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Matt Armstrong

@matta7.bsky.social
1.3K followers 453 following 350 posts

Tall City Planner, Tkaronto (Toronto). He/him. Formerly & fondly a resident of Hamilton, Ontario & London, UK.

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Reposted by Matt Armstrong
Sean Marshall @seanyyz.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Time to ride a brand new busway
Platform map at Kennedy Station Express corridor bus stop
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CRASH - Coalition to Reduce Auto Size Hazards @crashcoalition.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"although our cars have become more fuel efficient, 80% of those fuel-efficiency gains have been erased by Canadians buying larger, heavier vehicles that consume more gas." www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
Katharine Lake Berz: Is Canada’s love affair with SUVs running out of road?
Cole Attisha, a staff editor at Autoblog in Vancouver, says SUVs suit Canadian families and Canadian roads, and drivers shouldn’t be punished for choosing them. Ben Shoalts, a master’s student
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Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 28/09/2026
The countdown is on for a traffic-free Oxford Street. Monday 26 October marks a new chapter for the nation’s high street as it becomes pedestrianised.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Someone told me that print media is dead. They also told me that generative AI is the future. Anyway, I’m at Toronto’s Word on the Street book & magazine festival. It’s busy.
Photo looking down on a city square where lots of people are engaging with authors & vendors of books andmagazines Photo if a crowd at the book & magazine festival
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David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Hyper-fast acceleration is dangerous as well as pointless. As I wrote in 2024, the 0-to-60 metric is outdated and needs to die. No driver on a public road needs to go from 0 to 60 mph in under 8 seconds. Even the slowest car on the market is more than quick enough.
fastcompany.com
How fast can a car go from 0 to 60? It really doesn't matter
The auto industry has pushed this metric for decades. But cars—especially EVs—are so fast that comparing the decimals is pointless and dangerous.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Someone told me that print media is dead. They also told me that generative AI is the future. Anyway, I’m at Toronto’s Word on the Street book & magazine festival. It’s busy.
Photo looking down on a city square where lots of people are engaging with authors & vendors of books andmagazines Photo if a crowd at the book & magazine festival
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Canadian Architect @canadianarchitect.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Canadian Architect’s September 2026 issue: canadianarchitect.com/september-20... Cover: @uvic.ca Indigenous Law Wing, Victoria, British Columbia. An architectural collaboration between Two Row Architect, Teeple Architects and Low Hammond Rowe Architects. Photo: Latreille Photography #architecture
Canadian Architect’s September 2026 issue
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I like this accessible picnic table I saw in Scarborough. A person in a mobility device can pull up to the end, while the extended seat allows someone to sit directly with them. Cute!
Photo of a picnic table in a park. The end of the picnic table is designed to accommodate a mobility device.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I put a lot into the City of Toronto’s Modular Housing Initiative, to rapidly build housing for people experiencing homelessness. So today it felt great to share some of my experience as a panelist as part of this @cip-icu.bsky.social learning event. members.cip-icu.ca/mpower/event...
members.cip-icu.ca
Scaling Prefabricated and Modular Constructions: Lessons from Practice
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Joey Coleman @joeycoleman.ca · 10/09/2026
This is wonderful! You have to check out what the Farmer's Market has done on York Blvd.
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Toronto Star @thestar.com · 11/09/2026
A large LED aerial drone display appeared over Toronto’s skies late Thursday night advertising Loblaw’s health services app, sparking heated discussion online about the use of airspace for promotional material.
thestar.com
Loblaw’s late-night drone show in downtown Toronto sparks debate about ads in our skies
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
💙💙💙
Photo of a street sign in Toronto, where the lane is called “Love You More Lane”
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Matt Staub @staubio.com · 10/09/2026
If you're breathlessly worried about street parking, you might want to do something about these selfish folks who turn 4 spots into 2.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
This building, with its exterior staircase to access an upper unit, is in Toronto. Was it inspired by Montreal walk-ups?
Photo of a small residential building of 3 storeys,with an exterior stair to an upper unit.
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Lanrick Bennett @lanrickbennett.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The invention of Jaywalking via Hannah Fry #WarOnWalking youtube.com/shorts/6W_s3...
youtube.com
The invention of Jaywalking
YouTube video by Hannah Fry
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
This building, with its exterior staircase to access an upper unit, is in Toronto. Was it inspired by Montreal walk-ups?
Photo of a small residential building of 3 storeys,with an exterior stair to an upper unit.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Introduce yourself with five artists you’ve seen at least twice Smerz Austra Caribou Ralph Jamie xx
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Paul Kulig @paulkuligto.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Extension of the West Toronto Railpath south of Dundas is finally taking shape. This ramp will connect to a bridge to Sorauren Park across the tracks.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Love to see a City work vehicle in a park that is small, with a low front hood height, great visibility, & a lower weight (to cause less impact to the grounds & trees).
