Jennifer Keesmaat
@jen_keesmaat
President and CEO, Collecdev-Markee Developments. Former Chief Planner, Toronto. Distinguished Visitor in Planning Emeritus, University of Toronto. Optimist.
Love to see it. When I was Chief Planner I had a picture of my once 86 year old grandmother blissfully cycling to visit friends (in Holland, of course). It was a source of inspiration for what might be possible in our city. So your note is a full circle moment for me. Thanks for…
I’m so grateful for your planning of lanes in Toronto. Here’s my 84 year old father utilizing active transit every day. Traffic is moving well for the increase in density. Bike lanes are a 6-60 essential mode of healthcare and transport.
Building homes that are affordably sustainable, and sustainably affordable, makes more sense now than ever. Building them with Canadian technology, Canadian workers, Canadian manufacturing, and Canadian resources is smart and cost effective. Read: thestar.com/business/opini… via…
There was a debate at City Council this week about shelters in the City of Toronto. All the usual things were said, by all the usual sides. Things both sides have been saying for decades were said again. What wasn’t discussed was a fundamentally new approach to housing people…
This stunning @globeandmail photo essay documenting the restoration of the Don River mouth tells us something profound about who we are as a city: 1. Citizen activism matters. The citizen-led Task Force to Bring Back the Don worked tirelessly for over 30 years to keep the vision…
In the shelter system, people find themselves in a wide range of situations. 'Situationally homeless' individuals are people who have become homeless due to a specific event or crisis, like an eviction or fleeing domestic violence, but who are otherwise employed or stable.…
Define lower risk
Yes, and it worked beautifully. Concentrating large numbers of people with high social needs in a single building or neighbourhood simply doesn’t work. As the demand for transitional housing has increased, the City’s response has often been to build larger and larger shelters.…
Didn't Canada used to have "scattered" low-cost and social housing? In every neighbourhood, including Rosedale??
I don't think we should let the definition of 'low risk' hold us back; at my request, ChatGPT created a good starting point in just a few seconds:
I like this approach a lot, wondering if perhaps we get bogged down in how to assess “low risk”?
"While single-family homes and high-rise condo units abound, other housing types—like duplexes, triplexes, and low- to mid-rise apartment buildings—are few and far between. But there does seem to be some hope on the horizon as the city has begun to change its zoning bylaws to…
Sixth floor is taking shape at our Cielo Condos. Heritage work is just beginning, as the tower rises. Levels that will be occupied by the @UnitedChurchCda and Bloor Street United Church are underway. Trust me, building over the subway has been no small feat! Very proud of my…
This isn’t nation building: it’s crisis management. What we’re looking at isn’t housing, it’s disaster relief. And while emergency shelter may be necessary, let’s call it what it is and then ask the harder question: why do we need disaster relief in Canadian cities for something…
I’ve long admired cities that seamlessly integrate cafés along park edges—which is why we jumped at the opportunity to make it happen on our Merton Street project. A perfect spot to linger with a book and a latte: here are our most recent building and park designs, by…
If the conservatives need help understanding what modular housing is, they can check out our Progress Canada episode on the topic with housing expert @jen_keesmaat. It's been available since before the federal election. 🎧👇 open.spotify.com/episode/6YZuH9…
Collecdev-Markee Launches Missing Middle Portfolio With Project On Danforth @SlizTeagan Really like this project from @jen_keesmaat - Family-oriented units - Courtyard - No parking - Pre-fab storeys.com/collecdev-mark…
What happened to Transit City? Why does building transit in Ontario take so long? @spaikin asks former Toronto mayor David Miller, former chief planner @jen_keesmaat & @JohnLorinc about the past, present, and future of moving people in the GTHA. #topoli youtube.com/watch?v=FNd-_O…
"Without investing in the public spaces and amenities that make city life livable, we’re missing the mark." @jen_keesmaat #DTHfxVision2030, the time is now! #MoveSmart #EverybodysNeighbourhood downtownhalifax.ca/vision2030
We’re starting to get density and transit right in our cities. But infrastructure and services—where the majority of Canadians live—are crumbling. Without investing in the public spaces and amenities that make city life livable, we’re missing the mark. It’s time to refocus on…
We have a hot new piece out at @missingmiddleca this morning - Municipal Timelines: Miracle or Mirage. Over the last year, administration officials from multiple municipalities in Ontario have made statements to the public that imply application reviews are getting 80-90% better…
And look what we got for it. Oh wait
The budget features a deficit of $14.6 billion, pushing Ontario's debt to a $489.8 billion, more than 51% higher than what the Ford government inherited from Wynne's Liberals.