Richard was interviewed by Aaron Broverman of TorontoStoreys.com about his career as a real estate agent and government intervention in Toronto real estate market. You can find the whole story here.

Richard Silver, former president of the Toronto Real Estate Board and senior vice-president at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, was named one of the top 100 most influential people in real estate — oh, and he once danced with Ginger Rogers.

Richard Silver is the senior vice-president of sales for Sotheby’s International Realty Canada and a former president of the Toronto Real Estate Board in 2011. An expert in international real estate as a certified international real estate specialist, he is the former founding president of the Asian Real Estate Association of America – Toronto Chapter and was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Real Estate” by Inman News in 2013.

A former song and dance man who once performed with Ginger Rogers, now Silver lends his expertise to leading Sotheby’s Torontoism team. On his mind? How Toronto will never be a world-class city as long as its infrastructure doesn’t grow with its population, and why rent control doesn’t really work to reel in housing prices.

How did you get involved with real estate?

Back in 1979, I bought my first house. I was working with an agent who was OK, but then I met an agent who was dynamite and showed me what I wanted in the first afternoon. I was very, very impressed. I was in a career that was very physical. I was a performer, but that same month I hurt my hip, so I couldn’t really do shows. I just decided that in the next break between performances I would take the real estate course. I eventually got my license and in the first month of selling real estate, I made the same money I had made as a performer for the whole year.

What attracted you to the industry?

I’ve always liked houses and I like the fact that you need to be self-motivated.

A lot of people think they won’t have any boss, but the reality is, the number of bosses you have is the number of clients you have. Everybody wants your time, so you have to be there, but you have to provide for everybody.

You have to be very disciplined, you have to be out there connecting with people and it’s all about your relationship with them. It’s a great business to be in.

As the president of the Toronto Real Estate Board in 2011, what was it like getting such a big picture of the city’s real estate market?

You learn a lot. That’s the wonderful thing about being on the Toronto Real Estate Board and about being a director. You learn a ton of stuff about what’s happening in the marketplace. You’re the first one to see the statistics before anybody, you notice the changes and you also get a view of the whole city. Even though it’s called the Toronto Real Estate Board, it’s basically responsible for a lot of sales in the whole GTA.

Can you recommend changes to the city’s municipal government if you’re noticing negative real estate impacts?

You can and they’re very political and it doesn’t mean they’re going to listen to you. You’re always wondering what they want. Part of the problem with the city we’re in right now is there’s a lot of “not in my backyard.” Everyone wants a world-class city. They all want world-class restaurants, sports and entertainment, but they want it to take place in a city that existed 10 or 15 years ago.

We need better transportation and an easier way of approving buildings. Right now, the process in Toronto as it stands is way too long. From the minute a developer buys a property and works through development until it’s actually finished, you go through a lot of stuff that’s redundant.

In Toronto you have the Committee of Adjustment, but you also have the Municipal Board, so it’s like having a mom and a dad. If you can’t get what you want from the mom, you go to the dad.

So the process is too wrapped up in bureaucracy?

It is and longer. They should set some guidelines for each year. Right now, what happens is there are guidelines, but the parents are the perfect analogy. You can go to the mom and the mom says, “No, no we can get you a little bit bigger,” so it keeps on setting new goals.

I know there are a lot of misconceptions about working with a realtor, why do you think that is?

Part of the problem is, just like any field, you’re always judged by your weakest link, so a lot of people judge realtors based on bad experiences with agents who did not act properly. It’s like anything. If I was getting someone to work on my house, I would make sure I did my due diligence, I checked and saw whether they had good references, I would ask people who worked with them before what their reaction was and I would search online. These days you can go online and find out a lot of information. You want a realtor who’s going to act in your best interest. Often times, I’ve blown people away because I say, “I don’t think you should be doing this.” I don’t think you should be buying right now, I think you should be renting right now and in the future.”

You can’t be afraid to tell people your thoughts and it’s important for clients to realize, realtors are there for the long term.

What do you think are the issues that will have the biggest impact on Toronto’s real estate industry in the future?

