How Vancouver Became One of North America's Most Family-Friendly Cities

If you're a city resident of a certain age—basically, that part of the generational Venn diagram where X and Y overlap—you probably know someone who recently left to start a family. The reasons vary, but in predictable fashion. Not enough room in the apartment. Not enough park space nearby. No dependable public school and no affordable private one. No way to navigate a stroller on the subway that doesn't result in occasional tears of rage.

But are cities fundamentally unsuited to family life, or have they been in such a rush to feed the needs of young singles that they've unwittingly overlooked the procreating part of the population? The Sightline Institute's blog has been running a fantastic series, written by Jennifer Langston, tackling these very questions. All the posts are worth a read, but what caught my eye was one on a North American city that seems to be doing an especially great job luring families: Vancouver.