Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
@g-mason.bsky.social
Urban planner in Toronto
Leave the world better than you found it.
Opinions are my own.
Leave the world better than you found it.
Opinions are my own.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Another piece on the Finch West LRT, this time on how we could make it better with extensions. Read it now:
urbantoronto.ca/news/2025/12...
urbantoronto.ca/news/2025/12...
Finch West Line 6 Opens Sunday: It Could Use Some Improvements | UrbanToronto
With Line 6 opening on Sunday, December 7th, Toronto will have its first new electric rail line in nearly a quarter century. Now that we have it, we should start thinking about expansion because other...
urbantoronto.ca
December 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Another piece on the Finch West LRT, this time on how we could make it better with extensions. Read it now:
urbantoronto.ca/news/2025/12...
urbantoronto.ca/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
The White House’s insistence on using Sabrina Carpenter’s work and image to promote their crimes against humanity is also them appealing to their base, which already uses technology to try and humiliate and puppeteer the likenesses of women who have autonomy, success, and visibility in public
December 6, 2025 at 4:37 AM
The White House’s insistence on using Sabrina Carpenter’s work and image to promote their crimes against humanity is also them appealing to their base, which already uses technology to try and humiliate and puppeteer the likenesses of women who have autonomy, success, and visibility in public
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Q - Why, given all the terrible things happening in the world, do people care about this?
A - Micro-analysis: They see it as an example of government overreach and bureaucratic cruelty towards an independent farm. Macro-analysis: The world is getting dumber every day.
A - Micro-analysis: They see it as an example of government overreach and bureaucratic cruelty towards an independent farm. Macro-analysis: The world is getting dumber every day.
Answering your questions about the Ostrich story your uncle won't stop posting about
You have probably seen your right wing family and friends post a lot about ostriches lately. And, since you don’t follow Rebel News and a lot of twitter accounts with fucktrudeau and fringeminorty in ...
www.thebeaverton.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Q - Why, given all the terrible things happening in the world, do people care about this?
A - Micro-analysis: They see it as an example of government overreach and bureaucratic cruelty towards an independent farm. Macro-analysis: The world is getting dumber every day.
A - Micro-analysis: They see it as an example of government overreach and bureaucratic cruelty towards an independent farm. Macro-analysis: The world is getting dumber every day.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
I am not a crazy ideologue. I just think that the richest society in human history has a moral responsibility to welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, treat the sick, and house the homeless. If doing that requires forcing comfortably-housed people to accept neighborhood change, I'm ok with that.
Probably the key part of this piece. It comes down to the following: "What does prioritizing millionaire homeowners’ aversion to change over the needs of the poor and unhoused do to our souls?"
November 10, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I am not a crazy ideologue. I just think that the richest society in human history has a moral responsibility to welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, treat the sick, and house the homeless. If doing that requires forcing comfortably-housed people to accept neighborhood change, I'm ok with that.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
It’s honestly wild how few townhomes exist that aren’t right near a highway. We force every bit of density right next to noise and pollution, and keep the quiet areas reserved for the rich who can afford detached houses.
I can’t emphasize enough how ridiculously inequitable & regressive this is
I can’t emphasize enough how ridiculously inequitable & regressive this is
October 31, 2025 at 8:27 PM
It’s honestly wild how few townhomes exist that aren’t right near a highway. We force every bit of density right next to noise and pollution, and keep the quiet areas reserved for the rich who can afford detached houses.
I can’t emphasize enough how ridiculously inequitable & regressive this is
I can’t emphasize enough how ridiculously inequitable & regressive this is
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Hot take, people who hate cities shouldn’t be in charge of cities
August 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Hot take, people who hate cities shouldn’t be in charge of cities
@ttcalerts.bsky.social I think your map at Shaw and Dundas is wrong. Why is Shaw west of Ossington? Very confusing when it's relevant to the route change.
August 5, 2025 at 1:14 AM
@ttcalerts.bsky.social I think your map at Shaw and Dundas is wrong. Why is Shaw west of Ossington? Very confusing when it's relevant to the route change.
Once again, the only thing that units all Canadians is that we're not Americans 💪💪
"Would you prefer to see Canada take a (X) approach to trade negotiations with the US?"
Hard - Refuse concessions even if it makes the relationship worse: 69% (+6)
Soft - Make concessions to keep a good relationship: 31% (-6)
Angus Reid / Aug 1, 2025 / n=1333 / Online
(% Change w Jul 13, 2025)
Hard - Refuse concessions even if it makes the relationship worse: 69% (+6)
Soft - Make concessions to keep a good relationship: 31% (-6)
Angus Reid / Aug 1, 2025 / n=1333 / Online
(% Change w Jul 13, 2025)
August 2, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Once again, the only thing that units all Canadians is that we're not Americans 💪💪
I've lived here for 15 years and the scale of Toronto Pride still blows my mind. It gives me hope for the rest of the year – we can do big things if we just dare to try!
June 29, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I've lived here for 15 years and the scale of Toronto Pride still blows my mind. It gives me hope for the rest of the year – we can do big things if we just dare to try!
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
*residential* zoning should NOT discriminate between low and high density housing. It should only be about separating housing from pollution. Including car exhaust and micro particulates (looking directly at everyone putting apartments next to car sewers and patting their backs)
June 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM
*residential* zoning should NOT discriminate between low and high density housing. It should only be about separating housing from pollution. Including car exhaust and micro particulates (looking directly at everyone putting apartments next to car sewers and patting their backs)
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Meanwhile the sea of detached house residential zones, and the 100% vacant airspace above it, is apparently perfectly normal and fine. Totally fine that it means few poorer people can live in those zones. Status quo bias is everywhere.