Photo of a park, with a small work vehicle travelling along the grass. Houses are in the background
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GO ALTO @go-alto.ca · 13/08/2026
Canadians are already travelling between the cities Alto would connect. 🚗 Driving offers flexibility ✈️ Flying offers speed 🚆 Rail offers comfort and usable time Alto brings several of those advantages together with fast trips, frequent departures and reliable service. go-alto.ca/en/updates/t...
go-alto.ca
Canadians Are Already Travelling. Alto Can Make It Better. | GO ALTO
Millions of trips already connect the cities of the Québec City–Toronto corridor by road, air and rail. Alto would give Canadians a faster, easier and more accessible way to make them.
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
“Here’s what we found: Every additional 100kg of vehicle weight was associated with a 6% increase in odds of pedestrian fatality. Every additional 10cm of height was associated with an 11% increase in odds of pedestrian fatality. The relationship was even stronger in lower-speed environments.”
theconversation.com
Big US-style trucks are killing more pedestrians in Australia – our research proves it
Pedestrians are more likely to be killed by heavier cars – and even more so if the vehicle is taller, Australian-first research has found.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Small wins. I noticed an AI ad for a company that I have been a customer of. I wrote them a short email explaining the environmental & social impacts of AI, and that if they choose to use AI instead of hiring an artist, that I would no longer be a customer. Got a decent response:
Screenshot of an email, the gist of which is that a company is pausing all AI marketing.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Stopped to charge my car in Prescott, Ontario. Never been here & I just want to hug the town! Pretty waterfront, lovely public spaces (check out this green amphitheatre!), a pop-up village for food & vendors at the marina (not open being Monday), and food-producing community gardens. Cute!
Photo of a small town visitor centre in a lighthouse, surrounded by gardensPhoto of an amphitheatre facing the river. The amphitheatre has seating of bricks & grassPhoto of a colourful row of huts for food vendors & small shopsPhoto of a community gardens with edible plants
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Kanchan @kayehm.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
The Ford F-series and Silverado are the #1 and #2 top selling large trucks in North America (and on this list, but lower down) - but Dodge drivers do more damage with their vehicles. We know about the design issues - but there has to be some correlation between these statistics and brand marketing?
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Green residential laneways of Montreal. In some cases, if it weren’t for hints (a sewer grate, a car nearly hidden by shrubs), it just feels like wandering a wide garden path. And traffic calming too (alternating bump outs). Beautiful!!
A narrow walkway with a sewer grate in the moddle. Both sides are well planted with small trees & hydrangeas A residential laneway with flowering echinacea , shrubs, and a car almost hodden among the plants. The lane curves back & forth for traffic calming
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
I have never purchased anything from Amazon & this encourages me to maintain that. Also a friendly reminder that you can switch to the no-AI version of DuckDuckGo. It’s pretty good.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Bike delivery in Montreal. Just observed a massive amount of food being dropped off to a déppaneur (my breakfast spot). This was next level imho.
Photo of what looks like a chest fridge being pulled by a bicycle. The bike is stopped & resting on the street. There appears to be another bike inside the chest.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Love this. Not the most beautiful, but a simple, fun, & effective public installation for beating the heat! (Montreal, Parc La Fontaine)
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Dezeen @dezeen.com · 03/08/2026
Plans for a large new building in Rotterdam intended to encourage people to lead more environmentally friendly lifestyles are wrong-headed and should be scrapped in a blaze of publicity, writes Barnabas Calder. www.dezeen.com/2026/08/03/rotterdam…
dezeen.com
"Plants on a building doesn't make it sustainable, any more than a basil leaf on a steak makes it vegan"
Plans for a large new building in Rotterdam to encourage people into more ecological lifestyles should be scrapped, writes Barnabas Calder.
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Canadian Architect @canadianarchitect.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
ICYMI: Our August issue celebrates the 11 winners of the 2026 Governor General’s Medals in Architecture.
canadianarchitect.com
2026 Governor General’s Medals in Architecture
Every two years, the prestigious Governor General’s Medals in Architecture recognize and celebrate outstanding design in recently built projects by Canadian architects. Here are this year’s winners.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Recently had to explain to a professional from outside Toronto, that the vast majority of downtown Toronto workers commute by bike, walking, or transit. Some drive, but they are the minority. Perhaps I should show them these bike share stations…
Photo of lots of bikes at a bike share station along a downtown Toronto streetPhoto of an Individual trying to park a bike share bikePhoto of lots of bikes share bikes with downtown Toronto buildings in the background
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
I support high speed rail.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
‘Officials pointed to climate change as a contributing factor’. .. In other news, I recently switched my browser to the no-AI version of DuckDuckGo & been happy with it. Pro-tip: you can go into settings to also turn off AI images in search results too.
