Damien Moule
@damienmoule.bsky.social
Toronto municipal policy wonk, engineer, urbanist, father.
Consider donating to effective charities: https://www.givewell.org/
Consider donating to effective charities: https://www.givewell.org/
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Damien Moule
@damienmoule.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Hello to everyone who found me from a starter pack. For those who don't me, I write (mostly) about housing, urbanism, and Toronto municipal government policy. Here's a thread of some of my longer form writing over the last two years.
Trips holding up really well deep into Autumn this year, though still seeing the footprint shrink the later into the year we go.
Yesterday there were approximately 16,133 Toronto Bikeshare bikeshare trips
Most used station: 365 Lippincott St (342 trips)
Least used station: 552 Birchmount Rd and 201 others (0 trips)
Active stations: 988
#bikeTO
Most used station: 365 Lippincott St (342 trips)
Least used station: 552 Birchmount Rd and 201 others (0 trips)
Active stations: 988
#bikeTO
November 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Trips holding up really well deep into Autumn this year, though still seeing the footprint shrink the later into the year we go.
The biggest indictment of the Gardiner is that for all its fabled indispensable utility, it can't handle literally anything fun happening downtown without breaking completely.
November 23, 2025 at 6:35 PM
The biggest indictment of the Gardiner is that for all its fabled indispensable utility, it can't handle literally anything fun happening downtown without breaking completely.
For all the complaining about the disorder and anti-social behaviour of certain people in Toronto, the actual centre of anti-social behaviour is the motorists trying to get on the Gardiner on-ramp at Rees street.
November 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
For all the complaining about the disorder and anti-social behaviour of certain people in Toronto, the actual centre of anti-social behaviour is the motorists trying to get on the Gardiner on-ramp at Rees street.
It is extremely disappointing to see members of the Kensington Market Community Land Trust opposing a new student residence on College. Apparently on affordability and heritage grounds (how much affordability and heritage did the former parking lot/garage provide?)
thegreenline.to/stories/kens...
thegreenline.to/stories/kens...
How to chime in on a proposed student rental tower in Kensington Market - The Green Line
On Oct. 16, the City held an online community consultation over a proposed 19-storey student rental tower in Kensington Market.
thegreenline.to
November 23, 2025 at 3:47 PM
It is extremely disappointing to see members of the Kensington Market Community Land Trust opposing a new student residence on College. Apparently on affordability and heritage grounds (how much affordability and heritage did the former parking lot/garage provide?)
thegreenline.to/stories/kens...
thegreenline.to/stories/kens...
Reposted by Damien Moule
We support housing of all types. You can too.
More and more people want encampments evicted. Neighbourhood groups are suing shelter providers. Now, they're attempting to stop supportive housing in Parkdale. You can't have all three!
Please sign and share in support of PARC and supportive housing! tinyurl.com/parcpetition
Please sign and share in support of PARC and supportive housing! tinyurl.com/parcpetition
Build Supportive Affordable Housing at 1499 and 1501 Queen West
The City of Toronto, and Canada as a whole, is in an unprecedented affordable housing crisis. Many struggle to find safe and stable housing in Toronto and Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC) wa...
tinyurl.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:25 AM
We support housing of all types. You can too.
Reposted by Damien Moule
Toronto, and urban history. Notably, Mayor David Crombie and his anti-development Council colleagues were sworn in on December 1, 1972. Local elections matter!
Charting number of rental units in apartment buildings in Toronto by year of construction
(This is a quick update to a similar chart I made ~2.5 years ago)
#toronto #housing #dataviz #NationalHousingDay
(This is a quick update to a similar chart I made ~2.5 years ago)
#toronto #housing #dataviz #NationalHousingDay
November 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Toronto, and urban history. Notably, Mayor David Crombie and his anti-development Council colleagues were sworn in on December 1, 1972. Local elections matter!
Just remembering back to 2020 when the Church of Bubbles bus would roll up to Bellwoods to encourage people to dance together rather than social distance and uh.. I guess it's always the ones you most suspect.
