Ok I'm in. #ElectoralReform is critical to our democracy. So I've signed up with the federal NDP to support @avilewis.ca's leadership bid. I'm pretty jaded, but he actually gives me hope. We need big changes in Canada, starting with how elections should reflect the will of the people.

Sometimes my work is boring. And sometimes I get to issue an authorization to a researcher to use a vibrator to collect turtle semen. 🐢🍾

The suburbs built in Ontario's cities the 1960s - 80s are gonna hit us hard financially with their maintenance. Low-density housing brings revenue to the city short-term, but it loses big money long-term.

Interesting idea.

"Look for the helpers," is what Fred (Mister) Rogers said. These times are rough, but there are so many people doing good here in #Ptbo and beyond. Thanks to the Mortons and all other generous helpers.

I just learned that Hydro One has a thing called "distribution rate protection". It caps rural residents' hydro distribution rates. So the huge increase in hydro distribution costs will be paid for, disproportionately, by urban Ontarians. This is an example of cities subsidizing rural Ontario.

This is it exactly. When my kids were younger I wasn't worried about stranger-danger. I was worried about actual danger from the trucks zipping everywhere. It's natural for kids to run around unpredictably, and that can be deadly near roads (which are everywhere).

Should soccer coaches rate their referees? The latest episode of @refsneedlovetoo.bsky.social podcast discussed this. Some points I hadn't considered. open.spotify.com/episode/5hcM... 1. Coach feedback should focus on ref development, not complaints. Train coaches on what's expected. 1/5

Banning street hockey in Canada? This isn’t about protecting kids. It’s about protecting drivers from having to think about kids.

imagine how much better our city would be if more mayors and councilmembers and department heads actually rode transit and bikes.

this is flat out our local leaders saying "we don't care about putting pedestrians, cyclists, people using wheelchairs, or kids in strollers in danger" and nearly all our cities do it

Good news!

Every time we choose to subsidize parking we make other choices less attractive. Why would I walk, bike, or take the bus when there's an abundance of parking at every stop? This leads to people thinking that cars are the best choice, but they've just been subsidized the most.

What the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group promised Ottawa residents versus what OSEG actually delivered:

The difference in the time it takes a streetcar in Amsterdam vs. Toronto to clear an intersection after servicing a nearside stop.

The Region should keep them up and regularly publish data on how fast cars are going and how different speeds are from when the cameras generated fines for drivers who broke the law.

Watching some #CPL playoff soccer on @onesoccer.bsky.social. The Canadian Premier League is good soccer. Play-by-play guy Adam Jenkins is great. Perfect level of enthusiasm, knows the Laws of the Game, pronounces players' names correctly, and gives credit to refs for good calls/games.

The Biodiversity Heritage Library doesn't just provide access to historic literature. There are publications on BHL from 1469 to 2025. The Canadian Field-Naturalist is one of many in-copyright publications we've made freely accessible online (with permission from the rights holders of course). 🧪 ©️ 📖

Unfortunately data is never enough for people who make decisions based on culture wars. The data could show 100% compliance and 0 accidents after installation and they would still try to rip these cameras out to make our streets more dangerous. It is still amazing to see how clearly these work!

My family and I had a great time at the Halton Streetcar Museum near Guelph @streetcarmuseum.bsky.social. Lots of old streetcars to see, and ride a track through a forest. Learned lots from the volunteers. I love this car with snow sweepers. The bristles were made from special non-hollow bamboo!

Great to see a city councillor openly explaining the rationale for decisions. Thank you Ottawa's @arieltroster.com.

At first, I thought this was some sort of protest before realizing it was just scientists being their awesome, nerdy selves

Very cool project coming to some Ottawa parks! A free app lets you open a locker and use a ball, then return it. Thanks to Canadian Tire JumpStart program for funding this. This locker program has been spreading through Europe, I hope it succeeds here.

Falconers are generally supportive of wildlife health programs. Recent survey of U.S. falconers about rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD). [rabbits are prey for many falconry birds]. Most falconers would alter their behaviour to reduce RHD transmission. digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol17/is... #falconry

This episode made me think about how telling parents to monitor kids screen time is another example of expecting individuals to solve a societal problem - if we want to get kids off their phones we have to build a world where they have other options.

