John Farrow came to Canada from the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. Today, John is recognized as one of Canada’s leading planning professionals.
 
From 1976 to 1995, John developed his reputation as a strategic thinker at Coopers & Lybrand where he rose from Principal to the position of Managing Partner, a rare example of an urban planner taking the helm of a major management consulting firm. Within this period, John served as President of CIP’s Central Ontario Chapter.
 
From 1995 to 2000, John was the President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute, where he re-established the CUI as Canada’s premier urban policy think tank. During his time with CUI, John set innovative domestic and international priorities. Under his leadership, CUI undertook multi-year assignments in numerous foreign countries and under John’s guidance brought Canadian planning practice to the international stage. Importantly, John’s vision provided diverse opportunities for Canadian practitioners to gain valuable international experience.
 
Today, he is the Chairman Emeritus of the LEA Group, a multi-disciplinary planning, engineering and infrastructure consultancy. Throughout his distinguished career, he has prepared numerous master plans for large cities and city regions, and worked extensively in India, Central Europe, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Domestically, his influence as a planner and management consultant is evident in municipalities across the country.
 
Not only has he demonstrated exceptional achievement in his planning practice, but John has also been a dedicated teacher and mentor for many aspiring planners. In addition to establishing the Canadian Urban Institute’s highly regarded internship program, John served as Planner-in-Residence at the University of Waterloo, as a Distinguished Visitor at the University of Toronto’s School of Planning, and for almost 20 years, has taught courses in public policy in the planning program at the University of Toronto. As a prolific writer and speaker, John also shares his knowledge and experience on a regular basis, and has always been generous with his time helping young planners in their careers.
 
With his infectious enthusiasm, John is truly a visionary who has made exceptional contributions to the planning profession in Canada and around the world.