In this webinar, participants learned more about new research out of Dalhousie University focused on transit oriented development and about work being done on transportation and equity from the University of Toronto. The webinar concluded with a presentation from planners at the City of Quebec who presented on a new public transport network currently in development.

Neighbours often have questions and sometimes oppose the development of new non-market housing, especially supportive housing, in communities throughout British Columbia. BC Housing has created tools to help non-profit housing providers, service providers, and local governments address community opposition and gain acceptance for their projects. These include: • Community Acceptance of Non-Market Housing Toolkit • Exploring Impacts of Non-Market Housing on Surrounding Property Values Case Studies • Evaluation of Modular Supportive Housing We will cover key findings and how these tools are being used by planners to support development of non-market housing by BC Housing, the City of Vancouver, and the BC Non-Profit Housing Association. Attendees will learn about housing-specific community engagement, working with neighbours and local non-profit partners. The session will include small group discussions, where participants tackle sample case studies that highlight common challenges of community acceptance. Participants will apply the tools discussed along with their own experiences to brainstorm potential strategies for addressing common challenges.

SPONSORED BY: Real Estate Foundation of BC This engaging session will include presentation on the Net Zero policy objectives within the City of Markham. It will explore the challenges and real implementation solutions for low carbon development, currently taking place in the City of Markham. As a leadership model, the City has engaged in a partnership with Mattamy Homes and Enwave Energy to deliver a geo-exchange community energy system that will deliver on the city’s strategic direction for a Safe, Sustainable and Complete Community. The policy framework for climate change guides this project which includes strong community objectives around transportation and complete communities. The session will profile the Berczy Glen development and the approach to the partnership to advance a low density based geo-exchange district energy system. It will discuss the key aspects bringing the project together. The presenters will share the process to feasibility, including stakeholder engagement, and issues-based meetings to establish an approvals process for a non-regulated energy project within the subdivision approvals process. The project which received TAF funding to support feasibility outcomes and share lessons learned in the context of the partnership. This session is an implementation best practice for advancing low carbon solutions at a community scale.

Economic development fails by excluding segments of the population, criminalizing survival economic activities, displacing small businesses and cultural organizations, not protecting the affordability of job space, and prioritizing profit over people and planet. But it is possible for municipal economic development to contribute to strong and vibrant communities that work for everyone. When cities use an integrated sustainability framework to plan their economies – one that not only considers economic but also social, cultural, and environmental implications of its work – amazing things can happen. This panel will present the ways in which Vancouver is using a systems lens to plan for the future of its economy. The presenters are City of Vancouver and Vancouver Economic Commission staff, who will present their projects and, more importantly, how they are working together on economic development in order to achieve more holistic and integrated outcomes in order to 'change the system.'

This session will provide an overview of initiatives by the municipally-led Natural Environment and Climate Change Collaborative. This group comprises staff from the Regional Municipality of Durham, eight lower-tier municipalities, and five conservation authorities. By enlisting the services of the Ontario Climate Consortium, with funding from Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, the Collaborative has updated climate change projections for Durham Region using the latest best practices, including capturing Great Lakes influences in regional modelling. This work supports implementation of the award-winning Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan. Located immediately east of Toronto, Durham includes a mix of large urban centres and different scales of rural settlements, making this work broadly applicable to many communities across Canada. We will discuss how climate information is being used in watershed planning, official plans, and climate adaptation program implementation across different sectors. We will also look at new tools for translating climate model outputs into plain language and training for practitioners.

SPONSORED BY: Real Estate Foundation of BC Affordable housing is just as vital and attainable in small and rural communities as it is in urban centres. Planners make it happen by adapting to local contexts, embracing different tools, and elevating community strengths rather than focusing on deficits. This session will highlight promising practices from across British Columbia, including exciting stories of policy design, community-led housing initiatives, and affordable housing development from towns and Indigenous communities of 30,000 people or less. We will show how housing is built in small and rural places, from need, to plan, to proposal, to ribbon cutting. We will also invite the audience to share their affordable housing stories, and encourage collective learning with our colleagues from across the country.

In this webinar, participants learned how to use and find climate data on the Climate Atlas of Canada, about flood risk strategies in Nova Scotia, and gained insights into the World Resources Institute's guide on climate change and inequality.

SPONSORED BY: URBAN STRATEGIES INC. It’s exciting that the term ‘equity’ is becoming popular in connection with planning practice. Integrating equity into planning practice makes sense - increasing equity can result in stronger, healthier and more resilient communities. But what tools are available to help planners figure out how to make a difference? How do we move beyond good intentions? Integrating equity isn’t just about setting up diverse committees or that providing childcare during community engagement events. Offering simple and often token responses could do more harm than good. To truly address inequities, you need to consider power. In this session we will explore three key areas of local government decision making: budgeting, community data analysis and community engagement. We will provide participants with concrete examples of tools that can be used to prioritize equity in each. Participants will learn about how to create real impact and shift dynamics of power that are embedded in the work of planners and local governments. We hope that those in attendance will be inspired to look at their work in a new, more equitable, way. Session presenters are Dr. Victoria Barr, Community Health & Equity Consultant from LevelUp Planning & Consulting, and Sarah Ravlic, Community Well-Being Practitioner from Urban Matters CCC.

SPONSORED BY: YOUNG ANDERSON BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS Chief Dana Tizya-Tramm is a proud Yukoner and member of Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. Overcoming significant odds, Dana has succeeded both personally and professionally balancing real issues with systematic change, but it is his team, people, and communication skills that have helped him to bring people together around solutions. Youth, education, cultural exchange and climate are some of Dana’s passions. Dana speaks internationally on subjects such as: Bridging Indigenous Ways of Knowing with Western Best Practices, Youth Empowerment, and Climate Change and Renewable Energies in the North. VGFN Chief and Council passed a Climate Emergency Declaration, as well as a General Assembly Resolution to be Carbon Neutral by 2030. Dana has ambitious clean energy and climate mitigation plans and aims to have Old Crow at the forefront for Climate Change research and renewable technologies.

Module 4: Regulation: Improvements to Permitting Processes 
Delivered over four modules, this workshop will share lessons from Edmonton’s Infill Roadmap and the tools emerging from it to support age-friendly, multi-generational, and context-appropriate housing. These range from expedited infill permitting processes to improving access to open data to increase transparency relating to redevelopment decision-making and education. Workshop modules will include: a review ‘missing middle’ proformas and a glimpse into the hard/soft cost assumption of the market; a step-by-step tutorial on how to create an Esri StoryMap to better narrate neighbourhood context and reinvestment information; a review of mapping/visualization efforts to increase transparency around infill; and engagement best practices to fortify community support.