Giving Back to the Community

Dr. Ann McAfee (FCIP) has been a planner for over 50 years.  In 1974, she became Vancouver’s first Housing Planner. From 1994-2006, as Vancouver’s Co-Director of Planning, she guided city policies and neighbourhood plans.  Since ‘retiring’ she has planned internationally. Ann is an Adjunct Professor at UBC’s SCARP and a member of Canada’s National Housing Council.

Chris Hardwicke is a registered professional planner, a member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada and an urban designer with over 25 years of experience. He has achieved international recognition as a Fellow of the Forum for Urban Design in New York; a Recognized Practitioner in Urban Design in the UK; and, as a member of the Project for Public Spaces Leadership Committee and the Council for Canadian Urbanism. Chris is guided by the principle that urbanism is a vehicle of social change and renewal. This philosophy extends from the design of public places to embracing the broader principles of healthy cities.

Colton is a Registered Professional Planner with a reputation for successfully completing challenging planning projects. He is based in McElhanney’s Surrey BC office and works on planning projects across BC and Alberta. He has 20 years of experience providing public and private sector clients with strategic planning and development advice, and he has completed IAP2 public engagement training. Colton has significant public and private sector experience in municipal planning, with a focus on zoning bylaw overhauls, enabling infill and missing middle housing, regulating cannabis sales, official community plans (OCPs), municipal development plans (MDPs), secondary plans, affordable and supportive housing development, public engagement, project scoping, project management, and rezoning approvals and he frequently presents at city council and in the community.

Kathleen Gallagher is a Registered Professional Planner who has worked as an Executive Advisor in planning as well as in transit planning, development planning, and heritage planning at the City of Calgary and Town of Banff. She holds a Master of Environmental Studies (Planning) from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from Dalhousie University.

Kyla Pascal (she/her) is an Afro-Indigenous (Dominican/Métis) woman born and raised in Amiskwaciwâskahikan / ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ (Edmonton). Her experiences and interests are centred around Indigenous resurgence, cultural preservation, community health, storytelling, and food justice. She is a community planner, a consultant and co-editor of Hungry Zine. The goal of her work is to build more resilient, just, and healthier communities.

Neal LaMontagne is a faculty lecturer at the University of Alberta School of Urban and Regional Planning. A planner with over 25 years of experience, he is a planning generalist with particular interests in the intersection of planning and design, sustainable and compassionate cities, and plan quality. A former member of the PIBC Awards Committee, this is his first year on a national awards jury.

Perry is Partner Services Manager at the City of Lethbridge. He has a MA in Latin American Studies from SFU and a BA in Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Lethbridge. Perry’s work centers on reconciliation, equity and inclusion within planning, policymaking and placemaking/keeping. Perry is Vice-chair of the Lethbridge Polytechnic Board of Governors, a Research Affiliate at the Prentice Institute (University of Lethbridge) and regularly shares his work through networks in Canada, the UK and elsewhere.

A senior Canadian city planner, urban designer, teacher, and author, Larry Beasley, is the Founding Principal of Beasley & Associates, a retired Chief Planner for Vancouver, and Professor at UBC. Working around the world, highlights include Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Dallas, Scandinavia, Australia, and across Canada. His three books are “Vancouverism”, “Ecodesign for Cities and Suburbs”, and “Canadians Planning in Abu Dhabi”.

Dr. Leela Viswanathan, RPP, FCIP, is an accomplished and innovative educator, mentor, researcher, and planner, and is the founder of Viswali Consulting. She builds on nearly 30 years of experience in fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in academic, government, and not-for-profit sectors. As a forward-thinking strategist, Leela is happiest when co-creating knowledge and developing strategies to solve problems for social impact.

Michael Hooper is an Associate Professor of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia. He previously taught urban planning at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and worked for the UN in East Africa and New York. He is a registered professional planner in Canada, the UK and the US.

Samantha Murphy is an independent professional planner, focused primarily on municipal planning, policy, and governance in PEI and Atlantic Canada. Samantha’s experience includes municipal and provincial planning and, since 2020, private consulting. Samantha recently joined with long-term colleagues to form a planning collective, the We6 Planning Group. Much of Sam’s recent work has been focused on climate resilient communities and housing.

Alex is a registered professional planner and Senior Planning Analyst for the Government of British Columbia Ministry of Housing. Alex has co-authored several articles in Plan Canada and Planning West, and is interested in contributing to constructive dialogue on today’s planning issues. Alex graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Masters of City Planning.

