City Institute researcher Simon Black on urban youth and the federal election

Which party speaks for urban youth this federal election? Over the past few weeks, media commentators have pointed to two important trends, wrote Simon Black, a graduate student researcher at The City Institute at York University, in the Toronto Star April 28: Polling suggests young people favour the Greens, Liberals and New Democrats: parties that […]

City Institute grad student Simon Black on cultural funding and long-term urban planning

Rappers Kardinal Offishall and Saukrates, singer Jully Black, video director Lil’ X and deejay collective Baby Blue Soundcrew may not be familiar names to Torontonians over the age of 40, but anyone born after 1969 who loves hip hop and R & B is aware of these artists’ foundational roles in Canada’s urban music culture, […]

"In-Between City" neighbourhoods face poor services and rough justice

Last week was not a good one to be living in the “in-between city”, the term urbanists use to describe areas wedged between the outer suburbs – with their sprawling residential neighbourhoods – and the downtown core of office towers, condos and cultural institutions, wrote Simon Black, a graduate student in the City Institute at […]

City Institute PhD student: Why welfare won't be fixed

Simon Black, a PhD student in political science and a resident of the City Institute at York University, wrote an op-ed for the Toronto Star yesterday on why governments don't think the welfare system is broken. His commentary was published in advance of the Ontario budget, which will be delivered this afternoon. That welfare is […]