Nick Shaw
@nickshaw.ca
🚉 I’m a transit planner based in Toronto
🫡 Registered Planner (RPP, MCIP) & PRINCE2 certified (UK+Europe’s PMP)
🌎 I do this because it’s the space between places that determines the health of self and community. and peace blooms in cities 🏳️🌈
🫡 Registered Planner (RPP, MCIP) & PRINCE2 certified (UK+Europe’s PMP)
🌎 I do this because it’s the space between places that determines the health of self and community. and peace blooms in cities 🏳️🌈
Reposted by Nick Shaw
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds
World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensity
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
Allowing shops, retail, and small business within neighbourhoods is good planning. Period.
When a supermajority of the community says HELL YES (repeatedly, over a multi-year engagement process), leaders lead the charge to reform.
Toronto just gave up. Where are the leaders?
When a supermajority of the community says HELL YES (repeatedly, over a multi-year engagement process), leaders lead the charge to reform.
Toronto just gave up. Where are the leaders?
October 31, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Allowing shops, retail, and small business within neighbourhoods is good planning. Period.
When a supermajority of the community says HELL YES (repeatedly, over a multi-year engagement process), leaders lead the charge to reform.
Toronto just gave up. Where are the leaders?
When a supermajority of the community says HELL YES (repeatedly, over a multi-year engagement process), leaders lead the charge to reform.
Toronto just gave up. Where are the leaders?
The slow march toward single stair egress building code reform continues across Canada.
Arguments for the status quo have centred around safety. LGA’s research—focusing on performance/outcome—disproves this. What are we waiting for?
Arguments for the status quo have centred around safety. LGA’s research—focusing on performance/outcome—disproves this. What are we waiting for?
2025 RAIC Awards: Single Exit Stair Building Code Reform
An in-depth research project paves the way for building code updates that would remove a key barrier to missing middle housing.
www.canadianarchitect.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:13 PM
The slow march toward single stair egress building code reform continues across Canada.
Arguments for the status quo have centred around safety. LGA’s research—focusing on performance/outcome—disproves this. What are we waiting for?
Arguments for the status quo have centred around safety. LGA’s research—focusing on performance/outcome—disproves this. What are we waiting for?
Reposted by Nick Shaw
Time for the world to install a gigawatt of solar power capacity
2004: A year
2010: ~ a month
2015: ~ a week
Now: A day
ourworldindata.org/data-insight... 🧪
2004: A year
2010: ~ a month
2015: ~ a week
Now: A day
ourworldindata.org/data-insight... 🧪
September 15, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Time for the world to install a gigawatt of solar power capacity
2004: A year
2010: ~ a month
2015: ~ a week
Now: A day
ourworldindata.org/data-insight... 🧪
2004: A year
2010: ~ a month
2015: ~ a week
Now: A day
ourworldindata.org/data-insight... 🧪
Love this. A reminder that sometimes the breakthrough isn’t a new policy, infrastructure or funding stream…it’s governance. Connecting people, assets, and institutions so they can act collectively. Collaboration as infrastructure for more non-market, community-led housing. The elusive ‘third way.’
Did you miss the launch of the first report from the Bundling Assets lab? Watch it online to hear about what works & what doesn’t when actors in the housing sector pool their assets for the purposes of loan equity, site development, and management sharing https://ow.ly/5sZv50XcJTF
October 21, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Love this. A reminder that sometimes the breakthrough isn’t a new policy, infrastructure or funding stream…it’s governance. Connecting people, assets, and institutions so they can act collectively. Collaboration as infrastructure for more non-market, community-led housing. The elusive ‘third way.’
Reposted by Nick Shaw
This is good —the Mayor of Yellowknife NWT in Canada’s far north weighs in on “Car Bloat” (truck bloat actually) and its many big costs & consequences (thanks @davidzipper.bsky.social for heads-up). And like most who dare tell the truth about that, he’s taking flack.
www.linkedin.com/mwlite/feed/...
www.linkedin.com/mwlite/feed/...
October 4, 2025 at 5:48 PM
This is good —the Mayor of Yellowknife NWT in Canada’s far north weighs in on “Car Bloat” (truck bloat actually) and its many big costs & consequences (thanks @davidzipper.bsky.social for heads-up). And like most who dare tell the truth about that, he’s taking flack.
www.linkedin.com/mwlite/feed/...
www.linkedin.com/mwlite/feed/...
Reposted by Nick Shaw
You know what I like about trains?
Everything.
