Jane Farrow is a Canadianauthor, broadcaster, and community organizer. Her written works include Wanted Words, Wanted Words 2, and (with Ira Basen, David Wallechinsky, and Amy Wallace) The Book of Lists: Canadian Edition. She worked for CBC Radio from 1998 to 2007, producing segments for programs such as This Morning and The Sunday Edition, including the popular word-game segment Wanted Words (from which the books of the same name were derived).[citation needed] Farrow hosted and co-created other short series and shows including Workology (about the modern workplace), the etymological program And Sometimes Y, Home (about people's obsession with domesticity), and The Omnivore (about people's relationships to food and eating). She and her producers won a Silver Medal at the New York Festivals Radio Awards for "The Brain and Language", a 2009 episode of And Sometimes Y on CBC Radio One.[citation needed]
While a resident of Ward 18 in the Queen West Triangle, Farrow helped form and later chaired the neighbourhood association Active 18. This coalition came together in 2005 and continues to advocate for good urban design and positive local development that contributes to and engages with local community.[citation needed]
Farrow was the first executive director of Jane's Walk, the now-international movement of free, locally-led walking tours inspired by urbanist Jane Jacobs. The walks invite people to explore their cities, share stories, and connect with neighbours. Working under the direction and guidance of urban planner Paul Hess, Farrow co-wrote North America's first studies of the walkability of inner-suburban high rise neighbourhoods. This research explores segments of Toronto's most densely populated but geographically isolated neighbourhoods and points to simple and inexpensive solutions for improving connectivity and accessibility. Alongside this research, the authors developed a research model and resource toolkit that can be used by communities and individual to assess their own neighbourhoods.[citation needed]
Since 2014 Farrow has worked as an independent facilitator and community consultant, specializing in engaging neighbourhoods in dialogues about what they want in terms of urban design, planning, and public spaces.
In 2014, she declared her candidacy to for City Councillor of Ward 30 Toronto—Danforth, challenging undeclared incumbent Paula Fletcher in the 2014 municipal election. Fletcher was ultimately re-elected, with Farrow coming in third place.
In 2017, she co-edited Any Other Way: How Toronto Got Queer with John Lorinc, Stephanie Chambers, Maureen FitzGerald, Tim McCaskell, Rebecka Sheffield, Tatum Taylor, Rahim Thawer, and Ed Jackson. It was shortlisted for a Toronto Book Award.
