How 15-Minute Cities Build Feminist Communities
A group of women standing together and talking and a woman and child biking in the background in Paris, FR (photo by: Nicole Roach)
All people should be able to live in walkable communities with easy access to their daily necessities. That is the principle at the heart of the 15-minute city. The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept that purports communities should be designed so that a person’s daily necessities (e.g. work, groceries, healthcare, education) are within a fifteen-minute walk or bike ride from where they live. The concept isn’t new, but has been branded as such by Sorbonne University professor Carlos Moreno in 2015 at COP21. The concept gained popularity in 2020 after Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo proposed a 15-minute city plan in her re-election campaign. However recently, the idea has been under attack becoming a target of unfounded conspiracy theories. While it is easy to shrug off these theories as having no basis in fact, the negative sentiment surrounding 15-minute cities may result in city planners and policymakers being less likely to support the idea in their own communities. Yet, when cities adopt plans to become accessible and connected, they have the opportunity to create communities that work better for everyone, especially women. This article aims to provide more information about 15-minute cities by dispelling some of the myths around them and demonstrating how they can be beneficial to women. It will also outline some of the key ways local governments can utilize the 15-minute city vision in their own communities. 
Woman pushing a child on a bike on a pedestrian street in Maastricht, NL (photo by: Nicole Roach).
Do 15-Minute Cities Exist?
While Toronto can’t claim itself as a 15-minute city in its entirety, many neighbourhoods do fit the profile. In my neighbourhood, I can walk to at least four grocery stores in under ten minutes. There are elementary and high schools within a 15-minute walk. My doctor and dentist are a 15-minute bike ride away while I can get to work in 20-minutes by bike or subway. I have parks, restaurants, cafes, and places to shop steps from my apartment. Many other neighbourhoods, especially in the downtown core, have similar access to amenities. Aside from Paris where the idea originated, other cities across the world have also adopted the 15-minute city approach and put forth plans to increase connectivity, active transport, and access within neighbourhoods including Ottawa, Portland, and Stockholm (who is pushing the idea even further with the aim of creating one-minute cities). It’s clear that 15-minute cities already exist and many more are on their way. 
People crossing a street in Toronto, ON (photo by: Nicole Roach).
Why have they become controversial?
Recent conspiracy theories have been created around the idea of the 15-minute city that state that the concept aims to confine people to their neighbourhoods, control their movements, and increase government surveillance in the name of climate change. As the conspiracy spreads, many planners and advocates for 15-minute cities have been receiving threats and backlash from those who believe in the negative rhetoric. It's important to highlight that 15-minute cities do not restrict movement but can actually empower people to have greater access within their communities. For many years, cities have been designed around mass vehicle ownership, making it the dominant mode of transportation and infrastructure in North America. Zoning laws restrict neighbourhoods from having access to groceries stores or doctors’ offices by not allowing for a mix of commercial and residential areas in most neighhourhoods. This in turn creates suburban sprawl with few places to walk to. For those who can’t or don’t want to drive, getting around to meet their basic needs can be difficult, and in some cases unsafe. This is especially true for women, who take public transportation more often than men, and cite safety as a top concern while accessing transit. When municipal governments adopt a 15-minute city approach to planning, they’re not telling people they cannot travel outside of their community, they're increasing the choices available to people within their neighbourhood. While some cities may specifically restrict the movements of cars, like the superblocks in Barcelona, they’re liberating those who choose to travel by foot, mobility device, or bicycle. And yes, 15-minute cities are good for the climate as they support and encourage the use of sustainable transportation modes. 
A vibrant pedestrian street in Montreal, QC (Photo by: Holly Hixson, 2023)
How do 15-Minute Cities build feminist communities?
15-minute cities are beneficial for everyone, especially women. We know that women are more likely to walk and use public transit while their trips are shorter, have more stops, and are more frequent since they are more likely to make caregiving trips (such as picking up groceries, taking children to school, and running other errands). 15-minute cities reduce the distance women need to travel from home and between activities, unlocking valuable time savings that can be spent elsewhere.Having a walkable community with access to amenities creates a sense of community while also increasing “eyes on the street,” which improves feelings of safety and security in a neighbourhood. It can also improve the health and safety of children. Children, and especially girls, who live in more walkable neighbourhoods are more likely to travel places on their own. By being able to move around their neighbourhood independently, children are able to be more physically active, social, and autonomous. Increasing access within neighbourhoods opens up opportunities for women without requiring them to be dependent on cars. Owning a car can be costly, with transportation being the second biggest expense for Canadian households after rent/mortgage payments. Given the gender wage gap, this can be a greater barrier to accessing essential services and recreation for women. 15-minute cities make it possible for more people to live in a community with fewer cars (or no cars at all), affording women less financial strain and burden brought on by transportation. 
Women walking in front of a flower shop in Toronto, ON (photo by: Nicole Roach).
How do we build more 15-minute cities?
In order to build 15-minute cities, local governments need to make walkable neighbourhoods a priority and let this goal guide their planning and decision making. Adopting action plans is a good first step to creating more walkable neighbourhoods, but it is important that commitments are followed up with tangible actions. As mentioned, current zoning in many major cities can be a significant barrier to developing neighbourhoods where there is a mix of housing and commercial buildings. 15-minute cities thrive where there is a high-density of people in proximity to shops and services, which often means neighbourhoods with mid to high rise housing. To support growth in this direction, some cities, like Vancouver and Toronto, have removed single-family zoning (where there can only be one residence on a property). Other cities across Canada should follow suit and continue to create mixed-used neighbourhoods. When creating 15-minute cities, it is also important to consider the affordability of the neighbourhoods. If the people who work in a neighbourhood cannot afford to live there and instead have to commute an hour away, then the neighbourhood doesn’t truly meet the definition of a 15-minute city. Cities should include inclusionary zoning policies and encourage development of housing for all incomes within neighbourhoods. 
Women walking along a mixed-use street in Toronto, ON (photo by: Nicole Roach).
15-minute cities are not about controlling movement but rather enabling people to get around their neighbourhoods in healthy and sustainable ways. The neighbourhoods within 15-minute cities allow people to meet their basic needs while also creating a sense of community and safety where all people, regardless of age or gender, are able to thrive. Despite the recent backlash, more local governments should adopt plans to become 15-minute cities to create safer, more liveable communities for everyone. 