Inside Access: Meet Brian

“The key to developing a functioning facility involved understanding the complex ways that people use the space around them. I learned that often the hard part of problem solving is asking the right question – once you have that, the answer is usually easy. ”

Why Transportation Planning?

Transportation infrastructure is often thought of as the blood of a city, but I think of it more as its bones. It is the fundamental force that shapes a city and how we experience it. A huge amount of our experience of being in public is tied to our need to travel.

My Professional Trajectory

I first became interested in transportation as a civil engineering undergraduate. In my first intro to transportation course I learned about the paradoxes involved in trying to plan a system that is defined by human behaviour. This was different from other areas of civil engineering, where soil, water, and steel tend to behave in relatively predictable ways.

After graduation, I eventually had the pleasure of working for a small strategic and facilities planning firm, Cornerstone Planning Group. There, I helped plan facilities such as hospitals, schools, public works facilities, recreational facilities, courthouses, and one paleontology research station. While not transportation, it was also very human-focused. The key to developing a functioning facility involved understanding the complex ways that people use the space around them. I learned that often the hard part of problem solving is asking the right question – once you have that, the answer is usually easy.

As much as I loved that work, I was still fascinated by transportation, so I left to do my Masters at University College London in England.

Afterwards, I spent four years at TransLink, working on the Surrey LRT and RapidBus projects. There, I was able to apply the human-centered, question-first approach I learned at Cornerstone to transit projects. I found that the technical problems were often secondary to the planning and small-p political problems in getting a project done.

Both projects, and particularly the RapidBus, required close work with municipal partners. In that context building trust, working collaboratively, and developing mutual understanding were key to project success.

I moved to Access Planning to get wider exposure to transportation in different cities. It’s been fascinating to see that something taken for granted in one city can be mind-blowingly new in a different one. Every place that I’ve worked in has something to teach the world about transportation. I’ve enjoyed bringing the considerable lessons TransLink has to offer the world to other places, and bring lessons from elsewhere home to TransLink.

How I Move Around

I’ve been cycling in Vancouver as my main mode of transportation since my undergrad days, and it has been a pleasure to see the growth of its cycling facilities (though not fast enough!). For longer trips, I take transit. The signature sound of the Skytrain accelerating is a comforting sign that I am home.

I recently got an ebike to help me move my large instruments to gigs and rehearsals. Its great to be able to play a tuba or a massive drum without needing to own a car to haul them around.

When I must drive, I use car sharing. I have been a member of every car sharing service that’s ever existed in Vancouver. I have the fortune to live in the epicenter of car sharing in the car sharing capital of North America.

What I Do When I’m Not Planning

My two favourite things to do outside of planning are music and surfing.

On the music side, I mostly play in brass bands. My current group is Balkan Shmalkan, where I play the davul, a bass drum common to the Balkans. I also play the sousaphone, piccolo, guitar, mandolin, a variety of drums, and make electronic music. My favourite thing about playing music is doing it with other people! I love brass band music because you have a large team pulling together to make something wonderful.

Most of my surf time is spent in Tofino with my partner. Learning to surf in BC has meant embracing a wide array of conditions. I have surfed in snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

Inside Access: Meet Alexi

“Many of my students rightfully complained about how inaccessible city life is: transit systems that are not fully accessible, housing that is overpriced and physically inaccessible, and the design of public spaces all served as barriers to full participation in the mosaic of city life. I didn’t realize it at the time, but many of these concerns ended up informing my decision to go into planning.”

Why Transportation Planning? 

Short answer? Because buses, trains, and bikes are the best ways to get around cities, and it’s a blast to work on some of North America’s most interesting and challenging transportation problems.  

Medium answer? Transportation is a field that really touches on so much: regional governance and planning, equity and inclusion, food security, housing, among other parts of the urban system (and beyond). Interventions into transportation systems can be far reaching and deeply impactful in the lives of residents. As such, working in transportation is a way to have a major impact on both the transition to a more sustainable climate, and working to increase equity through better access to the world outside one’s immediate area (and all the opportunities that spring from that). At its best, transportation planning can serve as a means to empower residents by providing them with autonomy and choices on how they move around. 

My Professional Trajectory 

I started my career and education in Philosophy at Mount Allison University and was fully committed to pursuing a joint masters and doctorate degree studying the intersection of the philosophy of science and critical theory. However, I had a bit of a crisis of purpose at the end of my bachelor’s degree and realized I wanted to pursue people focused work after 4 years of thinking through abstractions. The possibility of thinking deeply and thoroughly about a problem or a topic is both philosophy’s biggest strength and weakness – thought without action feels empty.  