Arlene Etchen has been working as a recognized knowledge mobilization and communications professional in the planning, housing, and energy sectors for over 15 years. Throughout her career, Arlene has applied her expertise by undertaking research, delivering lectures, and authoring articles involving topics such as sustainable affordable housing, secondary suites, accessibility, and aging-in-place. She has had the opportunity to deliver presentations nationally, and in Belgium, Scotland, and Ireland.

Arlene’s passion for housing and sustainability extends beyond her professional endeavors, to her volunteer work with the Institute without Boundaries (Brookfield Sustainability Institute), the York Region Water Conservation Council and the Earth Day Hometown Heroes initiative, recognizing leaders in sustainability.

Shree is a Registered Professional Planner and the manager of Current & Long Range Planning with the City of Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta. Prior to joining the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Shree worked in the consulting sector in the capacity of an Urban Designer and a Planner and worked for development industry and many Alberta communities. Shree has Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Mumbai, India and Masters in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary. Her diverse background is her strength and her practice focus is the creation of complete and sustainable communities.

Emma Borho is an urban planner at Stantec Consulting Ltd., where she works on planning projects related to affordable housing, parks and recreation, and complete communities. Emma graduated from the University of Waterloo Master of Arts (Planning) program, where she completed her Master’s thesis focusing on the topic of rural children’s perceptions of health related to their neighbourhoods.

Ezra is a registered professional planner and a project manager with the City of Toronto. Prior to joining the City of Toronto team, he worked as a planner with the City of Calgary. Ezra is a graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Planning, is currently pursuing a graduate diploma in public administration in the Local Government Program at Western University, and volunteers with the Toronto District of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute.

Based in Toronto, Glenn Miller, FCIP is a senior associate with the Canadian Urban Institute, where until 2016 he provided planning advice to the private, public and non-profit sectors. He previously led the CUI’s award-winning education and research programs and ran the CUI’s internship program. Glenn is also the co-founder of Strategic Regional Research Alliance, an NGO seeking a better understanding of how to connect home with work. Glenn was founding editor of the Ontario Planning Journal (1986-2011) and contributes to a wide variety of publications, including Y Magazine, ReNew Canada and SPACING. He recently rejoined the Editorial Committee for Plan Canada. Glenn was Planner in Residence at the University of Waterloo’s School of Planning in 2012. He also taught at Ryerson University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning (now TMU), Seneca College and the George Brown Institute Without Boundaries. Glenn became a member of the College of Fellows in 2005.

Harrison is a Registered Professional Planner focused on supporting Indigenous communities. His work with Dillon Consulting has focused on needs assessments for housing and facilities, land use plans, and strategic planning. He holds graduate degrees in Planning from Dalhousie University and International Public Policy from Wilfrid Laurier University. 

Jennifer Dean is an Associate Professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, a Registered Professional Planner in Ontario and a Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners. Jennifer’s research broadly explores the relationship between local environments and human health, the impact of professional practice and place-based inititives on community wellbeing, and effective planning education for enhanced learning and practice.

Dr. Kyle Whitfield is an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, School of Urban and Regional Planning. Her focus is on community planning; this encompasses planning with older adults both in an urban and rural setting. She is curious about citizen engagement in planning related decision making and methods of qualitative research. She is a RPP and MCIP.

Rylan Graham is an Assistant Professor in the School of Planning and Sustainability at the University of Northern British Columbia. Rylan’s research focuses on issues related to growth management, intensification, downtown revitalization, and with a particular focus on mid-sized Canadian cities. Rylan has a PhD from the University of Calgary, a Master of Arts, Planning from the University of Waterloo, and a Bachelor of Arts, Geography from the University of Regina. Prior to entering academia, he practiced as a planner in Alberta and Saskatchewan. LinkedIn

Sarah is a Registered Professional Planner with experience working in the private and public sectors on a wide range of development projects, planning studies, and long-range planning initiatives across Ontario. She is currently a development review planner with the City of Ottawa. She enjoys learning new things and is excited to read your submissions!

Tharini Prakash is a Planner and Architect with extensive global and local experience in large-scale development projects. With expertise in integrating design and policy across public and private realms, she takes a holistic approach to urban and community planning. Currently a Planning Technician with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, she focuses on current planning initiatives within the region.

Holding a Master of Community Planning from Vancouver Island University and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Manipal Academy of Higher Education in Dubai, her diverse background offers a unique perspective on Canada’s planning challenges. Passionate about fostering meaningful dialogue, she looks forward to contributing to today’s planning conversations through the Plan Canada Editorial Committee.

