Planning shapes the communities we live in every day – often in ways we don’t even notice. From speeding up housing development to designing climate-resilient spaces and even ensuring the sidewalks beneath our feet are safe and accessible. This work is the backbone of our communities, and it wouldn’t be possible without informed and engaged members of the public.
As our communities continue to evolve, planners will remain central to shaping their future – including in guiding how and where we accommodate growth and development. Intensification has long been lauded as a sustainable alternative to the low-density, peripheral development that has dominated urbanization patterns since the 20th century. By directing growth towards mature neighbourhoods, intensification offers a clear pathway towards building the complete, compact, and connected communities that are envisioned in planning documents across the country.
VANCOUVER, February 6, 2026 – The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) is entering the next chapter of its truth and reconciliation journey today, with the public release of its Reconciliation Action Plan: The Fire We Tend: Truth and Relations in Canadian Planning.
This issue’s theme, Canada in 2100, challenges planners to imagine what kind of place Canada will be in 75 years. This prospective, futures-thinking exercise is both timely and relevant given the magnitude of current issues facing Canada and the planning profession…
Planners are uniquely equipped to design better processes and develop new tools that address bottlenecks and reduce duplication in the short term, while also establishing high standards to future-proof our communities. CIP is therefore pleased to provide feedback on the Build Canada Homes Market Sounding Guide…
Now more than ever, planning matters. Planning influences where we live, how we move, how we work, how our economies grow, and the health and well-being of our cities, communities, and regions. In response to the federal government’s call for pre-budget submissions, CIP has submitted our recommendations to the Standing Committee on Finance ahead of the Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2025.