I spent a lot of my time in this period trying to figure out what “people focused work” looked like. I moved back to Montreal and worked in communications and marketing for a little bit while founding and running a micro-publishing house for a couple of years. I also had the opportunity to work 1-on-1 with students with disabilities to help them navigate university bureaucracies as well as work on time management and other skills. Many of my students rightfully complained about how inaccessible city life is: transit systems that are not fully accessible, housing that is overpriced and physically inaccessible, and the design of public spaces all served as barriers to full participation in the mosaic of city life. I didn’t realize it at the time, but many of these concerns ended up informing my decision to go into planning. 

Despite knowing many family friends who were engineers and architects, I’d never heard of urban planning as a career until about 4 months before applying for a masters in planning. I’d never realized you could study and work as someone who gets to think more systematically about city and regional issues. I quickly learned, too, that urban planning would be a good avenue to continue to have a diverse but complementary series of interests. I was able to wander from topic to topic without losing sense of a “larger”, systemic picture.  

Throughout, and after my masters, I’ve worked on projects that touched on everything from food justice and food security planning, accessible and inclusive design for public and para-public spaces, climate change mitigation, and urban planning in the context of commercial real estate. I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to have my feet in the non-profit, academic, and private sectors over the past 5+ years. When I was first starting out in planning, many of the project I worked on were site and detail specific: how do you redesign a particular museum gallery for accessibility? How do you assess the walkability of a para-public mall space? What’s the highest and best use for a particular industrial/semi-commercial building? Since joining Access, I’ve relished applying many of the skills I’ve picked up over the years to systemic, regional transportation problems. 

How I Move Around 

In the spring, summer, and beginning of autumn, I try to bike around as much as possible. The rest of the time, I use a mix of Montreal’s bus and metro systems. I am an enormous fan of the bus – there is nothing like reading a book or watching the city go by. Every intersection is like a little world you explore as you move around the city.  

What I Do When I’m Not Planning 

I’m currently working on completing a PhD in engineering that examines the relationship between governance structures and decarbonization in Central and Eastern Canada’s road-freight system. I am passionate about food security and sit as a board member for Montreal’s the Depot: Community Food Centre.  

I spend much of my leisure time being a pretty big nerd: I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy novels and playing Dungeons and Dragons with a small group of friends. I’m just finishing up the last Jeff Vandermeer novel I hadn’t had a chance to read yet (Veniss Underground). I also love going to different parts of the city and taking all the sights and sounds in (and enjoying a good coffee and pastry).  

My most recent hobby is woodcarving. I wanted to do something with my hands when I’m not in the mood to read. I’ve finished a wonky spoon and am about half-way through a very sad looking fox. 

Mentoring the next generation of planners

Grade 11 student Costello Arbuckle worked with Access Planning for a week in late February as part of an experiential learning component of his high school program.  

Senior Associate Brian Phillips mentored Costello, working with him to develop transit connection ideas for Granville Island in the heart of the City of Vancouver. This work is close to home for the Vancouver Access Planning team. We recently started doing some thinking about how Granville Island can transform access for residents and visitors to advance its vision for 2050. 

Getting to Granville Island, especially from Downtown Vancouver, can take some time and effort if walking, biking, or using transit – it involves crossing a bridge that goes over the island rather than directly to it, increasing the total travel time and distance of the trip. Costello was challenged to look for ways to improve Granville Island’s connectivity, making it easier to access the Island without a car. 

After some direction from Brian, Costello brainstormed and designed ideas for alternative modes of transport and connections to the island, leading with a gondola concept transporting visitors over False Creek. Over the course of the week, Costello explored the island on foot, conducted desktop research and developed and sketched ideas to improve connectivity to Granville Island. Costello attributes part of his interest in planning to playing city-building video games, which inspired him to look at city planning as ‘…a puzzle that has no wrong answers, just less wrong ones”.  

In addition to getting youth interested in planning, this was also a chance for Access Planning to learn from one youth’s perspective. Costello’s work drew on physical site visits, Google Earth, online research, and his own experience as a Vancouverite.  

Digging into a real-world challenge in his home city, Costello reported that he felt inspired to become a planner in the future. He believes that planning is more fun when one is unencumbered by restraints and boundaries, and that having that freedom when problem-solving leads to the creation of successful ideas. He described the work he did with Access as a mix of creative thinking and technical problem solving, and appreciates how planning work employs diverse skillsets.  

