Challenger Cities EP26: The Policy Playbook for Challenger Cities with Tom Goldsmith

Policy may not be sexy. But it is what shapes your city — or keeps it stuck.

In this episode, I talk with Tom Goldsmith, one of the sharpest minds on innovation and public policy in Canada, and the writer behind Orbit Policy’s must-read Deep Dives. Together, we explore why cities can’t just wait for permission — they need to start shaping policy on their own terms.

Tom cuts through the usual fog, arguing that good policy lives at the messy intersection of evidence, politics, and money. It’s not just about having the right ideas — it’s about getting them done, in the real world, where compromise is constant and perfection is a mirage.

We get into why:

• Policy isn’t what’s written — it’s what actually gets done (or avoided).
• Inaction is a choice. Usually ...