In case you’re wondering:
The key people behind tomorrow’s planned nationwide Ostrich Convoy include an aging Burning Man attendee who drives a psychedelic school bus called the “Church of Bubbles” and a Dutch-born Gen Z social media marketer who imports maple syrup to Utrecht, Netherlands
The key people behind tomorrow’s planned nationwide Ostrich Convoy include an aging Burning Man attendee who drives a psychedelic school bus called the “Church of Bubbles” and a Dutch-born Gen Z social media marketer who imports maple syrup to Utrecht, Netherlands
Leaders of Canada’s Newest Convoy Worry Police Are Trying to Sabotage a Nationwide Protest Avenging a Flock of Dead Ostriches
Convoy organizers say they are at ‘war’ with the federal government, but insist they will remain ‘peaceful’
pressprogress.ca
November 22, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Just remembering back to 2020 when the Church of Bubbles bus would roll up to Bellwoods to encourage people to dance together rather than social distance and uh.. I guess it's always the ones you most suspect.
Reposted by Damien Moule
Beyond a certain level of traffic, you should dedicate the entire street to transit, dead-end half of the crossing streets, build platforms capable of having 2-3 buses stop simultaneously and/or stagger them.
Fundamentally, there is no way to do effective TSP in through gridded street layouts
Fundamentally, there is no way to do effective TSP in through gridded street layouts
November 21, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Beyond a certain level of traffic, you should dedicate the entire street to transit, dead-end half of the crossing streets, build platforms capable of having 2-3 buses stop simultaneously and/or stagger them.
Fundamentally, there is no way to do effective TSP in through gridded street layouts
Fundamentally, there is no way to do effective TSP in through gridded street layouts
I was today years old when I recognized the pattern that in the grid part of Toronto, even numbered addresses are on the north or west side of the street and odd numbered addresses are on the south or east.
November 21, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I was today years old when I recognized the pattern that in the grid part of Toronto, even numbered addresses are on the north or west side of the street and odd numbered addresses are on the south or east.
Reposted by Damien Moule
Line 6 Finch West LRT planned to be open December 7 according to publicly available Metrolinx board meeting slides
Source: assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload...
Source: assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload...
November 21, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Line 6 Finch West LRT planned to be open December 7 according to publicly available Metrolinx board meeting slides
Source: assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload...
Source: assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload...
Reposted by Damien Moule
If you're interested in making this spine a little chunkier, the latest on the North York Secondary Plan should be at Planning and Housing Committee on December 3rd. No new details available yet but opposition from the low-rise Neighbourhood is expected.
November 21, 2025 at 2:55 PM
If you're interested in making this spine a little chunkier, the latest on the North York Secondary Plan should be at Planning and Housing Committee on December 3rd. No new details available yet but opposition from the low-rise Neighbourhood is expected.
Reposted by Damien Moule
Update on my single exit stair ASP: we have an approval!
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
November 21, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Update on my single exit stair ASP: we have an approval!
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
Mike Colle speed running NIMBY talking points around Lawrence Plaza. He's worried that redeveloping a shopping plaza will make units that will be unaffordable... How many affordable units did the shipping plaza have?
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Mike Colle speed running NIMBY talking points around Lawrence Plaza. He's worried that redeveloping a shopping plaza will make units that will be unaffordable... How many affordable units did the shipping plaza have?
Reposted by Damien Moule
Ultimately, this small, partial example of trade-offs associated with TSP strategies was meant to illustrate that TSP is a solved problem in terms of technology. We have had the tech since the 1970s. But the complicated part is about space, design and setting priorities, which is political.
November 20, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Ultimately, this small, partial example of trade-offs associated with TSP strategies was meant to illustrate that TSP is a solved problem in terms of technology. We have had the tech since the 1970s. But the complicated part is about space, design and setting priorities, which is political.
FFS. The City's instagram is now also using Perks' boast that most of the housing starts are City projects. This is a bad thing everyone. The housing market fell off a cliff and you're partly to blame. You shouldn't be boasting about it.
www.instagram.com/p/DRSUZ6lkYG...
www.instagram.com/p/DRSUZ6lkYG...
www.instagram.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:57 PM
FFS. The City's instagram is now also using Perks' boast that most of the housing starts are City projects. This is a bad thing everyone. The housing market fell off a cliff and you're partly to blame. You shouldn't be boasting about it.
www.instagram.com/p/DRSUZ6lkYG...
www.instagram.com/p/DRSUZ6lkYG...
