Toon Dreessen
@toondreessen.bsky.social
Architect Husband Dad he/him; past pres @oaarchitects.bsky.social; president @architectsdca.bsky.social; writer, public speaker, advocate for #procurement reform; #climatepoli @riseforarch
Pinned
Toon Dreessen
@toondreessen.bsky.social
· Dec 28
The Problems of Public Procurement in Canada: Rule Layering, Strategic Purchasing, and Risk Aversion as a Toxic Stew
This article analyzes persistent challenges in Canadian public procurement, examining in particular the federal government's complex, multi-layered purchasing processes which have contributed to high....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Thanks to a dear friend who very patiently listens to my procurement rants for boosting this into my feed. I and many others, including @alexbozikovic.bsky.social and @novakovicto.bsky.social have been saying this for years. #ReformProcurement 1/ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
November 25, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Oh Kate… this is so hard to read. Sending you cheer and support.
November 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Oh Kate… this is so hard to read. Sending you cheer and support.
Logic is that this will pass; but logic also says that we wouldn’t spend half a billion on sports, destroy a series of buildings, make it impossible for our thriving PWHL team to continue while ending viability of much loved music festival. And yet. www.canadianarchitect.com/op-ed-a-look...
Op-ed: A look at the many risks of Lansdowne 2.0
What happens if, in 17 years, we have no profits, no sports team, and no plans for maintenance?
www.canadianarchitect.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Logic is that this will pass; but logic also says that we wouldn’t spend half a billion on sports, destroy a series of buildings, make it impossible for our thriving PWHL team to continue while ending viability of much loved music festival. And yet. www.canadianarchitect.com/op-ed-a-look...
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
#Ottawa City Council to vote on free fare days for minors, longer transfer window
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Council to vote on free fare days for minors, longer transfer window | CBC News
Ottawa city council will vote on a plan to make OC Transpo free for riders age 18 and under on weekends and holidays, while extending the transfer window to save commuters from paying twice for a sing...
www.cbc.ca
November 25, 2025 at 11:04 AM
#Ottawa City Council to vote on free fare days for minors, longer transfer window
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
got PPP loan payments to make
can't afford to run the trains
ridership is down
put up the fares to pay the loans
for the trains and track
we can't afford to use.
can't afford to run the trains
ridership is down
put up the fares to pay the loans
for the trains and track
we can't afford to use.
November 25, 2025 at 2:31 AM
got PPP loan payments to make
can't afford to run the trains
ridership is down
put up the fares to pay the loans
for the trains and track
we can't afford to use.
can't afford to run the trains
ridership is down
put up the fares to pay the loans
for the trains and track
we can't afford to use.
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
A sad day for cyclists. Bill 60 - which prohibits the conversion of motor vehicle lanes to bike lanes (or any other prescribed purpose) - has passed Third Reading this morning which will kill various cycling projects in Toronto & across Ontario. #shame #BikeTO #BikeSky #TOpoli #ONpoli #VisionZero
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
I don’t know. That seems like an awful lot of money. Where will we ever get that kind of money from? I mean, we have Lansdowne to pay for. And we don’t want taxes to go up do we? No we never want that. We must be fiscally responsible!
#Sarcasm
#Sarcasm
November 24, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I don’t know. That seems like an awful lot of money. Where will we ever get that kind of money from? I mean, we have Lansdowne to pay for. And we don’t want taxes to go up do we? No we never want that. We must be fiscally responsible!
#Sarcasm
#Sarcasm
Someday I want our province to be famous, to make international news headlines, for something really great and excellent that’s great for people. Not this embarrassment of a provincial government. @catmckenney.bsky.social
@maritstilesndp.bsky.social
@chandrapasma.bsky.social
@maritstilesndp.bsky.social
@chandrapasma.bsky.social
A bad day for Canada, and therefore the world.
Ontario (population 16 million, 40% of the country) has passed new legislation prohibiting bike lanes that take a lane from cars.
An escalation from Bill 212, which required municipalities to get approval.
Ontario (population 16 million, 40% of the country) has passed new legislation prohibiting bike lanes that take a lane from cars.
An escalation from Bill 212, which required municipalities to get approval.
