Join us for “Streetcars and the Shifting Geographies of Toronto”, an online lecture on April 20!

What can photos taken by streetcar enthusiasts reveal about the changing nature of cities? This is the question explored by Brian and Michael Doucet in their book Streetcars and the Shifting Geographies of Toronto: a visual analysis of change. The Doucets carefully and meticulously rephotograph these images taken in the 1960s and 70s to bring them into dialogue with contemporary planning, policy, political and public debates.

Streetcar enthusiasts did not intend to document the major forces of change shaping cities, but their images show far more than just the vehicles. In pursuit of their hobby, these enthusiasts photographed cities in ways that very few other people did, and took pictures in parts of the city that would have otherwise gone unphotographed.

When paired with photos taken at the same locations today, these images show the subtle and not-so-subtle economic, social, demographic and spatial changes that have taken place as Toronto has transitioned from an industrial and provincial city, to one of the world’s major global metropolises. They show how these forces of change are reflected in the buildings, streets and land uses across the city.

There are many books, studies and reports that try to understand long-term changes in cities such as Toronto. Streetcars is one of the few that uses visual images as the primary way to analyse change. The Doucets aim to challenge everyone – scholars, students, planners, politicians and the wider public – to look at their cities in new and different ways.

Join us for this engaging and insightful discussion about how photography can be used to better understand cities and urban change.