Access is committed to providing positive impact, whether it’s shaping the way we move, teaching, mentoring or learning from the next generation of thinkers. 

by Ahmed Abdul Aziz, Planning Analyst

Inside Access: Meet Sophie

“I grew up in a relatively car-oriented suburb of Montreal where first/last mile options to get to bus stops were not ideal.

The closest bus stop to my house was only 200 meters away but there were no sidewalks, heavy car circulation, and limited street lighting. At certain times of the day, it would become too dangerous to walk so I would ask family members to pick me up at the stop (defeats the purpose!).

Experiences like this made me question how different modes and users are being prioritized in city planning. ”

Why Transportation Planning?

To me, the beauty of planning is that it marries a lot of different fields! This was a significant pull factor for my undecided younger self who had a lot of different interests but wasn’t ready to let go of any of them.  

Planning also came from a deep love of urban spaces. As far as I can remember I have always been fascinated by the hustle and bustle of the “big city”. I liked the rich cultural makeup, the many mobility options, and the fascinating history behind different neighborhoods.  

My interest in transportation specifically - like many “transpo” planners - grew in reaction to my good and bad experiences using transit. I grew up in a relatively car-oriented suburb of Montreal where first/last mile options to get to bus stops were not ideal. The closest bus stop to my house was only 200 meters away but there were no sidewalks, heavy car circulation, and limited street lighting. At certain times of the day, it would become too dangerous to walk so I would ask family members to pick me up at the stop (defeats the purpose!). Experiences like this made me question how different modes and users are being prioritized in city planning. 

My Professional Trajectory

I am one of those unusual cases who entered the planning field at a very young age (I was only 19 years old!). As a result, I have already explored a lot of different facets of the job despite still being at the beginning of my career.  

My work experience started in land use planning. I worked for a few summers as a bylaw inspector and plan examiner for cities in the Montreal area. From there, I moved into the real estate sector and worked as a consultant helping developers with city bureaucracy and planning processes. When I moved to the West Coast to pursue my master’s degree, I got interested in the green building field and conducted research on energy efficiency and adaptive reuse.  

How I Move Around

My current home, Hamilton, has an efficient bike-share system as well as a growing cycling infrastructure. When the weather permits, bike sharing is hands down my favourite way to move around; it’s cheap, convenient, and the most fun! 

I am also a frequent GO Train user as I often travel to downtown Toronto for work and social activities. I really value how comfortable and easy to use it is. The GO is the mode of choice to knock down your reading challenges. 

What I Do When I’m Not Planning

I am a big “wanderer”. It is not rare to find me in a local bookshop, a record store or a vintage market looking around and taking my time. I find the experience of getting lost in places like that very relaxing.I have also recently been getting more into outdoor activities. My latest favourite is back-country camping and canoeing.  

Déjà un an d’Access Planning au Québec

Par : Pieter Agneessens, gestionnaire associé 

Depuis mon établissement comme premier employé d’Access au Québec, en janvier 2022, nous sommes maintenant une équipe de trois, avec mes collègues Alexi Katsanis et Michael Wexler. Nous nous sommes d’ailleurs installés dans notre propre espace bureau dans le Mile-End à Montréal depuis l’été dernier : un signe de croissance! 

En continuité avec le rôle qu’Access a déjà joué dans le développement stratégique d’agences dans le Grand Montréal, nous avons eu l’occasion, en 2022, d’entamer de nouveaux mandats qui avanceront la structuration et l’intégration des modes de mobilité durable dans les milieux de vie de la métropole. 

Grace à notre approche collaborative et intégrée à travers nos trois places d’affaires au Canada, l’expertise de nos collègues à Toronto et à Vancouver est activement mise à contribution dans nos projets au Québec.  Cette même approche s’applique aux membres de l’équipe de Montréal qui dirigent et participent à des mandats avec des clients à travers le Canada et sur la côte ouest des États-Unis, notamment en lien avec des stratégies pour encadrer : 

• L’intégration de projets structurants de transport collectif dans l’espace public et les développements axés sur les transports en commun (TOD); 

• La réalisation des bénéfices de l’expérience client dans les infrastructures de transport collectif; 

• La planification du déploiement de services de micromobilité ainsi que 

• L’optimisation de l’accessibilité universelle et de l’expérience client pour le transport adapté.  