I think one of the biggest things is always net immigration. In other words, there’s always the drive for people to sell out and move to another area that’s less expensive. But, at the end of the day, the question is are there more people moving to the city than leaving it? You also have the issue of mortgage rates and do prices, because of financing, get out of whack? It’s difficult enough as it is with mortgage rates at two to three and a half percent, but can you imagine those rates going up to five or six percent? How would people be able to afford it? Those are the things that are most concerning. The other thing is

if we want to be a world-class city, we have to invest in things like transportation: subways, roads and bridges. The reality is we’re in this place, there’s not a lot of space — we can go up, but there’s not a lot of space to go out and all the services we have need to be improved.

Aren’t more and more people moving back to the city these days anyway?

Yeah because they don’t want to have to drive into the city all the time. They want to be able to work downtown and have their family downtown. I think we’re going to start seeing larger apartments and more rentals. It will be like New York where people rent in the city and buy in the country because they can’t afford the city. I think you’re going to start seeing larger apartments or smaller ones with three bedrooms rather than just the one.

You’ve been at this a long time. How can realtors become one of the top producers you hear about like yourself?

You have to be prepared to make changes and not stay static with any of your business goals. There are times when there’s new technology, so you have to try the new technology and see if you can make your business more efficient. With the influx of foreign buyers are you going to stay in a very restricted world or are you going to reach out to the foreign buyers? Are you going to have people on your team that speak multiple languages? Are you going to make changes? I think that’s really important. I speak English and French and now I am taking classes in Mandarin. I’ll never speak it, but at least I’ll be able to understand more just to get by. Also, it’s just a sign of respect.

Do you think the province of Ontario and the city of Toronto are doing enough to control housing prices?

I don’t know that you can control housing prices. We were already seeing a lot of people backing off from multiple offers and becoming afraid of the high prices. I get concerned whenever I see government intervention. We had rent controls once before and rent controls have a tendency to stop builders from building rental properties and then you end up with a shortage of rental properties, which drives the rents really high. It’s very popular and everybody likes that they can now get low rents, but what they don’t realize is down the road if rents are not increasing but every other cost is, people who own rental properties are going to go, “This is ridiculous. Why am I doing this? I’m not even covering my costs.” This stops people from building purpose-filled rentals. What they should’ve done is incentivize builders to build purpose-filled rentals.

SK00SK

One of the things that makes Toronto such a wonderful city is how welcoming it is. Toronto is a metropolis that prides itself on inclusiveness, diversity, and a wide tapestry of people coming together to create a community feel despite a vast population.

Despite there being many excellent facets about the city, there are always ways that we can improve and better serve the needs of the population within our city, whether they’re tourists or call Toronto home. Thankfully there are inspired people who see a need and turn it into a reality.

Silvia Guido is one of these people; she saw a lack of information on accessibility and found a way to serve the needs of many people within the city.

Silvia Guido is a practicing physiotherapist specializing in neuro-rehabilitation. In April 2013, Silvia started the blog-based website AccessTO after she discovered the lack of accessible restaurants in the city. The website commits to highlighting fully accessible entertainment venues including restaurants, cafes and concert venues in Toronto by providing measurements and pictures in an easy to read format.

Can you tell me a bit about what inspired you to start AccessTO? How has it evolved from early days to what it is today?

I started AccessTO four years ago out of a genuine concern that no information was available for my family and friends who had different needs when looking for a restaurant. My profession as a physiotherapist also allowed me to meet people every day who shared the same concern for inclusivity within the local community.

Based on my love of food, the idea that a few steps could keep someone from experiencing the basic act of eating with loved ones aggravated me. I began assessing the space of any new restaurant I was dining at so it was an easy shift to writing my thoughts on a blog. It also became apparent very early that I wouldn’t have a problem finding people who wanted to help, which ignited the project. Within six months, I had a group of volunteers who I trained to assist with creating more frequent and robust content.

Can you tell me about the people and partners who work to fulfill AccessTO’s vision?

AccessTO has partnered with the University of Toronto for several years to enhance the curriculum within the Department of Occupational Science Occupational Therapy Program. Students volunteer and learn about the auditing process while faculty members provide invaluable input into criteria used to determine accessibility.

AccessTO recruits volunteers from the community who are older adults or have experienced a disability. The venues reviewed are often visited by a pair of volunteers and these varying insights are recorded to produce a collaborative experience we are very proud of.

