I interpret the map much differently. Downtown and on the subway line has only increased in density. Around the downtown core there seems to be a reduction in density which is curious, and I’m not sure what drives that (re-zoning of formerly residential areas is a possibility). Also, outside the City, there is a clear net increase in density.
The pink areas around the core are a result of a few compounding factors:
- Kids moving out of their homes and not being able to afford housing in the same neighborhood
- Rich folks buying up old century homes that had previously been converted to multi-unit low rise apartments and converting them back to si gle family homes
- A refusal of the city to up zone these neighborhoods to appropriate levels of density
The result is fewer people and fewer families in these areas
Seems to be the correct interpretations, the red area is centered around Bloor and Dufferin. Family sizes have dropped, from 3 to kids in Parkdale to 1. Kids that grew up in the 80s, have moved to the suburbs.
Allowing 6 story apartment to be built along Dufferin, Landsowne, Dovercourt,Dundas, Ossington, Harbord, Collge, would help.
Too many 1 or 2 story small shop along the Subway line, should be 6 stories across Bloor.
I bet at least all of city council owns a home there.
Around the downtown core there seems to be a reduction in density which is curious, and I’m not sure what drives that
Having lived both right on the subway line and in the some areas just outside the downtown core, I may be able to add some insight here.
Basically, that whole area of land feels car unfriendly. Hard to find parking close by and lots of congestion. But living on the subway line this never felt like an issue since there was a good alternative - one typically doesn’t need a car for day to day living in downtown Toronto in my experience. Also, for things like getting groceries or stuff from a corner shop, things are so clustered together that there’s usually something within walking distance of where you live.
Much further away in the GTA, you definitely need a car. But congestion is not so bad (at least until you finally need to head into the city proper) and parking nearby is quite more comfortable as well.
So the areas outside the core have the worst of both worlds - you get much of the lack of space and congestion that you get in downtown proper, but also a lack of viable public transportation alternatives.