In 1885, Montreal was ravaged by smallpox. To stem the spread of the disease that had killed thousands so far, public health officials enforced vaccinations. Those that mistrusted the vaccine rioted in the streets. This is the story of the Montreal Smallpox Riots. 🧵 1/10

My team didn't make the finals this year. A new champion will be crowned within thirty minutes. But until then, WE'RE STILL REIGNING CHAMPIONS BABY! 🍾🏆⚽

The Weathering Yard is the best magazine you've never heard of. Published by the Ontario Hawking Club for falconers. Its distribution must be small, but the quality of its photos and stories is excellent. Well done to the falconers behind this magazine! #Falconry

This article focuses on US cities' bus purchases. It would be interesting to see how much holds true for Canadian cities too. It blows my mind that customization (e.g., colour schemes) are responsible for SO MUCH of the price for cities' buses!

Most of us Ontarians know nothing about horse racing. But we are subsidizing horse racing. I recommend reading this article in @thelocal.to. I learned a lot about the industry and its financial dependence on Ontario government handouts. @nickhunebrown.bsky.social

People arguing against speed cameras near schools and hospitals is some real cartoon villain shit

I'm no fan of AI, but this could be helpful. When people can visualize a street as it could be (e.g., pedestrianized, patio areas, etc.) they're more likely to support those changes.

"We need a mindset that is willing to risk failure to achieve results—not one that retreats into the 'safety' of process-obsession." Thought-provoking essay by @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com. As a public servant I see these issues regularly, regardless of which party is in power.

Toronto Police put major resources into ticketing cyclists inside the park adjacent to this camera & are currentl running a 3 week blitz on scooters. It’s a crystal clear msg to Toronto.

It's nice to see a municipal planning account use BlueSky to share what they're doing and why.

“Protection”

I find "entry level" "family" games are often too complex for my family. "Party games" is where it's at! And they make great gifts. 💝 -Short timespan (20 minutes max). -Easy rules. -Fun. Some Party Games our family plays a lot: Just One Telestrations A Fake Artist Goes to New York Spyfall

I love learning about star athletes with principles. I knew Jean Beliveau was a great hockey player, but I learned some off-ice things about him in this thread.

Going on a family vacation to Montreal this weekend. One thing I'm weirdly looking forward to seeing is the metro (subway) stations. They're apparently really nice. Each station had a different designer, for a different vibe. All I know is the TTC. I cannot comprehend this - I need to see it!

My son and I reffed a great #Ptbo game last night - full of joy and excitement for both teams. Great coaches, great parents, great players - soccer at its best. ⚽😀 With soccer season finishing up, this might've been our last game together until next year. It's been a great season! #RefsNeedLoveToo

I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality of our newest local paper. Peterborough Weekly has articles on local community group with a refreshingly non-corporate angle. Well-researched, well-written, and professionally laid out. Thank you Alex Karn and team for providing it to #Ptbo.

Dang, I'd never heard of her. Great story, she ought to be celebrated more.

Remember the pushback when smoking was prohibited certain places? But after a little while it was like ok this is nice why didn't we do this a long time ago. I hope it'll be the same for protected bike lanes, in #Ptbo and everywhere.

Good overview of small Ontario cities' buses for Walmarts and other big box stores. These are places people want to go, and we're generally connecting them better than U.S. cities do.

People of #ptbo: work is now underway on the City’s new Municipal Cultural Plan! There’s a survey open and public meetings August 12, 14, and 19. If you’re an artist, cultural worker or someone who benefits from arts and culture, please engage! www.connectptbo.ca/cultural-plan

A few of us were just talking about right-on-red this morning. Ought to be banned in downtowns.

The ol email to self. I've pretty much trademarked it.

I think of all the older adults living in #Ptbo. Our city is built for drivers. If you can no longer drive, you lose independence. It doesn't need to be like this. Safe, protected bike infrastructure can help older adults (and everyone else) get around safely, taking cars off the road.