June 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Meanwhile the sea of detached house residential zones, and the 100% vacant airspace above it, is apparently perfectly normal and fine. Totally fine that it means few poorer people can live in those zones. Status quo bias is everywhere.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
not sure I've ever seen reddit humour that is so purely my kind of laugh
June 19, 2025 at 1:15 PM
not sure I've ever seen reddit humour that is so purely my kind of laugh
We need more nuclear.
How Canada generated its electricity in March:
🔵 Hydro: 57.6%
⚫ Combustible Fuels: 20%
🟢 Nuclear: 12.4%
🟡 Wind, Solar, Tidal: 9.9%
> open.substack.com/pub/canadian...
🔵 Hydro: 57.6%
⚫ Combustible Fuels: 20%
🟢 Nuclear: 12.4%
🟡 Wind, Solar, Tidal: 9.9%
> open.substack.com/pub/canadian...
Fossil Fuels Stubbornly Linger as Canada’s Clean Energy Rises
In March, nearly 80% of Canada’s electricity came from low-carbon sources, as wind, solar, and nuclear reshape the country’s energy mix
open.substack.com
June 5, 2025 at 9:17 PM
We need more nuclear.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
In a meeting today, Sidsel Birk Hjuler pointed out a facet of motonormativity that even I had failed to see: why do we talk about people using people-sized vehicles as MICROmobility? How did people driving around with 4 empty seats get normalized as "mobility"?
June 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM
In a meeting today, Sidsel Birk Hjuler pointed out a facet of motonormativity that even I had failed to see: why do we talk about people using people-sized vehicles as MICROmobility? How did people driving around with 4 empty seats get normalized as "mobility"?
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Cartoon by John O’Brien
June 4, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Cartoon by John O’Brien
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
basically the root of the housing crisis is that in the real world everyone acknowledges that adults have trade-offs regarding home quality, location, and price, while planners (both elected and otherwise) believe deep in their bones that those choices should be illegal
A lot of the talk about the housing crisis and what type of housing people would be willing to live in is laughably out of touch. I'd live in a seriously flawed unit if it meant affordability personally - meanwhile people are debating flooring materials
May 27, 2025 at 1:09 PM
basically the root of the housing crisis is that in the real world everyone acknowledges that adults have trade-offs regarding home quality, location, and price, while planners (both elected and otherwise) believe deep in their bones that those choices should be illegal
This means nothing will change.
Council takes a quick vote on the noisy matter of leaf blowers.
Direction to go forward with a public education campaign instead of pursuing a ban on two-stroke engine equipment CARRIES 18-5. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Direction to go forward with a public education campaign instead of pursuing a ban on two-stroke engine equipment CARRIES 18-5. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
May 21, 2025 at 5:48 PM
This means nothing will change.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
It's "funny" to me that many of the "I'm not against bike lanes, but" concerns opposing bike lanes on major roads (e.g. "nobody uses them" or "what about EMS response times") obviously don't apply to a bus priority lane moving 40,000 people so folks are dredging up a whole new set of concerns.
The Dufferin & Bathurst bus priority lanes are the only way to break the transit death spiral in Toronto. They must happen & the mayor needs to make sure they’re a raging success. Mission critical as future fixes rely on their success. My column this week. Pls read n share.
Shawn Micallef: How this transit plan could finally make ‘Sufferin’ Dufferin’ a thing of the past
There are 'RapidTO' plans to create transit priority lanes on Dufferin as well as Bathurst streets.
www.thestar.com
May 19, 2025 at 3:41 PM
It's "funny" to me that many of the "I'm not against bike lanes, but" concerns opposing bike lanes on major roads (e.g. "nobody uses them" or "what about EMS response times") obviously don't apply to a bus priority lane moving 40,000 people so folks are dredging up a whole new set of concerns.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Hot take: Most of the aesthetic criticism of 5 over 1s could be mitigated with ground level building ornamentation, small retail spaces, and sufficient sidewalk adjacent foliage.
Most major global cities are primarily made of boring concrete buildings, it just isn't evident at ground level.
Most major global cities are primarily made of boring concrete buildings, it just isn't evident at ground level.
May 18, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Hot take: Most of the aesthetic criticism of 5 over 1s could be mitigated with ground level building ornamentation, small retail spaces, and sufficient sidewalk adjacent foliage.
Most major global cities are primarily made of boring concrete buildings, it just isn't evident at ground level.
Most major global cities are primarily made of boring concrete buildings, it just isn't evident at ground level.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
I've got to say we really ought to crack down on the loud cars and motorcycles. We should also probably crack down on people so sociopathic as to punish random passerby for simply being present on a certain Street.
May 15, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I've got to say we really ought to crack down on the loud cars and motorcycles. We should also probably crack down on people so sociopathic as to punish random passerby for simply being present on a certain Street.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
Yes tree stump, I know downtown subsidizes the suburbs.
May 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Yes tree stump, I know downtown subsidizes the suburbs.
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
THIS A THOUSAND TIMES
We are oddly selective about the government services about which we will say, they operate at a loss.
Commuter rail, we are often told, operates at a loss. But we spend even more on street and highways, and take in little direct revenue from them. Yet no one ever says they are operating at a loss.
Commuter rail, we are often told, operates at a loss. But we spend even more on street and highways, and take in little direct revenue from them. Yet no one ever says they are operating at a loss.
May 11, 2025 at 4:16 AM
THIS A THOUSAND TIMES
Reposted by Grant Mason 🍁🏳🌈🚴