November 24, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Someday I want our province to be famous, to make international news headlines, for something really great and excellent that’s great for people. Not this embarrassment of a provincial government. @catmckenney.bsky.social
@maritstilesndp.bsky.social
@chandrapasma.bsky.social
@maritstilesndp.bsky.social
@chandrapasma.bsky.social
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
Today Doug Ford and his government passed Bill 60: a vindictive attack that puts renters at greater risk and deepens Ontario’s housing crisis.
They also voted against my motion to strengthen tenant protections and bring back real rent control.
They also voted against my motion to strengthen tenant protections and bring back real rent control.
November 24, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Today Doug Ford and his government passed Bill 60: a vindictive attack that puts renters at greater risk and deepens Ontario’s housing crisis.
They also voted against my motion to strengthen tenant protections and bring back real rent control.
They also voted against my motion to strengthen tenant protections and bring back real rent control.
Yes, and faces the chàllenges of procurement, cost, delays in planning approval and a “meet min code” mindset that drives too much of our decision making; we need to drive for better, cohesive design driven by evidence based decisions www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: Canada needs an architecture policy
And by ‘architecture’ we shouldn’t just think of buildings. We should think of buildings and landscapes as well as transportation infrastructure, plazas and parkways as elements of the built environme...
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Yes, and faces the chàllenges of procurement, cost, delays in planning approval and a “meet min code” mindset that drives too much of our decision making; we need to drive for better, cohesive design driven by evidence based decisions www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
Tomorrow (Nov 25) is the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of #16Days of Activism on Gender-Based Violence
I'm offering 2 FREE bystander intervention webinars to mark the date: 1 in English et un en français
Learn community care with me. Sign up! ⬇️
I'm offering 2 FREE bystander intervention webinars to mark the date: 1 in English et un en français
Learn community care with me. Sign up! ⬇️
@julieslalonde | Linktree
Come learn bystander intervention with me - It's free!
linktr.ee
November 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Tomorrow (Nov 25) is the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of #16Days of Activism on Gender-Based Violence
I'm offering 2 FREE bystander intervention webinars to mark the date: 1 in English et un en français
Learn community care with me. Sign up! ⬇️
I'm offering 2 FREE bystander intervention webinars to mark the date: 1 in English et un en français
Learn community care with me. Sign up! ⬇️
Do the ideas align with the city’s plan and this is why we’re excited or are there other solutions and creative approaches that don’t align but that produce better value and better results and because they don’t fit the narrative don’t get heard? Why not be open to other ideas?
Many of the solutions they proposed align closely with our city’s plan, and I’m excited about the possibility of collaborating to advance some of these ideas.
November 24, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Do the ideas align with the city’s plan and this is why we’re excited or are there other solutions and creative approaches that don’t align but that produce better value and better results and because they don’t fit the narrative don’t get heard? Why not be open to other ideas?
It’s a great goal. Worth remembering that solving youth homelessness requires building and that requires architects; the school of architecture is at Carleton and there’s a huge talent pool of local firms ( #ShopLocal) that would love to be involved… in an industry that drives 17% on the ON GDP
We’ve set an ambitious goal of ending youth homelessness in Ottawa. It was so inspiring and impressive to see more than 160 students at University of Ottawa put their talents and energy into developing innovative projects that will help us achieve that goal.
November 24, 2025 at 12:41 PM
It’s a great goal. Worth remembering that solving youth homelessness requires building and that requires architects; the school of architecture is at Carleton and there’s a huge talent pool of local firms ( #ShopLocal) that would love to be involved… in an industry that drives 17% on the ON GDP
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
Also interesting for you as an urban planner: There are so few famous buildings from the Third Reich because the Nazis deeply despised cities.
It seems to be a substantial insight that exposure to more than one echo chamber is the best inoculation against stupidity.
It seems to be a substantial insight that exposure to more than one echo chamber is the best inoculation against stupidity.
November 24, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Also interesting for you as an urban planner: There are so few famous buildings from the Third Reich because the Nazis deeply despised cities.
It seems to be a substantial insight that exposure to more than one echo chamber is the best inoculation against stupidity.
It seems to be a substantial insight that exposure to more than one echo chamber is the best inoculation against stupidity.
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
A nation at war with its own cities is destined to fall.
Homeland Security is calling U.S. cities “sanctuary sewers.” The Trump regime wants Americans to hate other Americans. It’s deeply unpatriotic and must be stopped.
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 AM
A nation at war with its own cities is destined to fall.
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” — Arthur C. Clarke.