What are biggest barriers we’re facing in terms of making Toronto an accessible city?

Well I don’t want to speak to all sectors, but we cannot ignore how difficult it is to succeed in the food and entertainment business in Toronto. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act’s (AODA) intention to make all places accessible by 2025 may not be relevant for entrepreneurs who hope to make it past the first year of business. Retrofitting their space for a ramp or a washroom on the main floor is expensive.

Having said this, I always encourage business owners to consider the accessibility of their space because it can assist in generating a broader customer base. This is everyone from a wheelchair user to a family who uses a stroller. The lack of information available and perhaps an insight into this for business owners may also be a huge barrier.

Map of accessible restaurants, coffee shops and bars

What roles can both consumers and businesses take towards creating more accessible spaces in our city? What about health care professionals?

People need to start thinking of Toronto (or any city they live in) as a collective community and understand how inclusive spaces actually benefit everyone. It really should not be an afterthought for business owners or consumers as the population needs are always changing, especially as we age. As a health professional, I think there is a huge responsibility for us to keep up to date with the accessibility standards in Ontario and educate as many people as possible. We should also be modeling within our own businesses a barrier-free space.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions you’ve seen in terms of creating an accessible space?

Many people feel that an added cost is always necessary. There may be, but most likely it is less than you think. The Ontario government is also continually offering initiatives for individuals to increase the accessibility of their space such as the Enabling Accessibility Fund. Toronto’s very own StopGap Foundation is also available to assist with the manufacturing of an affordable ramp.

How do you find/ decide which places to feature in the Accessible Spaces section of your website?

Our volunteers usually make a list of new or tried and true venues and call to make an appointment to assess the accessibility. If the space meets our criteria, a review is posted on the website! Everything on the website has passed an onsite audit to simply make sure that when someone says something is accessible it really is!

Julian & Silvia make one review team, photo by AccessTO

What are your favourite accessibility-minded places in the city? What can other businesses learn from them?

A great space is the new Tangled, which is Toronto’s first accessible art gallery for artists with disabilities. The venue can almost be a gold standard for any business to learn from. I am a big fan of coffee shops and my favourite right now is Page One Café near Ryerson Campus. Besides the physical construction of the space, I am always impressed with the attitudes of the owners and staff. This may be what is really lacking in Toronto.

Tangled Art + Disability, New works by Persimmon Blackbridge

How do Toronto and Ontario compare to other cities and regions in terms of accessibility? What other places can we learn from?

I think Canada, in general, has a lot to learn about accessibility from the US who have had the Americans with Disabilities Act since 1990! It is frankly embarrassing that we still don’t have a federal disability policy and that the AODA has been so slow in producing set standards for physical spaces. A city that stands out for me is London, England which has built in an incredibly accessible infrastructure. We can definitely learn from them.

Which projects are you most proud of and why?

The main mission of providing the most reliable information for the community continues to make me the most proud.

Why did you choose to make Toronto your home? What is your favourite thing about the city?

I grew up in Toronto and am still stumbling into neighbourhoods that I have never visited. My favourite thing is everything that these neighbourhoods bring with them, including the people and the cuisine.

Looking for an #accessible brunch place this weekend? Check out the delicious Eggspectation! @EggspectationOfficial https://t.co/dOef4ez7DT

— AccessTO (@accessTO_) May 13, 2017

How do you define success, both professionally and personally? Has your definition of success changed over the past several years?

Success has always been for me how well I am able to care for myself and others on an equal level. If I could pull this off every day, I would be successful! It’s definitely a work in progress…

What’s next? Do you have any upcoming projects that you’d like to talk about?

AccessTO has recently joined forces with individuals in the art community to create a collective called Access Visual Art (AVA). AVA will focus on bringing accessibility related information about art venues to the Greater Toronto Area over the next 6 months. We believe this to be a great opportunity to shed some light on some very special places and educate those that may be lacking!

SM00KI

Back when the photo above was taken, in 1979, I was just starting out as a realtor. Since then I’ve learned a lot about the real estate world. And while ‘the times they are a-changin’ the main laws of business—and I mean any client-oriented business, not just real estate—remain the same.