As a Planning Director for rural Southwest New Brunswick, Alex Henderson has worked with First Nation/settler communities on farmland protection, climate change adaptation, riparian and coastal zoning, restoring downtowns, pro-housing zoning reform, & greener street standards.

Beate Bowron is a former Director of Community Planning for the City of Toronto with over 30 years’ experience in urban planning. She is the President of Beate Bowron Etcetera, a small consulting company with a focus on participatory community planning, consensus building and sustainable, resilient cities and regions. She works both in Canada and internationally.

As a Director of Community Planning in the City of Toronto (1998 – 2003), she was responsible for all community planning functions in the Downtown (the ‘old City’). As part of CIP’s groundbreaking work in climate change adaptation planning, Beate coordinated CIP members’ work on local climate change adaptation plans in the Atlantic Region and Nunavut. More recently, she has been the project manager and public participation lead in a number of municipal ward boundary and Trustee Area reviews in Ontario.

Chelseay Rudolph is a Community Planner who specializes in writing sustainability policy and developing statutory and non-statutory plans. She is passionate about creating vibrant and inclusive communities, and brings expertise in spatial analyses and public engagement.

Cian O’Neill-Kizoff is an engineer and planner dedicated to promoting social and environmental justice through sustainable community development. Originally from Ontario, he currently lives in the Yukon.

Clare Arsenault has over 8 years of progressive experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs and policies focused on the environment and climate change. Currently, she leads the team responsible for the NS Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth.

Deanne Mighton is an urban designer with 20+ years of municipal, regional, and international experience. She has led major projects at Metrolinx and the City of Toronto, advancing city-building, affordable housing, and collaborative design strategies across sectors.

Edward Nichol is a Senior Planner with Metro Vancouver, where he develops regional policy and leads planning initiatives related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental protection, and natural hazard resilience. He was previously a Senior Researcher with Simon Fraser University’s Adaptation to Climate Change team. He holds a M.E.S. (Planning) degree from York University and a Graduate Diploma in Disaster and Emergency Management from Royal Roads University.

Dr. Gary Davidson is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and a Registered Professional Planner in Ontario (OPPI) with over 30 years of experience ranging across all levels of government, consulting and teaching. His experience stretches across numerous aspects of professional planning – climate change, community planning, tourism, waste management, strategic planning, governance, and local economic development. Gary’s experience spans, national and international assignments.

Dr. Davidson began his work on climate change in 2006. At that time the profession, let alone the public, had little understanding of climate change and the effect it would have on the world. His wide-ranging experience in climate change, community resilience and disaster risk reduction management is catalogued via LinkedIn.

Dr. Davidson has also been involved in numerous national and international climate change projects and has been a speaker at many seminars and events. He has regularly taught at various universities and is a mentor to student planners on climate change.

Hailey Bloom is a professional planner based in Calgary, with a diverse background and extensive experience in urban planning, ecology, and climatology. Her passion lies in proactively adapting to a changing climate through strategic urban design and planning.

Janine Oosterveld is a Registered Professional Planner with 26 years of experience in the private and municipal sectors. She is proud of her experience in shaping thriving, equitable and healthy communities through policy development and implementation.

Jordon Daniels is a candidate RPP and government relations strategist specializing in land-use planning, infrastructure, municipal affairs, and public policy, with expertise in engagement, policy analysis, and intergovernmental strategy.

Megan Gereghty is a Registered Professional Planner and Climate Change Specialist with the City of Mississauga. She brings a strong background in land use, development, and policy planning, with a particular focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation through resilient community development. She has contributed to the development of climate-related guidance materials for planners and has led the creation and delivery of professional training on climate change adaptation. In her current role, she is responsible for advancing the implementation of municipal climate programs and initiatives. She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Environmental Studies (Planning) as well as a Diploma in Climate Risk Management, all from the University of Waterloo.

Nathalia Schwind is a Community Planner with 8 years of professional experience working with local communities in Canada and abroad on the intersectionality of land use, growth management, housing, climate resilience, and decolonization.

Ryan Kyle holds undergraduate degrees in Urban Planning and Human Kinetics, and a Diploma in Architectural Technology. He has worked in both public and private planning and has extensive experience working with First Nations. He is currently working in wildfire resilience.

Seghan MacDonald is a Principal Climate Resilience Planner at the City of Edmonton, where she works to integrate climate resilience with planning and development processes.

Vince Deschamps has over 30 years of professional experience at the forefront of Natural Capital and Ecosystem Service Assessment (NCESA), both as a scientific discipline and as a means to anticipate and plan for the effects of climate change.

