Public markets systems in North America are both
agile and fragile. When the coronavirus pandemic
caused widespread stay-at-home orders and business
closures, many markets across the continent stayed
open, continuing to safely provide fresh and healthy
food to residents as supply chains were strained
and serve as an economic lifeline to farmers and
other producers.
It was in this extreme context that the Market Cities
Initiative at Project for Public Spaces undertook
this research effort to kickstart citywide market
strategies in three North American cities—Seattle,
Washington, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the
United States, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
