Urban Affairs

Writing about cities is complicated. There’s no one character, no simple plot. Each city is dramatically different, some vibrant, attractive and well-managed, and others less so.  Even when you narrow the focus, as we have done here by zooming in on Toronto, York University’s home town, the nuance can be spectacular. Cities are multidimensional human creations. They are economic engines, social connectors, arts incubators and so much more. You can’t pin down the protean urban experience into just one story. So here are several. Read them as you would a map. And savour the journey. ■

<i>Every building on Yonge Street’s west side between Wellesley and Bloor, January 2019</i> by Mike Ford