The realtor game isn’t easy. Long hours and hard work is the norm in the industry. I’ve never met a successful realtor who worked 40 hours a week. They all work 60-80 hours.

It’s a thankless job sometimes, but it can be very fulfilling as well. That’s why I’ve decided to share guidelines to help you through the difficult times.

1. When something comes up, do it right away.

It’s so easy to get distracted. Tasks that you can’t anticipate pop up all the time. When something unforeseen shows up on your schedule it’s best to get it over with so you don’t get bogged down by it.

2. Know your marketplace.

See as many houses as possible. It’s important to get out there and find out what the neighbourhood is like. You should know how many schools are in the area, where the nearest transit stop is, and when garbage day is.

Torontoism’s Neighbourhood guides

You should know everything about the neighbourhood you’re working in. From the best restaurants and best schools in the area to the best off-the-leash dog parks and farmers’ markets.

3. Work to be at the same level at all times.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of it all. Sometimes you get tired and don’t want to work. But you need to push through that.

I see a lot of people who do really well in the first three months and then decide to relax. Instead, try and pace yourself. Don’t take on too much and never do just the bare minimum.

4. Always over-perform for your clients: go the extra mile.

Don’t wait for your clients to ask you for something. Instead, anticipate their needs. You want to create a situation where they look to you on an ongoing basis. So they may call you when they want to paint their house in five years, or when they want to sell in 10 years.

Making play-doh dumplings at a Mandarin class with Panda Mandarin Language School

5. Plan ahead 6 months, 12 months and 5 years and spoil yourself.

It’s important to give yourself something to look forward to. As I said, being a realtor is a very intense job. I think the only way you can keep up that pace is if you always have something to look forward to. 

I usually plan at least one trip to Mexico every year. Other times I head to Europe for a few weeks. But it’s all in the name of rewarding yourself for your hard work. There’s always something that I’ve booked and paid for that I’m going to enjoy months down the line.

6. Always be on the lookout for the next opportunity.

Finding new opportunities or niches can open doors and bolster your business.

I realized years ago I had to look to widening my customer base to people who speak different languages. Learning about foreign buyers and dealing with them opened entirely new markets and kept our business moving strong.

Richard and Sherille in London during The Torontoism international trip in December 2016.

7. Never take yourself too seriously.

Things will go wrong. Clients will decide to go with other realtors but that happens to everybody. Stuff happens. There will be disappointments and you just need to move on. Don’t let it get you down.

8. Focus on what you do well and outsource the rest.

Some people are good at public speaking while others are terrified by it. That’s normal. The trick is to figure out what you’re good at and concentrate on that. Wherever your shortcomings are, try and find people to fill those roles. So if you’re bad on the phone, find someone who’s good at it.

Meet Torontoism

We speak English, French, Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Portuguese!

9. Involve yourself in your community.

There are opportunities all over the web for realtors, but it’s important not to forget that there’s a community around you.

Go online and outside.

Getting involved in that community will help people remember you. So when they’re looking to buy or sell, you’ll be the first person they think of and the first person they call. If there are things you can do in the community get out there and do them.

You should also remember that the community doesn’t just mean the neighbours. Realtors are part of a community, and networking is a valuable tool.

There are a lot of realtors who don’t want to interact with other realtors. If you can send business to a peer, the odds are better that one day they’ll return the favour.

Torontoism in New York with the Nikki Field Team

10. Think long term.

Don’t just look at recent trends. A five-year plan is useful for anyone. A lot of realtors, when it comes to real estate, they think very short term. But picturing where you’ll be in five years can also help you figure out how you want to get there. Or how you can help clients get there.

11. If the market slows and the pie gets smaller, get a bigger piece. Don’t let a downturn affect you.

When there’s a downturn a lot of people become paralyzed. But there is always business to be had. It just means working a little harder during the lean times. People will always be buying and selling.

12. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

I once had a client who had trouble organizing his office. As a joke, I got him a paper shredder and it’s something the client still jokes about. The point is, you can always go the extra mile.

There are times you can do things in the community that people won’t even know about. In the past, it wasn’t unheard of for me to help my clients move, though you should be mindful of going overboard. But if there’s anything you can do that your clients will enjoy, don’t overthink it. Just do it.