Reposted by Damien Moule
New from me at TVO: Green P Delenda Est. www.tvo.org/article/anal...
TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts
www.tvo.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:59 PM
New from me at TVO: Green P Delenda Est. www.tvo.org/article/anal...
Reposted by Damien Moule
It may be possible to recreate the effect of minimum lot sizes with lot frontage, depth, etc. but removing minimum lot area is a good start. No one should look at a min lot area of 8000 square metres and imagine that it's there for infrastructure or safety reasons. It's mansion zoning for exclusion.
November 20, 2025 at 1:25 PM
It may be possible to recreate the effect of minimum lot sizes with lot frontage, depth, etc. but removing minimum lot area is a good start. No one should look at a min lot area of 8000 square metres and imagine that it's there for infrastructure or safety reasons. It's mansion zoning for exclusion.
Since we're out here dismissing city boards for harmful organizations, can we dismiss the heritage preservation board before they can do more damage?
November 20, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Since we're out here dismissing city boards for harmful organizations, can we dismiss the heritage preservation board before they can do more damage?
Little noticed but as part of Bill 60 the provincial government in consulting on reducing or removing minimum lot size requirements. If they go through with it and do it right, it would be a big deal.
ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-1...
ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-1...
Consultation on Minimum Lot Sizes | Environmental Registry of Ontario
The government is seeking feedback to better understand the linkage between minimum lot sizes on urban residential lands and increased housing options and affordability.
ero.ontario.ca
November 19, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Little noticed but as part of Bill 60 the provincial government in consulting on reducing or removing minimum lot size requirements. If they go through with it and do it right, it would be a big deal.
ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-1...
ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-1...
Got some bone conducting headphones for running. Here's my two run review:
Positives: I can hear all the cars.
Negatives: I can hear all the cars.
Positives: I can hear all the cars.
Negatives: I can hear all the cars.
November 19, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Got some bone conducting headphones for running. Here's my two run review:
Positives: I can hear all the cars.
Negatives: I can hear all the cars.
Positives: I can hear all the cars.
Negatives: I can hear all the cars.
Reposted by Damien Moule
I think we need to revisit the fact that Council spent over a decade calling the $1m houses “middle class housing for normal people” and the $500k apartments “luxury housing for elites”
And then heaped extraordinary costs and obligations onto the latter in order to subsidize the former.
And then heaped extraordinary costs and obligations onto the latter in order to subsidize the former.
November 19, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I think we need to revisit the fact that Council spent over a decade calling the $1m houses “middle class housing for normal people” and the $500k apartments “luxury housing for elites”
And then heaped extraordinary costs and obligations onto the latter in order to subsidize the former.
And then heaped extraordinary costs and obligations onto the latter in order to subsidize the former.
This was last week from @mattyglesias.bsky.social and it seems correct to me.
November 19, 2025 at 12:18 AM
This was last week from @mattyglesias.bsky.social and it seems correct to me.
Mike Colle's AI generated version of people walking hand in hand in a plaza vs. reality. And since it's Mike Colle NIMBYism the instagram post starts of course with we don't need more condos.
November 18, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Mike Colle's AI generated version of people walking hand in hand in a plaza vs. reality. And since it's Mike Colle NIMBYism the instagram post starts of course with we don't need more condos.
Can we not add nearly 100 pages of design guidelines for development along each 2km stretch of road? Please?
secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
secure.toronto.ca
November 18, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Can we not add nearly 100 pages of design guidelines for development along each 2km stretch of road? Please?
secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
If these were downtown they'd have all been smashed over by cars hopping the curb by now.
A literal row of bollards (over 2 dozen) for no apparent reason line a very short stretch of Victoria Park Ave.
And they're all vintage pre-amalgamation Metro Toronto stock.
#praisethebollard #Toronto #vintage @worldbollardassoc.bsky.social #bollard
And they're all vintage pre-amalgamation Metro Toronto stock.
#praisethebollard #Toronto #vintage @worldbollardassoc.bsky.social #bollard
November 18, 2025 at 5:47 PM
If these were downtown they'd have all been smashed over by cars hopping the curb by now.