Brent Toderian

All these are true:

1. FIFA is awful and corrupt.

2. The #WorldCup is a fantastic event despite #FIFA.

3. Co-hosting in Canada isn’t worth the outrageous costs/conditions FIFA demands, especially with few physical legacies.

4. Vancouver has done a fantastic job leveraging outcomes for the city.

“Gas prices? What gas prices?”

Even without insane and illegal wars, the thing about any dependency, including car dependency, is that once you’re dependent, they can do whatever they want with the prices.

Real freedom is choices. Better cities create choices. Graphic via the Urban Truth Collective. Check out our website here:
https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/#UrbanTruth

Don’t buy a cow, or a car, and expect your city to give you someplace to park it. #UrbanTruth

Via the Urban Truth Collective. https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/

If you’re in your car in traffic and you see people moving smoothly on bikes in a protected bike-lane, or a full bus zooming past you in a bus-only lane, sure you could be mad at them for moving faster than you, or you could be someone who understands geometry and knows that providing mobility choices that take less space makes getting around cities better for EVERYONE.

“A city’s creativity doesn’t depend on cars. That’s the 20th century. We’re in the 21st.”— Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

No matter what happens in the Paris election, the world’s cities owe Anne Hidalgo a huge debt of gratitude.

The boldest, most inspiring mayor I’ve seen.
https://www.ft.com/content/8fbad76c-6705-43d8-b57e-292ee3563539?syn-25a6b1a6=1

If you haven’t watched this before, you should. The brilliant Carl Sagan testifying before the United States Congress in 1985 on #ClimateChange.

We should have listened then. Will we now?

Climate change isn’t an on & off switch. It’s an exponential dial. https://youtu.be/Wp-WiNXH6hI?si=pWQ4VgYpSkA9NQx5

“During the 1950s-60s, the rise in automobile traffic transformed Dutch cities, resulting in traffic congestion, pollution, & an alarming increase in crashes.
In 1971, more than 3,300 people lost their lives in crashes, including 400 children. These shocking numbers led to public protests…”

Change.
https://nowsustainability.com/the-bicycle-revolution-in-the-netherlands-how-cycling-transformed-the-country/

Safe, protected bike-lanes are:

Better for business

Better for emissions

Better for air quality

Better for public health

Better for noise

Better for space

Better for equity

Better for affordability

Better for public cost

Better for safety for EVERYONE

Better for oil independence

Better.

Graphic by our URBAN TRUTH COLLECTIVE. Check out our website: https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/content

Not density OR trees. Density AND trees.

Better cities are climate action. #UrbanTruth

Shared via the Urban Truth Collaborative. Check out our website. https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/

How about those spiking gas prices?

Brutal.

You know what really costs us all a lot?

Car dependency.

#UrbanTruth

RE: @BrentToderian@mastodon.online

BREAKING: Emmanuel Grégoire @egregoire@cuicui.senpaga.net is the PROJECTED WINNER and next
PARIS MAYOR, succeeding Anne Hidalgo (& presumably continuing that legacy). "Paris has decided to remain true to its history” by choosing “the alliance of the left & environmentalists."

Congratulations Paris voters!

“If you care about the bottom line, budgets & taxes, then you should care about urban biking, because it’s a money saver. It’s ironic when so-called fiscal conservatives attack biking, when their efforts just show a lack of understanding of math.” — My interview with @modacitylife@zwezo.o-k-i.net.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/biking-saves-money

Some very wealthy corporations and people want you to think the idea of “15-Minute Cities” is a scary conspiracy.

But it’s really just common sense. More things nearby without always needing a car.

But have you heard of the “1-Hour City Conspiracy?”

Stay tuned.

#1HourCityConspiracy #UrbanTruth

“Koch brother groups have tried to derail public transit plans in other cities around the country, from Little Rock, Arkansas and central Utah, to Nashville and Michigan. They have frequently called such projects ‘wasteful spending’. The Koch organization is also heavily invested in fossil fuels.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/26/koch-activists-phoenix-ban-light-rail

NEW: “Our ultimate goal is better decision-making about cities, so we want to influence decision-makers. But to do that, we have to reach & influence everyone.” READ & SHARE our new #UrbanTruthCollective initiative profiled in Momentum Magazine! #UrbanTruth
https://momentummag.com/urban-truth-collective-and-the-fight-to-fix-misinformation-about-bike-lanes-traffic-and-city-living/

PARIS: The city’s transition away from the car has become a global role model. Under mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris was “the most influential city in the world”, says Canadian urbanist Brent Toderian. Hidalgo, stepping down after 12 yrs, exulted: “The bike beat the car.”

