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Artwork for Challenger Cities

Challenger Cities

Iain Montgomery
Toronto
Urban Planning
Public Transit
Public Transport
Urbanism
Housing
Urban Development
Transportation
London
Urban Design
Montreal
Community Engagement
Paris
Parking
Copenhagen
Urban Transportation
Healthcare
Youth Financial Awareness
Housing Crisis
Urban Living

Iain Montgomery of Now or Never Ventures interviews urbanists, creatives, transit and development types to explore how cities can punch above their weight and create distinctive new futures outside of the tired playbooks.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes91Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsPlaces & TravelSociety & CultureDesign

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Artwork for Challenger Cities

Latest Episodes

This episode is a zinger. Because Gil Penalosa came in ready to talk!

He doesn't hold back as he discussed the issues with Toronto municipal projects, where the city could be amazing but is often found lacking in ambition. We explore ideas from the... more

Alicia Pederson went from a Renaissance literature PhD and a two-year stint as an au pair in Florence to becoming one of the best voices on a deceptively simple idea: the courtyard in the middle of apartments.

After watching family friends priced o... more

Canada is about to spend more on transit and rail than the oil sands are worth, and it's doing it without a national rulebook, a training pipeline or much recent memory of how to build well. So is that a crisis, or the best shot a country has ever ha... more

Good new Challenger Cities episode today, all about autonomous vehicles and the bit that our guest, Bern Grush, thinks cities need to be thinking about more now.

Like them or not, robotaxis are coming to cities. And for all the spectacular technolo... more

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Recent Guests

Bern Grush
Co-author of The End of Driving, standards expert on autonomous vehicle orchestration
Author; standards advocate
Episode: Challenger Cities EP86: How the Robocars Meet the Curb with Bern Grush
Michael Schabas
Rail transportation expert with extensive project experience
Independent rail consultant
Episode: Challenger Cities EP85: Canada Needs a Railway Architect with Michael Schabas
Richard Fisher
Founder of Future Travel Studio; rail, transport and mobility innovator
Future Travel Studio
Episode: Challenger Cities EP84: The De-Risking Industrial Complex with Richard Fisher
Sam Peart
Global Head of Sustainability at Hassell
Hassell
Episode: Challenger Cities EP82: The Purpose is Not the Function with Sam Peart
Ken Greenberg
Urbanist and former city planner involved in Toronto's urban design initiatives
Former City of Toronto Urban Design Group; various international civic projects
Episode: Challenger Cities EP81: A Chair in the City and a Stool at the Rouge with Ken Greenberg
Saurabh Mangla
Founder of Ipsum and Lumatera; materials innovator focused on moving IP from lab to market
Lumaterra / Ipsum
Episode: Challenger Cities EP80: The Materials of Cities with Saurabh Mangla
Gerald Babel-Sutter
Founder/ organizer of Urban Future, urbanist behind Challenger Cities discussion
Urban Future
Episode: Challenger Cities EP79: The Best Practice Industrial Complex with Gerald Babel-Sutter
Jen Angel
Leader, Evergreen
Evergreen
Episode: Challenger Cities EP78: Saying Yes More with Jen Angel
Alex Bozikovic
Architecture critic for the Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Episode: Challenger Cities EP77: The Will To Build with Alex Bozikovic

Host

Iain Montgomery
Host of Challenger Cities

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 20 ratings
  • Countries come & go, cities endure

    Love Iain’s breadth and interview style.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Acorrn
    Canada5 months ago
  • Top Notch

    Look forward to every episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Marshdogg
    Canada5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great insights into urbanism and public spaces from thoughtful guests.
Listeners appreciate the host's breadth and interview style.
High-quality guests and practical storytelling stand out for sponsors and guests alike.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#225
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#10
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#136
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#236
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#126
Poland/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#133
Brazil/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Challenger Cities EP83: A Little Piece of Switzerland in the Derbyshire Hills
Q: What does success look like for Mini Switzerland in Hope Valley?
Success is framed as delivering a set of transport outcomes—hourly services, integrated ticketing and timetabling, clear wayfinding, and a measurable improvement in end-to-end journeys—rather than chasing a single target number, so that data can guide further expansion.
Challenger Cities EP82: The Purpose is Not the Function with Sam Peart
Q: What is the key shift you're trying to drive in how projects are framed from the start?
The shift is to separate the purpose from the function of a project and to start with place analysis that considers impact beyond the boundary, which guides better decisions and collaborations.
Challenger Cities EP82: The Purpose is Not the Function with Sam Peart
Q: How did you end up in a sustainability role that spans engineering, government, and design?
Sam describes a career path from Arup through public sector roles into Hassell, emphasizing a pattern of moving between problem-solving, design, and governance to understand how different organizations influence place.
Challenger Cities EP78: Saying Yes More with Jen Angel
Q: If you had a magic wand, what would you do with it to accelerate urbanism and infrastructure?
Jen would create conditions that let decision-makers say yes to innovative ideas from a wide range of sources, allowing experimentation and rapid implementation of collaborative, multi-stakeholder solutions.
Challenger Cities EP78: Saying Yes More with Jen Angel
Q: Give me the short version of what's the Evergreen Conference? Why should people be there? What would they get from it?
Jen describes the conference as a gathering that blends grassroots and policy perspectives, emphasizes interactive experiences in the ravines and public spaces, and showcases a diverse group of practitioners to foster collaboration and practical ideas for vibrant cities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Challenger Cities

What is Challenger Cities about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A forward-thinking show that explores how cities can reinvent themselves beyond traditional planning playbooks. Conversations thread through urban design, public spaces, transportation, governance, and community engagement, often emphasizing systems thinking, sustainability, and long-term impact over quick wins. Guests include architects, planners, educators, and developers who share practical stories from real projects, from repurposing infrastructure to nurturing place-based economies. The podcast stands out for its mix of critique, ambition, and hands-on insight, offering listeners concrete ideas for shaping livable, resilient cities while highlighting the people and processes that drive transformative urban outcomes.

Where can I find podcast stats for Challenger Cities?

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How many listeners does Challenger Cities get?

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What are the audience demographics for Challenger Cities?

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How many subscribers and views does Challenger Cities have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Challenger Cities has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Challenger Cities?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Challenger Cities:

1. The Bottom-Up Revolution
2. The Strong Towns Podcast
3. The Urbanist
4. Upzoned
5. Transit Unplugged

How many episodes of Challenger Cities are there?

Challenger Cities launched 2 years ago and published 91 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Challenger Cities?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Challenger Cities?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Challenger Cities from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Challenger Cities?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Challenger Cities. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Challenger Cities?

Recent guests on Challenger Cities include:

1. Bern Grush
2. Michael Schabas
3. Richard Fisher
4. Sam Peart
5. Ken Greenberg
6. Saurabh Mangla
7. Gerald Babel-Sutter
8. Jen Angel

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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