Dylan Reid

Career Trajectory: Shaping Urban Narratives

Dylan Reid has spent over two decades as a pivotal voice in Canadian urban journalism, blending historical analysis with grassroots advocacy. As co-founder and Executive Editor of Spacing magazine since 2003, he has elevated conversations about Toronto’s public spaces, transit systems, and pedestrian infrastructure. His early career saw him managing academic publications like Confraternitas and editing for the University of Toronto Press, honing a rigorous approach to narrative storytelling. This academic foundation informs his ability to dissect complex urban policies for mainstream audiences.

Reid’s work extends beyond traditional journalism into community organizing. As a founding member of Walk Toronto, he has directly influenced pedestrian safety initiatives, including sidewalk widening projects and traffic-calming measures. His 2021 MFA in Creative Non-Fiction from King’s College, Halifax, marked a turning point, allowing him to weave personal narratives about city life into policy critiques—a signature style evident in his recent Spacing columns.

Defining Works: Three Pillars of Urban Discourse

• Forever Yonge

This deep dive into Toronto’s iconic thoroughfare combines archival research with contemporary observations. Reid traces Yonge Street’s evolution from Indigenous trail to commercial corridor, revealing how successive waves of development have shaped the city’s identity. Through interviews with urban planners and small business owners, he examines the tension between preservation and progress, particularly in light of recent condo developments. The article’s impact led to renewed public debate about heritage designation for mid-century buildings along the strip.

• Ford’s attack on bike lanes is also a planning problem

Reid deconstructs Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s controversial bike lane removals through a historical lens, comparing them to 20th-century highway expansions that prioritized cars over communities. He incorporates traffic flow data from the Toronto Transit Commission to demonstrate how the policy contradicts the city’s official climate action plan. The piece gained traction among municipal policymakers, cited in three city council meetings as evidence of provincial overreach in local urban design.

• 10 walking improvements in Toronto over the past 10 years

This participatory journalism project crowdsourced input from Walk Toronto’s 15,000-member community. Reid analyzes pedestrian infrastructure milestones through both quantitative metrics (15% reduction in crossing fatalities) and qualitative testimonials. The article’s innovative format—pairing before/after photos with heat maps of pedestrian traffic—has been adopted by urbanist publications nationwide. Its success led to Reid consulting on Toronto’s 2024 Complete Streets Guidelines.

Pitching Insights: Aligning With Urban Priorities

1. Hyperlocal Policy Analysis

Reid prioritizes stories that reveal how municipal decisions impact neighborhood character. Successful pitches might examine rezoning battles through the lens of small business survival or analyze schoolyard greening projects as climate resilience strategies. His 2023 series on parklet equity demonstrates particular interest in micro-scale urban interventions.

2. Historical Parallels in Urban Design

Proposals should connect current infrastructure projects to Toronto’s planning history. For instance, a pitch comparing the Ontario Line subway expansion to 19th-century streetcar development would align with Reid’s methodology in “Forever Yonge.” Include archival visuals or primary source documents to strengthen such pitches.

3. Grassroots Advocacy Case Studies

Reid seeks narratives about community-led urban improvements, especially those involving marginalized groups. A recent successful pitch detailed how immigrant-owned shops collaborated to install multilingual wayfinding signage. Emphasize participatory design processes and measurable outcomes.

4. Transportation Equity Frameworks

Pitches should address systemic barriers in mobility access. Reid’s bike lane analysis demonstrates interest in how infrastructure decisions affect low-income commuters. Propose stories that use transit fare data or disability advocacy group testimonials.

5. Underdocumented Public Spaces

From alleyway gardens to temporary park installations, Reid highlights spaces overlooked in traditional urban planning. A recent piece on funeral procession routes through downtown exemplifies this focus. Include geolocation data or ethnographic observations in related pitches.

Awards and Recognition

“Dylan’s editing is right on target. His fine ear for language lets him catch and solve any glitches in the prose while his wide-ranging knowledge picks up errors in meaning or logic.” — Prof. Konrad Eisenbichler, University of Toronto

CRRS Fellowship (2020–Present)
As Fellow at the Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies, Reid bridges academic research and public scholarship. His work on medieval urban guilds informs contemporary discussions about trade corridors.

Spacing Books Series Editorship
Reid co-edited four critically acclaimed urban anthologies, including The Big Book of Spacing, which sold out its first print run within six months. The series has become essential reading for Canadian urban planning students.