"Any sufficiently advanced walking, biking and transit infrastructure, supported by smart land-use, is indistinguishable from magic.” — me, paraphrasing Arthur C. Clarke.
"Any sufficiently advanced walking, biking and transit infrastructure, supported by smart land-use, is indistinguishable from magic.” — me, paraphrasing Arthur C. Clarke.
November 24, 2025 at 8:23 AM
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” — Arthur C. Clarke.
"Any sufficiently advanced walking, biking and transit infrastructure, supported by smart land-use, is indistinguishable from magic.” — me, paraphrasing Arthur C. Clarke.
"Any sufficiently advanced walking, biking and transit infrastructure, supported by smart land-use, is indistinguishable from magic.” — me, paraphrasing Arthur C. Clarke.
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
We’re still DRAMATICALLY understating how completely batshit-level unhinged this is.
Seriously. Imagine this happening in any other presidency.
You can’t, because it’s completely inconceivable that it could happen, or that it would be allowed.
Seriously. Imagine this happening in any other presidency.
You can’t, because it’s completely inconceivable that it could happen, or that it would be allowed.
This is what rock-bottom polling does to a man with a fragile ego.
November 24, 2025 at 6:33 AM
We’re still DRAMATICALLY understating how completely batshit-level unhinged this is.
Seriously. Imagine this happening in any other presidency.
You can’t, because it’s completely inconceivable that it could happen, or that it would be allowed.
Seriously. Imagine this happening in any other presidency.
You can’t, because it’s completely inconceivable that it could happen, or that it would be allowed.
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
This Mini-Brutalist Building in Osaka - Contrasted by housing a Maid Cafe r/brutalism
November 24, 2025 at 9:28 AM
This Mini-Brutalist Building in Osaka - Contrasted by housing a Maid Cafe r/brutalism
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
Go ahead toward a people-centred urbanism 💫
Thank you to our friend & crack @brenttoderian.bsky.social for this great Starter Pack 👌
Please share ⚡️
Thank you to our friend & crack @brenttoderian.bsky.social for this great Starter Pack 👌
Please share ⚡️
Word on the street is that there are a bunch of new folks joining Bluesky right now, so it seems like a good time to re-share my first & biggest STARTER PACK of urbanists & city-making organizations from across the world. Hope you’ll consider following the excellent accounts here. And please share!
November 23, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Go ahead toward a people-centred urbanism 💫
Thank you to our friend & crack @brenttoderian.bsky.social for this great Starter Pack 👌
Please share ⚡️
Thank you to our friend & crack @brenttoderian.bsky.social for this great Starter Pack 👌
Please share ⚡️
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”
It costs a lot less to house people.
It costs a lot less to house people.
Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need - scoop.me
In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Why? The country applies the "Housing First" concept agains homelessness.
thebetter.news
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 AM
“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”
It costs a lot less to house people.
It costs a lot less to house people.
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
A map of all instances where a driver has hit a pedestrian in Vancouver in the past 5 years. The largest circle on this map (Main & Hastings) represents 37 crashes. Source: ICBC
November 22, 2025 at 8:08 PM
A map of all instances where a driver has hit a pedestrian in Vancouver in the past 5 years. The largest circle on this map (Main & Hastings) represents 37 crashes. Source: ICBC
Coq au vin; lumpy mashed; roasted cauliflower, steamed green beans. A relaxing afternoon cooking. Life is good.
November 24, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Coq au vin; lumpy mashed; roasted cauliflower, steamed green beans. A relaxing afternoon cooking. Life is good.
Here I thought this was going to be a book about the Fab 4 and their exploits on tour
November 23, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Here I thought this was going to be a book about the Fab 4 and their exploits on tour
Reposted by Toon Dreessen
Word on the street is that there are a bunch of new folks joining Bluesky right now, so it seems like a good time to re-share my first & biggest STARTER PACK of urbanists & city-making organizations from across the world. Hope you’ll consider following the excellent accounts here. And please share!
October 16, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Word on the street is that there are a bunch of new folks joining Bluesky right now, so it seems like a good time to re-share my first & biggest STARTER PACK of urbanists & city-making organizations from across the world. Hope you’ll consider following the excellent accounts here. And please share!
It’s good stuff. Subscribed bc we need more strong local media.
November 23, 2025 at 9:42 PM
It’s good stuff. Subscribed bc we need more strong local media.