spoiler: at the bottom.)
Read the full report card here: visionzerovancouver.ca/2026/01/21/v...
Also, from yesterday, bike stuff + Deep Cove in North Van District
January 26, 2026 at 2:30 AM
Also, from yesterday, bike stuff + Deep Cove in North Van District
lots of great bike/traffic calming infrastructure getting built in new west
January 26, 2026 at 2:21 AM
lots of great bike/traffic calming infrastructure getting built in new west
Can't build a hotel because it'd put the Stanley Park cayotes at risk
January 18, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Can't build a hotel because it'd put the Stanley Park cayotes at risk
Finished the Power Broker! What a great read
January 16, 2026 at 7:25 AM
Finished the Power Broker! What a great read