Title Photo by Charles Pachter

Richard was recently interviewed for the OREA EDGE newsletter about the team approach in real estate, together with Melanie Piche who runs the BREL Team at Toronto’s Sage Real Estate in partnership with her husband, Brendan Powell. Here is an excerpt from the article, but you can find the  whole article here.

Richard Silver, who has worked in Toronto real estate for more than 37 years, is the Torontoism team lead and vice-president of sales at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. He is part of a seven-member team comprising five Realtors and two support staff. He believes in the team model because “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Everyone brings different strengths. Each of us is better at something than others. Some people speak a different language. Our team contains different cohorts, Baby Boomers and Millennials, and they all provide different viewpoints.

Silver believes that in a successful team, members learn from one another and feed off one another’s ideas and energy. “We learn from the strengths of others, as well as from their guidance when problems arise,” he says. “Each of us is different and we celebrate our diversity.”

Silver employed a coach to help the team get organized, determine responsibilities and settle on the method of compensation. He believes the smooth running of the team flows from that approach.

I choose to share all my leads with the team and no longer solely represent anyone. I also wanted their compensation to be high so they would not be tempted to leave and go out on their own.

Real estate is a competitive business, but neither team has had much internal conflict. Silver’s team members are careful not to step on one another’s toes. Silver says the team can always turn to management at the brokerage if it encounters a problem that seems insurmountable.

Although Realtors are often viewed as rugged individualists, both sources say it is possible for real estate salespeople to work and thrive in teams if the right conditions are present.

People who can’t work as part of a team are the same people who might also have problems in an office environment. If it is all about you, don’t choose to be part of a team. Our team members have come to depend on each other and, for the most part, have become social friends, as well as business friends.

Keys to team success:

• Realize that you’re in it for the long haul; it’s not just about getting one deal done.
• If you’re thinking of joining a team, talk to the other team members and get a complete picture. Ask in-depth questions.
• In considering a team, see what the track record is and the longevity of members.
• Be sure that both the team and its affiliated brokerage are a good fit for you.
• Remember, it’s not all about what you can get. What do you bring that can make the team better?
• Consider hiring a coach or finding a mentor when you are starting a team so you can avoid painful mistakes.
• Put people with complementary skills together on your team. The complexity of the market today means no single individual is an expert on every type of property or aspect of the business.

Originally posted in the EDGE newsletter and OREA site, by Elaine Smith.

SK00SK

Cabbagetown – the village in the middle of the city. The “Thing” about Cabbagetown is it’s a small town in a big City. It has its own shopping area, park, schools and everyone knows their neighbour.

Restaurants are plentiful as well as ethnic diversity in food. I’ve decided to share some of my local favorites. Feel free to share your favourites in the comments, good food suggestions are always welcome!

HOUSE ON PARLIAMENT

Address: 454 Parliament St, Toronto, ON
Opening Hours: 11:30 – 02:00
houseonparliament.com

Source: Facebook

Purveyors of Fine Fare, Libation & Diversion.

House on Parliament is one of the few places where you’re encouraged to dine with your bare hands. It actually says so on the menu, which is divided into four categories, according to the type of utensils the meal demands: Fork and Spoon, No Cutlery Needed, Utensils Optional, Silverware Required, Sweet Spoon.

The meal selection at HoP is what you would expect to find in a normal pub. What is more, Now magazine said House of Parliament serves the best pub food in Toronto. And I couldn’t agree more!

Source: Facebook

I work a lot of evenings, I am here for brunch or lunch at least once a week. I consider this place the original gastro pub! And in the summer, make sure you enjoy your meal on their top floor deck! Great outdoor eating experience!

And the vibe at the House on Parliament in perfect balance with the Cabbagetown neighbourhood – it’s quirky, artsy, historical, comfortable, and friendly. We’ve covered the restaurant before on Torontoism.com, so if you’re not convinced yet, don’t leave without reading our full-scale review here.

Source Facebook

SALT & TOBACCO

Address: 521 Parliament St, Toronto, ON
Opening Hours: MON-THU, SUN 17:00-21:00, FRI-SAT 17:00-21:30
saltandtobacco.com

Source: Salt & Tobacco

If you want to do something, like propose to the love of your life, and you aren’t into waiting for a seat then call us – we can work with you on that.