Good luck in tomorrow’s election, Emmanuel Grégoire @egregoire@cuicui.senpaga.net. The most important mayoral election in the world. #VOTE #Paris https://www.ft.com/content/882ebf59-d14a-4d4c-beb7-af72df31a4f3

NEW: The Highway Lobby spend MILLIONS buying car dependency to make sure all of us have to spend BILLIONS. #UrbanTruth

They’ve “been shaping transportation policy conversations for decades in its interests.”

Via the Union of Concerned Scientists. Poster by our Urban Truth Collective.
https://blog.ucs.org/kshen/the-highway-lobby-spends-millions-to-make-sure-we-pay-billions/

A tsunami of disinformation & lies slams us every day. It can feel overwhelming. But the truth will ALWAYS matter. We CAN take action. Tom Flood, Grant Ennis, and I took action by starting Urban Truth Collective. Other great people are now joining, like Reena Mahajan, Lanrick Jr Bennett, Clarence Eckerson Jr. and Sara Kirk. We hope you’ll help us spread the word, and get involved in creating a more persuasive tooth while calling out disinformation and lies about better city-building. #UrbanTruth

A tsunami of disinformation & lies slams us every day. It can feel overwhelming. But the truth will ALWAYS matter. We CAN take action. Tom Flood, Grant Ennis, and I took action by starting Urban Truth Collective. Other great people are now joining, like Reena Mahajan, Lanrick Jr Bennett, Clarence Eckerson Jr. and Sara Kirk. We hope you’ll help us spread the word, and get involved in creating a more persuasive tooth while calling out disinformation and lies about better city-building. #UrbanTruth

“The effort to quiet Paris complements the wider campaign to make Paris greener, cleaner & less car-dependent, which include vehicle restrictions in the center, crackdowns on polluting vehicles, & an ambitious expansion of bike networks. Those have cut the city’s average noise level by 2 decibels.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-04-27/how-paris-is-waging-a-war-on-noise-pollution

“The city’s transition away from the car, tho fantastically chaotic, has become a global role model. Under mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social, Paris was ‘the most influential city in the world’ says Canadian urbanist Brent Toderian. Hidalgo, stepping down after 12 yrs, exulted: ‘The bike beat the car.’”
https://www.ft.com/content/882ebf59-d14a-4d4c-beb7-af72df31a4f3

Refusing to build supportive housing for those who would otherwise be homeless means more unhoused people living on our streets and in our parks, AND much higher public costs paid by all of us. It’s as simple as that. #UrbanTruth

“Both Russian and pro-Trump U.S. actors are amplifying and spreading misinformation about Alberta separatism in the hope of fraying Canadian unity and sowing distrust.”

An overt attack on Canadian sovereignty, meant specifically to manipulate Canadians.

That’s what’s fuelling Alberta separation.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/russia-and-u-s-amplifying-alberta-separatist-narratives-to-stoke-division-distrust-report-9.7189604

NEW: The One-Hour City Conspiracy! “Here's the REAL conspiracy: Too many people are forced into car-dependent lives, with more health harms, crashes, noise, air pollution, social isolation —& less space for everything our streets should be giving us.”

Thanks @Streetsblog@mastodon.world! #1HourCityConspiracy
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/04/27/urban-truth-collective-the-one-hour-city-conspiracy

Refusing to building supportive housing for those who would otherwise be homeless means more people homeless in our streets and parks, AND higher public costs for all of us. It’s as simple as that. #UrbanTruth

NEW! “How To Fight Back Against Anti-Urbanism Lies!” Our URBAN TRUTH COLLECTIVE interview with top YouTuber #NotJustBikes is UP on Nebula, Spotify & here on YouTube. We talk about better communication, more REPETITION, and we REVEAL our first big campaign, the #1HourCityConspiracy!

LISTEN! https://youtu.be/3KDm_YC9j7w?si=xrkE2uUaRzgwYGC6

This is it, right here, right now. The whole game.

All his voter suppression, gerrymandering, and other election cheating has led to this.

If Trump takes over elections, it’s game over for democracy in the United States.

If the people aren’t willing to shut down the country over this, it’s over.

“We could never do THAT in OUR city!”