Blake Laven is a planner with over 15 years of experience. He currently oversees planning, building, and economic development for the City of Penticton, BC. He holds a Master’s of Planning from Dalhousie University. He remains committed to sustainable and strategic urban growth.

Eleanor Mohammed RPP, FCIP, EP, MTCP is a globally recognized urban planner and positive changemaker with over two decades of leadership across Canada and internationally in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. A Partner at DIALOG, she advances transformative solutions in urban governance and land use planning. Currently the Chair of the UN-Habitat Professionals Forum, Co-Chair of UN-Habitat Planners for Climate Action, and a Board Director at Canada’s National Capital Commission, she drives local and global initiatives in sustainable city-building and climate resilience. A former President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners, the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the Alberta Professional Planners Institute, she has spearheaded diverse projects, from sustainable development advocacy and professional capacity building to multilateral international engagement. She was recognized on the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (U.K.) International Women of Influence list and is a passionate professional who is a sought-after keynote at international events. Eleanor holds a Master of Arts with Distinction in Town and Country Planning from the University of the West of England (U.K.) and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Environmental Management.

Eric Withers is a municipal leader and planner with over a decade of experience in housing, infrastructure, and economic development. He brings a practical, community-focused lens to resilient, inclusive policy and land-use planning.

Jada Basi’s career has involved a transformative impact across diverse industries. Growing up in a resource-based community has informed her approach as a professional planner and strategist. She owns a consulting firm with 30 employees.

Khalid Mohammed has over 20 years of experience in strategic long-range planning and big picture policy development, advocating for building great and sustainable communities, with extensive experience in policy planning, community and growth management.

Natalie Persaud is a Senior Planner in the City of Ottawa’s Real-Estate unit. She has 15 years of planning experience, including development review and official plan policy. She is the creator of CIP’s Emerging Leaders Program and is passionate about wellness.

Neal LaMontagne is a teaching professor in the University of Alberta’s School of Urban and Regional Planning with over 25 years of professional experience. His academic and professional focus is on regulation, design, and how planning practices shape communities.

Raj Sian is a Registered Professional Planner, a certified Economic Development Professional, and holds two Master’s Degrees from the University of Waterloo. Raj currently works as the Director of Development and Tourism for Dufferin County.

Raymond Kan is serving his first term as Director on the CIP Board. He works as the Manager of Research & Policy at the Planning Institute of British Columbia. His personal mission is to use the levers of public policy, investments, and advocacy to improve the conditions of cities for everyone, and with an added focus on those who are disadvantaged. He was born and raised in Vancouver, a second-generation Canadian born to Hong Kong immigrant parents. He recognizes the many opportunities that Canada has given him and his family, and believes it is his duty to do his part in building a strong and just Canada.

Yousaf Shah is a planner and land economist specializing in demographic and economic analyses to support land use, infrastructure, and long-range planning. He provides advice to project teams on regional and community economic impacts.

Alexa Volkov is an affordable housing advocate and a Senior Housing Policy and Research Analyst with SHS, where she supports public, non-profit, and private sector clients answer complex questions about the housing needs in their communities.

André Darmanin is experienced in urban planning, governance, and equity-focused leadership. He has worked at all 3 levels of government and is now a consultant working on a variety of initiatives, including housing policy and governance.

Ann McAfee has spent over 50 years working in the housing sector, including earning a doctorate in Housing Planning and Urban Land Economics, serving as Vancouver’s first Housing Planner, and recently as a Member of Canada’s National Housing Council.

Christian Lee is an award-winning urban planning leader specializing in land use, zoning, housing, and design. He is the Manager of Planning Advisory & Coordination Services for the City of Calgary and serves as Chair of Calgary Planning Commission.

Inge Roosendaal is a Registered Professional Planner with over 20 years of experience. She is currently the Senior Planner for Ottawa Public Health, where she collaborates closely with the City of Ottawa’s Planning, Development, and Building Services Department. Inge is dedicated to advancing health, equity, and resiliency through the built environment.

Throughout her career, Inge has sought to integrate health and well-being into planning by engaging across municipal, provincial, and national levels. She has served on CIP’s Healthy Communities Committee, where she contributed to the development of the CIP National Policy on Healthy Communities Planning. Inge has led numerous initiatives to integrate health and well-being into land use, housing, and transportation planning, supporting the creation of more equitable, sustainable, and healthy communities. Her efforts have been recognized in national reviews of best practices and case studies, and she is a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops on advancing healthy built environments. Inge holds a Master of Urban & Regional Planning from Queen’s University.