Salt & Tobacco is the newest addition to the Parliament food scene. The location is central, the food is excellent. They’re already famous for their great service and a welcoming and bright ambience.

One important thing to note, this restaurant is small and has limited seating, only a couple of benches. And because of their popularity, even their website says “you’re likely to be sharing a table when you arrive. Don’t worry, everybody is nice”. And you shouldn’t worry indeed. The seating allows for a very friendly atmosphere to enjoy their speciality pizzas.

Source: Salt & Tobacco

And as far as pizza goes, it doesn’t get better than Salt & Tobacco. The crust is like a super model – thin and crisp. Wash it down with craft beer or sparkling water on tap. It’s your choice, but do choose this place as it deserves your attention!

Source: Salt & Tobacco

THE IRV GASTRO PUB

Address: 195 Carlton St, Toronto, ON
Opening Hours: MON-FRI 11:00-01:00, SAT-SUN 10:00-01:00
theirvpub.ca

Source Facebook

All of our meat is locally raised without the use of any hormones and antibiotics. NEVER FROZEN.

Local is not only a word at Irv’s, but a commitment: “It is very important for us to give back, its not only a part of our business model but it is a part of who we are.” And you know a restaurant is serious about its ingredients when it uses caps lock to emphasize it.

I think the best description of this neighbourhood eatery would be “a great spot for relaxed eating of comfort food.”

Source Facebook

The Irv Gastro Pub is a Cabbagetown favourite for its coziness, informal setting, sports broadcasting and overall friendly atmosphere. There’s no reason to believe otherwise when the place averages 4,5 on Yelp.

Their sandwiches alone do a great job promoting the chefs but don’t hesitate to come for brunch. Wash your meal down with local craft beer and craft cocktails.

Also, their patio is great. I must admit to being a patio sitter, and Irv has a really nice patio! I love the ambiance there and the street views.

F’AMELIA

Address: 12 Amelia St, Toronto, ON
Opening Hours: MON-FRI 17:00-22:00, SAT-SUN 11:00-14:00, 17-22
famelia.com

Come and visit – your taste buds will thank you!

The great thing about big cities is their diversity and what it brings to the table. In F’Amelia’s case, it is Northern Italian cuisine and wine.

Located on the Amelia St in our lovely Cabbagetown, the name seems to hint at a playful combination that sounds like ‘Familia’ meaning family. The homelike place is praised for its service, wine and authentic food. Often times you will notice it is called a hidden gem. This is because Cabbagetown is one of those neighbourhoods that don’t feel busy, yet there’s no shortage of business.

Source: Facebook

F’Amelia accommodates their guests on the patio, or in the cozy interior.

And it’s always a good choice, for any occasion, whether you’re celebrating something, or you’re just in the mood for some delicious Italian food. They have wonderful bread, tasty Italian food and the atmosphere at the restaurant is Cabbagetown at its best.

Source: Facebook

RASHNAA RESTAURANT

Address: 307 Wellesley St E, Toronto, ON
Opening Hours: MON-SUN 11:30-22:00
rashnaa.com

Rashnaa was first opened in 1990 in the heart of Cabbagetown, Toronto.

Almost three decades later and Rashnaa is still one of my neighbourhood favourites. Rashnaa means Tasty in Sanskrit, a language associated with India.

What is it you can find here? Spicy Indian and Sri Lankan meals. More than on the fancy interior, the place is focused on good quality dishes. Don’t worry, though, the ambience is very authentic even without overwhelming decorations. Less is more when it comes to this place!

Source: Facebook

Rashnaa offers Great Sri Lankan delicacies, but it’s not for the light eater. Make sure you have lots of water near you! Kothu Roti is one of the most popular dishes. If you have never had Sri Lankan food before I encourage you to try it here. They’re also a great choice for take-out or UberEats.

Source Just Eat

ML00ML

Our city is a work in progress. Even before the new Crosstown LRT project peppered Eglinton Avenue with work sites, Toronto often felt like a lively, lived-in construction zone. But as chaotic as it can sometimes be, there is at least a little method to the madness. There is a Plan, and behind it, a whole department of city planners.