They take you nice places, and don’t mess up the world getting you there.
#Lugano #Switzerland #railsky
Everything.
They take you nice places, and don’t mess up the world getting you there.
#Lugano #Switzerland #railsky
September 28, 2025 at 1:06 PM
You know what I like about trains?
Everything.
They take you nice places, and don’t mess up the world getting you there.
#Lugano #Switzerland #railsky
Everything.
They take you nice places, and don’t mess up the world getting you there.
#Lugano #Switzerland #railsky
“Business as usual” is not free. Yet in transit investment decisions, BAU is often seen as “do nothing”—a non-choice.
On Eglinton East LRT in Toronto, we showed that buses couldn’t absorb projected growth. A higher-capacity line isn’t just better—it’s the only viable choice.
On Eglinton East LRT in Toronto, we showed that buses couldn’t absorb projected growth. A higher-capacity line isn’t just better—it’s the only viable choice.
September 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
“Business as usual” is not free. Yet in transit investment decisions, BAU is often seen as “do nothing”—a non-choice.
On Eglinton East LRT in Toronto, we showed that buses couldn’t absorb projected growth. A higher-capacity line isn’t just better—it’s the only viable choice.
On Eglinton East LRT in Toronto, we showed that buses couldn’t absorb projected growth. A higher-capacity line isn’t just better—it’s the only viable choice.
In Canada, risk management in transit delivery focuses on cost overruns + schedule delays.
What’s missing? Risk to benefit realization.
If benefits aren’t protected in delivery, you don’t just slip the schedule—you chip away at why the project existed in the first place.
What’s missing? Risk to benefit realization.
If benefits aren’t protected in delivery, you don’t just slip the schedule—you chip away at why the project existed in the first place.
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
In Canada, risk management in transit delivery focuses on cost overruns + schedule delays.
What’s missing? Risk to benefit realization.
If benefits aren’t protected in delivery, you don’t just slip the schedule—you chip away at why the project existed in the first place.
What’s missing? Risk to benefit realization.
If benefits aren’t protected in delivery, you don’t just slip the schedule—you chip away at why the project existed in the first place.
Income and risk adjustments to the fines would probably close the gap in the still high % of drivers operating dangerously. Vehicle weight and hood height are all linked to the plate. As a proxy for income, estimate the car value from the make and year.
"When there are cars driving at high speeds in school zones, the less likely it is for children and parents to choose walking to get around in their own neighbourhoods."
Toronto’s speed cameras have reduced speeding, aggressive driving by almost half: new SickKids report
Study looks at 250 different locations across Toronto from July 2020 and December 2022.
buff.ly
September 17, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Income and risk adjustments to the fines would probably close the gap in the still high % of drivers operating dangerously. Vehicle weight and hood height are all linked to the plate. As a proxy for income, estimate the car value from the make and year.
Reposted by Nick Shaw
If North America wants to implement effective transit priority in its legacy gridded neighbourhoods, it needs to understand that many lateral streets will need to stop to be through streets
September 15, 2025 at 11:34 AM
If North America wants to implement effective transit priority in its legacy gridded neighbourhoods, it needs to understand that many lateral streets will need to stop to be through streets
Congrats to Ana Bailão. As her former constituent, I watched her work closely as she was consistently the voice of housing reform looong before the political establishment realized there was a crisis.
Also, this fund to acquire “at-risk” apartment buildings seems like a big deal
Also, this fund to acquire “at-risk” apartment buildings seems like a big deal
Watching Prime Minister Mark Carney announcing LIVE the creation of new organization “Build Canada Homes” to replace parts of CMHC, led by former Toronto Councillor Ana Bailão. Building homes on public lands, funding for transitional & supportive housing, streamlining, prefab/modular housing, etc.
September 15, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Congrats to Ana Bailão. As her former constituent, I watched her work closely as she was consistently the voice of housing reform looong before the political establishment realized there was a crisis.
Also, this fund to acquire “at-risk” apartment buildings seems like a big deal
Also, this fund to acquire “at-risk” apartment buildings seems like a big deal
Always feels risky to critique fire depts—I have deep respect for those on the ground. But orgs like LAFD pushing myths against single-stair design & safer streets show a blind spot: planning is about trade-offs, not black/white thinking. Stakeholders need to know their lane.
And of course it wouldn’t be complete without a gratuitous reference to 9/11. Was it a single-stair building? No. Was it an apartment building at all? Also no. Did it happen in a city that has long allowed single-stair buildings and didn’t even reconsider them for a second in light of 9/11? You bet!