Leadership doesn’t make excuses. Via our Urban Truth Collective. #UrbanTruth

For decades I’ve been talking about what I call “the 8 most unhelpful words in the English language — we could never do THAT in OUR city!” It’s critically important for us to call out the difference between energy & excuse. The Urban Truth Collective will be doing an ongoing series showing inspiring city action we SHOULDN’T BE MAKING ANY EXCUSES ABOUT. https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/content

“Conspiracy theories about globalist cabals, climate hoaxes and election fraud may seem ubiquitous on social media. But a report has found that they come from a tiny minority of users…just 100 users were responsible for almost 70% of online conspiracy posts…” #UrbanTruth
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2026/02/25/news/conspiracy-content-report-canada

Love this. Massive Montreal crowd ovation for Canadiens rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, having a hell of a series, after camera shows him smiling after seeing a fan sign with a stop sign with his face on it.

Go Habs Go.

#MontrealCanadiens #GoHabsGo

NEW THIS WEEK: We’ve officially launched the URBAN TRUTH COLLECTIVE, to tell the truth more persuasively about better cities, and unapologetically call out the lies and liars! Explore our new website https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/about-1 and please help us spread the word! #UrbanTruth

What a GREAT MOMENT — new Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire @egregoire@cuicui.senpaga.net arrives via the Rivoli cycle path to Paris City Hall, embraces his predecessor Anne Hidalgo, while @CarlosMorenoFr@mastodon.social, who just sent me this special video, looks on.

Inspiring!

file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/F4283FA8-C834-4537-A8BA-1119FFB82B0A/tmp/documents/2EE7A3A6-FAB6-4936-B3FE-AB291C2178BB/VIDEO-2026-03-22-15-04-20.mp4

NEW: “We really need to change our approach, attitudes, biases, norms, our sense of politeness…we have to rethink all of our tactics if we’re actually going to win. Because right now we’re losing.”

LISTEN to our brand new #TalkingHeadways podcast with @TheOverheadWire@sfba.social via @Streetsblog@mastodon.world!
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/04/23/talking-headways-podcast-the-urban-truth-collective

WATCH our new Urban Truth Collective interview on the Active Towns Podcast! Please help us SHARE it far and wide, and let us know what you THINK! #UrbanTruth

We go deep into how to break out of the echo-chambers and reach broad audiences, how to be more persuasive about telling the truth while calling out lies more effectively, and how to make technical issues much less boring for everyone through better communication and simple marketing. https://youtu.be/ptHuub8NViw?si=MSWpRaKD7TuS6aIb

Me when someone proposes a painted bike-lane

WATCH/LISTEN: This is an EXCEPTIONALLY good break-down (& entertaining conversation) of the history & insanity of the attacks on the “15-Minute City,” aka the simple idea of HAVING MORE THINGS NEARBY. By @iandunt@toot.community & Dorian Lynskey of #OriginStory. HT to @TheWarOnCars@mastodon.social https://youtu.be/nDb66pFyO_o?si=Icz3jPwA0XMGb-na

“The city’s transition away from the car, tho fantastically chaotic, has become a global role model. Under mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social, Paris was ‘the most influential city in the world’ says Canadian urbanist Brent Toderian. Hidalgo, stepping down after 12 yrs, exulted: ‘The bike beat the car.’”
https://www.ft.com/content/882ebf59-d14a-4d4c-beb7-af72df31a4f3

LISTEN:

- Vancouver city-building

- Livable downtowns

- Designing for kids

- Rethinking regulation

- “Urban Costcos”

- Fixing city planning

- Less boring communication!

- Marketing/branding planning

- AND the BIG SCOOP on the Urban Truth Collective.

My new The War On Cars interview! @TheWarOnCars@mastodon.social https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-war-on-cars/id1437755068?i=1000751177717

LOST: Missing Middle Housing. Please help. Last seen 50+ years ago in cities everywhere. Please contact your elected officials to help find this housing. 555-456-CITY

#UrbanTruth #MissingMiddle
Via the Urban Truth Collective https://www.urbantruthcollective.com/

“No matter how often Trump insists his tariffs are taxing foreigners to enrich the U.S., economic studies keep showing that Americans actually pay the bill. In an analysis on the bank’s website, researchers write that “nearly 90% of the tariffs’ economic burden fell on U.S. firms & consumers.”
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-tariffs-consumers-new-york-federal-reserve-study-95bed1bc

RE: @BrentToderian@mastodon.online

If you’re in Surrey BC or close by in Metro Vancouver THIS WEEK, and interested in the important & exciting transformation of “new suburban downtowns” into real, successful urban places, register asap for one of the last spots for my talk this week. Free, and you don’t need to be a member.