Jennifer Keesmaat came to the job of Chief Planner in 2012, after nearly a decade of private-sector urban planning that saw her help design – or in some cases, redesign –city spaces across the country.

Somewhere in between meetings, she found the time to answer a few questions about how Toronto is changing, and why.

Just to clarify things, what does the Planning Department actually have control over?

We have control over every part of the landscape of this city. It’s embedded in the Official Plan, and we write and maintain and recommend the Official Plan to City council. So for example, in the Official Plan, we have policies about affordable housing. We have policies about parks and open spaces. We have policies about the character and design of transit, as well as the design of streets and roads. And then we also have policies related to the built form and the uses of the city.

What’s your vision for Toronto?

The vision is contained in the Official Plan, and that’s a vision that I, you know, deeply believe in – passionately believe in. Essentially the vision is to create a city for all, that has vibrant and dynamic places for people to live, but also places for people to work and play. So there are policies related to culture, to employment, to housing, to parks and recreation.

Can you give me some examples of things you’re doing to achieve this vision?  

I just came from a meeting right now on the Lawrence-Allen neighbourhood, where we have a typical suburban social housing development – it’s a pretty large site, over a hundred acres –and we are deep into phase one, where we are adding main streets, density, market housing, new housing, and redesigning the streets for pedestrians.

So where the streets today are primarily for cars, we’re adding cycling lanes and sidewalks. We’re narrowing the streets to make them more urban. So that’s an example where the vision becomes very specific on one specific site, and I can give you hundred of those sites.

[fvplayer src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp549gsdjnk” splash=”https://torontoism.com//images/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-12-at-11.12.55.png” caption=”Walk to School: Jennifer Keesmaat at TEDxRegina”]

You’re talking about redesigning streets meant for cars, but the city right now seems full of cars – what do you see as the correct role for cars in Toronto?

It’s important to note that we keep adding people, but we don’t keep adding cars. We’ve been adding to the region 100,000 people on an annual basis, but we haven’t been adding any more cars for over thirty years to our road network. It’s been at capacity for thirty years.

The role of cars is going to change over time, as we’re already going through a shift because of things like Uber and Lyft, and we’ll go through another shift with autonomous vehicles. And the best role for the car in the city is to play – not a primary function, but a supportive function. Meaning that when there are instances where it’s not possible to get where you’re going on transit, or when you have the last mile challenge – the last mile of a trip, needing to get from transit – those are the opportunities where a car can play an important role.

How do you get people to shift to using cars in this limited way?

The first thing you need is, you need to have options. So one of the challenges in our suburbs in many areas is there aren’t a lot of options. The only way to get from point A to point B is in a car. So this is why we’ve created a really comprehensive transit network plan because we need to fill the gaps in our transit network so that people have the choice. But it’s also the reason why we’re focusing on the intensification of our avenues. Because you need to add destinations within walking distance.

And of course, we’re building our ten-year cycling plan because we know that over 75 per cent of the trips in the city of Toronto is within five kilometres from home, and five kilometres is obviously an easily bikeable distance. So adding cycling lanes is also about providing more choices.

Survival of our cities – and our planet – requires a massive culture shift. pic.twitter.com/2TFTZDqdNq

— jennifer keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) March 12, 2017

‘Walkability’ is a big deal in Toronto planning these days. What other factors enhance walkability, aside from sidewalks?

There’s sidewalks, but also the design of buildings. If you think about walking on a sidewalk, beside a Walmart, for example, you have a big blank wall. You know, the wind is going to hit that building and be driven down and is going to make it a very uncomfortable place for you.

So, the design of buildings is one of the factors. Bringing buildings up and creating a street edge is a really important part of walkable communities. And making sure that the destinations are in close proximity to one another; a really important part of creating a walkable city is actually how land uses are planned and designed.

You’ve worked on urban planning projects all over Canada. What makes Toronto distinctive from a planning point of view?

Well, the first thing that makes it distinctive is our astronomical growth. We’re just adding so many people on an annual basis. But the other piece that makes it distinctive is that Toronto is truly a city of neighbourhoods, and people already live in neighbourhoods and do undertake many activities associated with everyday life in their neighbourhood.

