The urban planning concept of 15-minute cities emerged to promote convenience, sustainability and community. This city design focuses on daily necessities such as work, shopping, education, healthcare and leisure being accessible within 15 minutes through active or public transportation.

However, controversies and conspiracies have emerged around the concept. Separate fact from fiction for 15-minute cities in this podcast. Find out a few takeaways, including:

• How can 15-minute cities address accessibility?

• How will it impact the region's economy?

• What are common conspiracy theories around 15-minute cities?

Hosted by Dallas Gislason and Ben Wagg (SIPP), our panelists included:

• Carrie Smart | Architect, Cascadia Architects

• Ray Straatsma | Principal Consultant, RStreets Urban Strategies

• Cameron Scott | Manager of Community Planning, District of Saanich

Early childhood education is one of the best tools policymakers have at their disposal if they want to make a more equitable yet growing economy, according to a 2017 Conference Board of Canada report which noted, “For every dollar spent on early childhood education programs, the economy gets about $6 worth of economic benefits down the line.”

For Childcare Month in May, the Rising Economy Podcast talks to childcare providers and experts about the socio-economic importance of early childcare education, how $10-a-day childcare has impacted the system and what changes are still vital to ensure accessible, affordable and well-funded daycare in Greater Victoria. Hosted by Kerry Slavens, South Island Prosperity Partnership, our panelists include:

• Meagan Brame | Director | Saxe Point Daycare

• Wendy Lowe | Executive Director | James Bay Child Care Society

• Eric Swanson | Principal | Third Space Planning

Listen: https://linktr.ee/southislandprosperity

We explore the perfect storm that led to today’s housing crisis in Greater Victoria — from supply chain issues to inflation, high land prices, bureaucracy and backpedalling — and we talk to panellists with bold ideas for solving the crisis.Panellists include:

- Diana Gibson, Executive Director, Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria

- Julian West, Founder, UrbanThrive

- Kathy Whitcher, Executive Director, Urban Development Institute Capital Region.

This new podcast series is a feature of SIPP’s Rising Economy branch, which hosts our annual, award-winning Rising Economy Conference.