September 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Always feels risky to critique fire depts—I have deep respect for those on the ground. But orgs like LAFD pushing myths against single-stair design & safer streets show a blind spot: planning is about trade-offs, not black/white thinking. Stakeholders need to know their lane.
In my transportation planning work, goods movement sometimes feels like that cousin who moved to cross the country to Vancouver when you were a kid and now you’re not sure you really know them anymore. Time to pick up that phone, lots to discuss.
🧵 BOOK REVIEW:
'The Box' by Marc Levinson is all about shipping containers.🚢
No joke; it's the most interesting book about logistics that I have ever read.
Its tagline is: 'How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger'.
Here are ten takeaways from The Box:
1/n
'The Box' by Marc Levinson is all about shipping containers.🚢
No joke; it's the most interesting book about logistics that I have ever read.
Its tagline is: 'How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger'.
Here are ten takeaways from The Box:
1/n
September 9, 2025 at 11:50 AM
In my transportation planning work, goods movement sometimes feels like that cousin who moved to cross the country to Vancouver when you were a kid and now you’re not sure you really know them anymore. Time to pick up that phone, lots to discuss.
Reposted by Nick Shaw
“We can’t all be expected to bike.”
Fair. But that’s not the point.
“Not everyone can or wants to bike. But some people can & do—and they deserve a safe, efficient, affordable way to move through the city. It’s about freedom of choice.”
This & other useful comebacks, in @momentummag.bsky.social.
Fair. But that’s not the point.
“Not everyone can or wants to bike. But some people can & do—and they deserve a safe, efficient, affordable way to move through the city. It’s about freedom of choice.”
This & other useful comebacks, in @momentummag.bsky.social.
Your Comeback Guide to all the Anti-Cycling Arguments You’ll Hear This Year
Anti-bike arguments aren’t just frustrating—they’re outdated, inaccurate, and often repeated without a shred of evidence.
momentummag.com
September 4, 2025 at 9:34 PM
“We can’t all be expected to bike.”
Fair. But that’s not the point.
“Not everyone can or wants to bike. But some people can & do—and they deserve a safe, efficient, affordable way to move through the city. It’s about freedom of choice.”
This & other useful comebacks, in @momentummag.bsky.social.
Fair. But that’s not the point.
“Not everyone can or wants to bike. But some people can & do—and they deserve a safe, efficient, affordable way to move through the city. It’s about freedom of choice.”
This & other useful comebacks, in @momentummag.bsky.social.
The art of storytelling in transit planning is under appreciated. You can have all the quantitative proof your project is great, but if you can’t inspire it will be at risk.
Graphics are key and I love the evolution in Toronto from 1950s hand sketch to shiny renderings in the 2020s.
Graphics are key and I love the evolution in Toronto from 1950s hand sketch to shiny renderings in the 2020s.
September 5, 2025 at 10:45 AM
The art of storytelling in transit planning is under appreciated. You can have all the quantitative proof your project is great, but if you can’t inspire it will be at risk.
Graphics are key and I love the evolution in Toronto from 1950s hand sketch to shiny renderings in the 2020s.
Graphics are key and I love the evolution in Toronto from 1950s hand sketch to shiny renderings in the 2020s.
Reposted by Nick Shaw
What's the best way to get to a major car-event? By train!
Thanks to great efforts of the Dutch Railways (NS), which ran a train every 5 minutes, last weekend thousands of Formula 1 fans were able to travel to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix in a sustainable way.
📽 by Tijmen Voet on LinkedIn.
Thanks to great efforts of the Dutch Railways (NS), which ran a train every 5 minutes, last weekend thousands of Formula 1 fans were able to travel to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix in a sustainable way.
📽 by Tijmen Voet on LinkedIn.
September 3, 2025 at 7:10 AM
What's the best way to get to a major car-event? By train!
Thanks to great efforts of the Dutch Railways (NS), which ran a train every 5 minutes, last weekend thousands of Formula 1 fans were able to travel to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix in a sustainable way.
📽 by Tijmen Voet on LinkedIn.
Thanks to great efforts of the Dutch Railways (NS), which ran a train every 5 minutes, last weekend thousands of Formula 1 fans were able to travel to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix in a sustainable way.
📽 by Tijmen Voet on LinkedIn.
Paris fire station: where the trucks and uniforms fit the form. A gay transportation planner’s dream.
August 31, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Paris fire station: where the trucks and uniforms fit the form. A gay transportation planner’s dream.