Another thing that makes Toronto really distinctive is that we are a city of extremes because we’re both regional and we’re urban, as a result of amalgamation. So if you compare downtown Toronto to the city of Vancouver – which is actually a good comparison because Vancouver is not amalgamated as part of the region – we have some pretty phenomenal stats around our success in the downtown core. 75 per cent of the population living in the downtown – which is a population of 250,000 people and it’s going to double over the next twenty years – either walks, cycles, or takes transit to work. That’s on an international scale a real success.

Integration of old + new in this 9 storey office building causes a double take. Distinctly Toronto. Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/I2gDQYZoXB

— jennifer keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) March 19, 2017

What about the divide between urban and suburban that we’ve seen in the last few municipal elections?

I’m not sure how much of that is a construct of the media and how much is real. I think people across the city want the same thing; they want to live in safe communities. We already know – there’s great research that’s been undertaken – that people want destinations within walking distance of home. They want to live in walkable communities. People want great transit across the entire city. People want excellent public spaces across the entire city. People want affordable housing across the city.

The term ‘liveability’ gets used a lot when it comes to Toronto. What does it mean to you’?

If you don’t have employment, it’s not very liveable. If you don’t have stable housing, it’s not very liveable. You need access to green space – in a city, even more so than if you were living in other places. So access to green space, to parks, to ravines, to nature, is a critical part of liveability.

I would argue that, for reasons that are almost incomprehensible, an entire generation has bought into the idea that a long commute is acceptable. And I would argue that it’s not. It’s not liveable. The average person in Toronto – the Average – commutes 45 minutes each way. That’s an hour and a half every day. The idea that we’ve normalized this as being a normal part of everyday life as opposed to being a last resort I think demonstrates how far we’ve come from really believing in the idea of liveability.

Liveability inherently means having the opportunity to choose to live close to where you work and where you undertake the activities of everyday life, as opposed to being trapped in a car, or trapped by a long commute, because that long commute can also happen on transit.”

Same street, different designs. Multimodal st moves 30,100 people/h vs the car-only st which moves 12,300 people/h. pic.twitter.com/ypfsP083VD

— jennifer keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) November 16, 2016

You’ve said that access to nature is a key component of liveability. Obviously, this means not paving over parks and ravines, but what other, less obvious things can you do, as a city planner, to design a more nature-friendly city?

Our Ravine Strategy is a key component of this. We need to protect the ecological functions of the ravine system and invest in making it function better – enhancing water flows, adding better infrastructure (like stairs, bridges and boardwalks) to get into the ravines and to walk through them, without disturbing their important ecological functions.

Our Green Infrastructure Unit is also working on taking back ‘unused parts of the roadway to reclaim this space for the public and for storm water management. See Raindrop Plaza Park, the new public gathering space at the north-west corner of Dundas and Coxwell for example. The permeable paving and rain gardens at this park will be directing storm water runoff from Coxwell Avenue to soil stored below plaza, which will water the newly planted trees and also eliminate basement flooding in the surrounding areas.

Can you give me a few examples of city planning for our growing senior population?

The most important thing we can do for our senior’s population is to plan walkable, complete communities with amenities that are close to home, that foster a strong sense of neighbourhood. Our infill projects on our Avenues are about providing more housing choice, and ensuring that we have all of the uses in every neighbourhood to make them complete.

What can we learn from other cities?

New York City is doing an amazing job right now at building affordable housing; they’re building 20,000 units of affordable housing on an annual basis. And they have done an amazing job of creating – back in the 70’s, actually – excellent rental housing that has been protected, and as a result, the vast majority of the population lives in rental housing.

I think as Toronto matures, we’re going to need a significant increase in the rental stock of housing in the city, as an affordable housing choice. It’s difficult to look at a lot of Asian cities, because they’re just growing at such an astronomical rate, but of course, when you look at transit, they do transit in a very aggressive way, and there’s probably some lessons we can learn from that, because we’re very slow at developing our transit infrastructure.

In terms of becoming more people oriented in our design, Copenhagen is a very good example of a city that has focused on – over the course of the past thirty years – transitioning from really being a city that primarily moved people in cars, to being a city that now primarily moves people on bikes. So there are different things that we can learn from different cities around the world.

JN00ML