Lors de cette première année, j’ai eu le plaisir de retrouver mes anciens collègues de TransLink, Brian Phillips et Andrew Devlin, qui se sont joint au bureau d’Access Planning de Vancouver et contribuent à notre équipe par leur maitrise du fonctionnement internes d’agences régionales et municipales.  Je suis aussi reconnaissant d’avoir reconnecté avec des partenaires d’affaires d’Access en Europe avec lesquels j’ai travaillé au début de ma carrière. 

Une des principales leçons que je tire de cette première année est de voir comment des thèmes similaires se manifestent auprès de clients qui se trouvent dans des juridictions différentes.  Un des aspects les plus stimulants de notre travail est de pouvoir apporter des perspectives provenant d’autres contextes et de créer des liens entre nos clients et leurs réalités respectives.   

L’intérêt que toute ‘la gang’ d’Access a pour le Québec s’est manifestée par la tenue de notre ‘Lac à l’Épaule’ corporatif à Montréal (https://accessplanning.ca/ideasblog/2022/12/7/wheels-of-change-access-fall-retreat-2022). Notre participation au congrès de l’Association Québécoise des Transports (AQTR) en juin où ma collègue Lisa Salsberg et moi avons parlé de l’importance des partenariats dans des projets majeurs et notre présence à la conférence de l’Association Canadienne du Transport Urbain (ACTU) à Montréal avec mes collègues Andrew Devlin et Tamim Raad ont été des moments forts qui ont favorisé les échanges avec des clients, anciens collègues et partenaires d’affaires.   

2022 a aussi été l’année du premier contenu francophone sur le site web d’Access et de la création du blogue que vous êtes en train de lire qui illustre, encore une fois, notre volonté d’en faire plus.    

En 2023 nous prévoyons continuer sur notre élan pour appuyer des clients dans les grands centres urbains du Québec dans leurs démarches pour créer de villes meilleures, tout en gardant notre regard en mode ‘grand angle’. De même, nous continuerons à partager ce qui se fait de bon au Québec avec nos clients et contacts ailleurs.   

Merci à nos clients, partenaires et interlocuteurs pour une première année stimulante pour Access au Québec et au plaisir de continuer à collaborer pour créer des collectivités où il fait bon vivre.   

#créonsdesvillesmeilleures 

Access Fall retreat 2022

By Ahmed Abdul Aziz, Planning Analyst

Change was in the air amidst vibrant autumn leaves as the Access team gathered beneath a rainy Montreal sky in October. Purpose of the rendezvous? To discuss the future of Access Planning, brainstorm goals and ambitions moving forward, look back on recent achievements, and to have a blast in a city of quaint balconies, twisting terraces, labyrinthine alleyways, and dedicated bike lanes.

Access Planning gathers twice a year for retreats such as these; as a new member to the team, this was my first. And after working remotely with colleagues across Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, it was great to finally meet the whole team in-person. In the boardroom, we discussed Access, our values, past achievements, core offerings, and future planning, and out in the streets of Montreal, we biked on Bixis (as part of our planned ‘Montreal Mobility Tour’), staying true to our philosophy of living our values. Our ‘Mobility Tour’ weaved through key transportation and mobility infrastructure, services, and public spaces in Downtown Montreal. Everything went fantastically smooth – well, almost everything. I made the mistake of choosing an e-bike on the downhill portion of the trip and a conventional bike on the uphill portion. Of course, this did mean that the trip made for a great workout as well!

Access ‘Montreal Mobility Tour’

On the second day of the retreat, we discussed Access’s impact and our past work; sharing stories about what’s worked well, less well, and tips on how to talk about our company and work in different contexts. Building on our conversation around company values and our unique service offerings from the first day, we outlined the future of Access in a world experiencing evolving societal values and ideas. What new ideas and areas of work should we explore for the future? How can we lead positive values transformation whilst doing so?

How we do it

It’s hard to pick one favorite memory from the Fall retreat, given how consistent the fun and bonding experience was, whether it was the game of Jenga that I recklessly joined right at the end when the tower of blocks was already near toppling, the team dinner that we had at a French restaurant where I couldn’t make head or tails of the menu and had to enlist the help of my French-speaking colleagues (who had to consult Google Translate as well), or simply the pleasure of being given a friendly hug by a person whom I’d remotely worked with in a high-stakes project but never met in-person before.

A game of Jenga

Two things I will remember most from the gathering and our discussions and bonding, however, is one, just how important connection is to us humans, and two, the philosophy of living one’s values is central and critical not just to the field of planning, but also to our own selves at a personal and professional level.