Prior to joining BILD Edmonton Metro and the Urban Development Institute as CEO, Kalen Anderson was Vice President of Capital Planning and Chief Planner with the National Capital Commission, and a Planning Director at the City of Edmonton.

Lilian is an immigrant, mother, and woman of colour who is passionate about creating thriving communities where everyone feels they belong and has a safe, secure, affordable place they can call home. Lilian is the CEO of Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society, one of Canada’s first women-led community housing organizations that began 40 years ago with three single mothers who wanted to improve their lives and other families. Today, Lilian is leading the transformation of the Society to provide more affordable homes for women, single parents, seniors, people with disabilities, and indigenous and other equity-deserving groups in the Metro Vancouver region. Under her leadership over the past three years, the Society now has over 500 affordable rental homes under construction, and 1000 affordable homes in development.

Lilian has extensive experience in urban and community planning, public engagement, affordable housing development and finance, social finance, and social-purpose real estate development. She has worked with municipalities and government agencies, First Nations, non-profit housing organizations, Vancity Credit Union and Vancity Community Foundation. She is a Board Director for the Hiyám ta Sḵwxwú7mesh Housing Society with the Squamish Nation, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, and The Law Foundation of BC. She is also an Advisory Council Member of the Boann Social Impact Fund. She is a Registered Professional Planner and member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, and resides with her family on the beautiful traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Liz Buckton has 19 years of planning experience in small urban and rural communities in Ontario. Her current role as Senior Policy Planner for Grey County includes a housing policy, action and education focus. She lives in Meaford, ON, with her family.

Lyla Peter currently works for the City of Edmonton. She has worked for municipal and regional agencies across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her career has centred around housing delivery and improving development opportunities to support communities.

Michael Mortensen is the founder of Liveable City Planning Ltd. with over 25 years of planning and development experience in public and private practice. He is an Adjunct Professor at UBC Sauder School of Business, UBC School of Architecture, and the SFU City Program.

Michael von Hausen has been a Fellow of CIP since 2016, and he is also a Fellow of CSLA. He has five published books on urban design, and has taught urban design, planning, and development for over 20 years.

Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), Mrs. Pantelimon is a Registered Professional Planner in Alberta and Quebec with 15+ years of city planning and management experience across Canada.

Olimpia has been recently recognised by the Institute of Public Administration Canada (IPAC) for excellence in government policy for her leadership on the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board Training Regulation and program. As Senior Planning Advisor with Municipal Affairs, as chair of the CIP Healthy Communities Committee, expert advisor to the Metropolis International Institute, and member of the US Green Building Council LEED for Cities and Communities Working Group, Olimpia has drafted, facilitated and enabled policy and programs development in synergy with federal/provincial departments and agencies. As expert Peer Reviewer for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Green Municipal Fund (GMF), Olimpia has evaluated, and reported on Sustainable Affordable Housing plans, capital projects, and other GMF programs. Olimpia’s expertise, built on superior systems thinking, political acumen, grit, excellent editing skills, technical knowledge and leadership was effective translated in practice while managing interdisciplinary teams to success.

She served on the CIP National Affairs Committee, and as Chair Healthy Communities Committee she facilitated the development of the 2018 Healthy Communities Policy fostering vibrant environments and active lifestyles for all Canadians, and, continued to support the planning community as member and chair of the CIP Awards for Planning Excellence Jury, the CIP Planning Student Trust Fund Jury, the APPI Events and Journal committees, and as Healthy Communities representative for APPI and OUQ.

Paula Huber has decades of planning experience in Metro Vancouver.   Paula recently retired from the City of Vancouver where she led the  Multiplex Project team that transformed the zoning and permit process to allow more housing on single lots.

Dr. Robert Priebe brings over 30 years of experience in municipal urban parks planning and operations, currently sharing his expertise as a sessional lecturer at the University of Alberta School of Urban and Regional Planning. His focus extends beyond land use change approvals for increasing housing options, especially “missing middle” market housing. He advocates for a comprehensive approach that includes securing ongoing wrap-around service funding to support vulnerable populations such as low-income individuals, those with drug addictions, and mental health challenges. This requires collaboration across various levels of government and civil society to create sustainable, inclusive urban environments.

Ryan Smith’s career has focused on streamlining the planning process and leveraging technology to help customers navigate complex bylaws and permitting procedures. He has received recognition for his volunteer service and technological innovation.

Stephanie Cantlay is a municipal development planner with a focus on missing middle infill housing applications. She has experience crafting housing policies informed by best practices and applying for funding on behalf of non-profit housing providers.