Good for Cities
Claim This Podcastby infrastructureinstitutesoc
Podcast Overview
<p>Welcome to <b>Good for Cities</b>, the podcast that examines the ideas, policies, and trends shaping urban life. Hosted by <b>Matti Siemiatycki</b>, Director of the <b>Infrastructure Institute at the University of Toronto School of Cities</b>, the show asks the essential question: are these interventions really making our cities better? Each episode features conversations with leading urbanists, challenging assumptions about city building to uncover which ideas stand the test of time, and which might need to be rethought—or even scrapped altogether.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
9/16/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 24, 2026
Are Urban Planning Influencers Good for Cities?
Urban planning is everywhere. From videos about walkable cities and public transit to debates about housing affordability, millions of people are learning about cities through YouTube and social media. But as urban planning content reaches wider audiences, a new question emerges: who do we trust to explain how cities work? In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Uytae Lee, urban planner, journalist, filmmaker, and creator of the popular YouTube channel About Here. They explore the rise of urban planning content online, the challenge of balancing accessibility with accuracy, and how creators build trust with audiences while navigating sponsorships and partnerships.
June 4, 2026
Are Current Community Consultation Practices Good for Cities?
Do Current Community Consultation Practices Work for Urban Planning and City Building? Community consultation is a key part of public participation in urban planning, but is it working as intended? In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki is joined by Crystal Legacy to explore the growing crisis of consultation in city building and infrastructure planning. They discuss the limitations of formal engagement processes, including public meetings, stakeholder consultations, and advisory panels, and how these approaches can exclude informal participation and community knowledge. The conversation introduces the concept of structural gaslighting to examine how planning systems can marginalize certain voices while appearing inclusive. This episode also looks at major challenges in public engagement today, including polarization, trust in government decision-making, and the tension between delivering projects quickly and ensuring meaningful community input. The discussion questions who gets to participate in planning processes - current residents, future residents, or both - and how cities can move beyond binary debates like YIMBY vs NIMBY. Tune in to learn how to improve community consultation, strengthen public participation, and create more effective, equitable approaches to urban planning and development.
April 6, 2026
Is Mission-Driven Design Good for Cities?
In this episode of the Good for Cities podcast, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Nyasha Harper-Michon about community-led architecture, urban planning, and building more inclusive, sustainable cities. They explore how architects can integrate community engagement into design, align development with local needs, and navigate challenges like affordable housing, climate change, and urban inequality. Nyasha shares lessons from working beyond traditional architecture practice and advancing equity in city-building. This episode is ideal for architects, urban planners, and students interested in architecture careers, community-driven design, and the future of sustainable cities.
14 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Good for Cities?
<p>Welcome to <b>Good for Cities</b>, the podcast that examines the ideas, policies, and trends shaping urban life. Hosted by <b>Matti Siemiatycki</b>, Director of the <b>Infrastructure Institute at the University of Toronto School of Cities</b>, the show asks the essential question: are these interventions really making our cities better? Each episode features conversations with leading urbanists, challenging assumptions about city building to uncover which ideas stand the test of time, and which might need to be rethought—or even scrapped altogether.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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