A fun design tweak in Tbilisi flipping the travel direction of their BRT system. Allows island platforms without the need for specialized bus fleet with driver-side doors. Save capital and O&M costs while allowing interlining with routes that run curbside part of the way. Probably slows traffic too
August 31, 2025 at 7:28 PM
A fun design tweak in Tbilisi flipping the travel direction of their BRT system. Allows island platforms without the need for specialized bus fleet with driver-side doors. Save capital and O&M costs while allowing interlining with routes that run curbside part of the way. Probably slows traffic too
Toronto Bike Share’s growing e-bike fleet is a promising addition to the city’s mobility landscape.
Loaded with groceries from the St. Lawrence Market, I only chose bike share for the 6.5km uphill trip home because of an available e-bike. Reliable 29 min $2.10 vs 42+min $3.30 on streetcar /1
Loaded with groceries from the St. Lawrence Market, I only chose bike share for the 6.5km uphill trip home because of an available e-bike. Reliable 29 min $2.10 vs 42+min $3.30 on streetcar /1
August 30, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Toronto Bike Share’s growing e-bike fleet is a promising addition to the city’s mobility landscape.
Loaded with groceries from the St. Lawrence Market, I only chose bike share for the 6.5km uphill trip home because of an available e-bike. Reliable 29 min $2.10 vs 42+min $3.30 on streetcar /1
Loaded with groceries from the St. Lawrence Market, I only chose bike share for the 6.5km uphill trip home because of an available e-bike. Reliable 29 min $2.10 vs 42+min $3.30 on streetcar /1
Reposted by Nick Shaw
As EV sales surge and China's economic structure changes, its oil demand is set to reach a peak in 2027
As a result, global oil demand growth is on track to slow to a halt by the end of this decade.
Read more in our Oil 2025 report 👉 iea.li/4lmN0l0
As a result, global oil demand growth is on track to slow to a halt by the end of this decade.
Read more in our Oil 2025 report 👉 iea.li/4lmN0l0
August 30, 2025 at 10:45 AM
As EV sales surge and China's economic structure changes, its oil demand is set to reach a peak in 2027
As a result, global oil demand growth is on track to slow to a halt by the end of this decade.
Read more in our Oil 2025 report 👉 iea.li/4lmN0l0
As a result, global oil demand growth is on track to slow to a halt by the end of this decade.
Read more in our Oil 2025 report 👉 iea.li/4lmN0l0
I think it’s time for N. American transit agencies to get serious about bus passenger comfort. You can’t even savour the “new bus smell” before the sensory onslaught begins. Close your eyes and imagine what astronauts must feel like when reentering the earth’s atmosphere.
It’s about procurement /1
It’s about procurement /1
August 29, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I think it’s time for N. American transit agencies to get serious about bus passenger comfort. You can’t even savour the “new bus smell” before the sensory onslaught begins. Close your eyes and imagine what astronauts must feel like when reentering the earth’s atmosphere.
It’s about procurement /1
It’s about procurement /1
Reposted by Nick Shaw
Good morning to everyone over coming obstacles to beat the odds.
August 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Good morning to everyone over coming obstacles to beat the odds.
In downtown Toronto, Queen St is closed to all traffic for 2 blocks for Ontario Line construction. When evaluating alternative closure options back in '21, I was struck by how person-trips by transit riders and pedestrians dwarfed auto trips
When this reopens in 2027, let's be like Nice, France 💖
When this reopens in 2027, let's be like Nice, France 💖
August 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
In downtown Toronto, Queen St is closed to all traffic for 2 blocks for Ontario Line construction. When evaluating alternative closure options back in '21, I was struck by how person-trips by transit riders and pedestrians dwarfed auto trips
When this reopens in 2027, let's be like Nice, France 💖
When this reopens in 2027, let's be like Nice, France 💖
The future Bloor-Landsdowne GO station in Toronto’s west end is advancing. I found out at yesterdays public meeting that the scope includes a multi-use path connecting the Davenport Diamond Greenway (under construction) and West Toronto Rail Path. Finally some good cycling news! youtu.be/hGjlcdBnA34
July 17, 2025 at 12:40 PM
The future Bloor-Landsdowne GO station in Toronto’s west end is advancing. I found out at yesterdays public meeting that the scope includes a multi-use path connecting the Davenport Diamond Greenway (under construction) and West Toronto Rail Path. Finally some good cycling news! youtu.be/hGjlcdBnA34