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Jason Thorne @jasonthorne.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Toronto, you’re going to love your new waterfront park! The next phase of Biidaasige Park is now open.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
This part of Biidaasige Park officially opens tomorrow. It’s incredible. Lovely evening to be there.
Photo of the Toronto skyline from Biidaasige Park
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I believe in shopping local & in the right to repair. So when I needed a small part replaced for my bike, I asked local shops. None could get one. So I went directly to the source, which shipped…. This. Yes that little part is all that was in the box. I expected it in a small envelope. Such waste.
Photo of a delivery boxPhoto of the inside of a delivery box that is nearly empty, with a tiny item in it
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
To make my weekend easier & relaxing, my first @thestar.com column back from vacation is about transportation identity politics. Keeping people divided is useful for some political interests & ambitions. Maybe it’s good to resist that.
thestar.com
Shawn Micallef: I’m a cyclist, I’m a driver, I’m a TTC rider. Stop making me pick sides, just make it easier to get around
Cyclists, drivers, TTC riders and pedestrians can unite in service of a better commute
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Imagine living in a laneway house opposite this.
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Sometimes it’s just fun to go for a bike ride with a few friends.
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More Transit Southern Ontario @moretransitso.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Toronto's new LRT lines are significantly faster than when they opened. Line 5 riders are saving 8 minutes on average for trips from Mount Dennis -> Kennedy compared to opening. Finch LRT riders are saving 15 minutes on average for trips from Finch West -> Humber College. 1/2
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Dave @davescrivener.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Well, well, well. Look what was hiding under a giant billboard for a few decades.
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Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 16/07/2026
TTC ran a “pilot project” to track the number of cars illegally passing streetcars at stops: “Preliminary data indicates that near-miss incidents may be very pervasive and that there is likely merit to developing a technology-based solution to this problem” Shocker. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Dashboard showing observed illegal passing incidents on Toronto streetcars from December 2025 to March 2026, including geographic distribution map, hourly trends peaking at 3 PM with 15 incidents, route breakdown with Route 501 having the most violations at 40 incidents, and period-based statistics across different time windows.
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Sean Marshall @seanyyz.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Why I’m a fan of the Oxford comma.
TORONTO STAR
BOOK REVIEW
Sylvia Plath, a New York vigilante and Shah of Iran featured in latest historical fiction
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Sean Marshall @seanyyz.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
I have once again updated my Canada intercity transportation map, which includes some new additions and changes in Quebec and seasonal services operated by Flixbus in Ontario. There’s now a direct Toronto-Picton service via Wellington on weekends. seanmarshall.ca/2026/07/14/i...
seanmarshall.ca
Intercity map updates for July 2026
A few additions and changes to my interactive intercity map in time for summer.
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Eric Very @ekvery.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
The elements lean into Toronto's architectural history with pieces recovered from the 1912 Toronto Bank, which was demolished in the 60s, and the beams holding them paying homage to the Mohawk Skywalkers who built many of Manhattan's most famous skyscrapers and the CN tower.
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Jason Thorne @jasonthorne.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
A new pop-up gathering space on the Toronto waterfront created in partnership with @c40cities.bsky.social. Designed by Ha/f and 3XN/GXN and constructed by Arcana using salvaged lumber and recovered bricks to show how temporary installations can contribute to a more sustainable built environment.
An outdoor space featuring makeshift concrete and brick tables and benches, secured with bright orange straps. Colorful Adirondack chairs in blue, green, and yellow are arranged nearby. The area is illuminated by streetlights, with a person seen in the backgroundAn outdoor structure featuring wooden beams and blocks, creating a seating area with tables supported by concrete blocks tied with orange straps. The background includes greenery and a cloudy sky.Myself and two colleagues sitting at one of the benches
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Adam Nathaniel Furman @anfurman.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Today was the opening of Colourway, a project that has transformed the Plumstead overpass with painted murals, ceramic walls and staircase, new flooring, lighting and events support. I worked on this with Adams & Sutherland, Make:Good, & Rumi Bose for RBG, Peabody & Berkeley
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The War on Cars @thewaroncars.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
"The report calls for hood height caps of 85 cm (33.5 inches), width limits of 192 cm (75.6 inches), taxes tied to vehicle dimensions, parking fees based on size, and regulatory incentives reserved for smaller EVs measuring less than 4.2 meters (165.4 inches) long."
carscoops.com
Researchers Want To Tax Cars By The Inch To Stop Carspreading | Carscoops
Researchers argue that stopping vehicle growth could save lives, space, and billions in energy costs
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Love the cycling DJ leading the @tosoarch.bsky.social contingent at the Toronto Pride 🌈 parade yesterday. Also love the representation of queer buildings & spaces. Nice to get a big wave from @jasonthorne.bsky.social marching with them! 👋🏽 “Let’s hear it for love”
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Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Huge hometown crowd for a park screening of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. People like free events in public spaces. I am real excited!
Photo of a large crowd in a park facing an inflatable movie screen.
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