Awards for Planning Excellence

The District of Saanich 2020 Climate Plan is a very ambitious plan, cutting the municipality’s emissions in half by 2030, and to net zero by 2050, transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and preparing for a changed climate. Despite the significant scale of the change the District of Saanich seeks to make, there is clarity in the plan around what needs to happen and how to get there. The plan was unanimously adopted by Council in January 2020 and demonstrates excellence in climate change planning in the following ways: there are clear science-based guiding principles informed by local engagement, the plan is the product of a collaborative process, with input from internal and external partners, and there is integration with consumption-based and district-based emissions targets. The climate plan addresses six focus areas, ensuring a comprehensive track to addressing greenhouse gas reductions in several sectors of civil society.

The jury finds that the process of developing the final plan provides a best practice template for other municipalities across Canada seeking to address the climate emergency.

The innovative contribution to planning practice is found in the plan’s technical excellence and its process to develop the scientific baseline calculations, the steps to identify reductions and the actions required to meet targets. The plan is concise, easily understood, and based on a logical, tactical, and science-based approach.

The team took steps to get the scientific baseline right and then used modelling to determine what sources and strategies would have the most impact – these informed priorities in near-term, medium-term and long-term actions. The plan sets clear targets, which set the stage for action. The implementation section assigns key tasks to municipal departments and an annual reporting process to monitor and report on progress which the jury feels provides a strong basis for successfully attaining the objectives of the Climate Plan.

Company: Gladki Planning Associates, DTAH, urbanMetrics, City of Mississauga, and Peel Public Health

Embedding the principles of healthy, complete communities, the framework provides guidance to transform suburban malls into mixed-use hub communities. The project identified five mall-based nodes developed in the 1970s exhibiting urban form characteristics of the car-oriented development to develop a roadmap to achieving healthy communities. The methodology to developing a consistent approach for areas with commonalities brings an innovative approach to address a particular class of areas, i.e. the suburb mall hubs, situated within the same urban hierarchy in the city’s fabric. A clear description of the elements of a healthy community served as a basis for analysis and the guidelines were developed with critical consideration for the future of retail, development metrics, and architectural and urban design features. Community and stakeholder participation, multifaceted engagement techniques, such as “pop-up kiosk” in malls with various activities, “person on the street” interviews, walking audit, community meetings, and open houses enabled the understanding of people’s experiences and preferences. The framework adds value as it enables the implementation of the City of Mississauga’s planning and sustainability goals into clear, implementable actions.

The jury finds that this project is an excellent planning framework that incorporates healthy communities planning principles and sound methodology to look into transforming the urban fabric into complete communities, while supporting the development of the designated area. Collaboration with Peel Public Health made a strong basis for applying research and scientific approaches derived from planning for Healthy Communities to contribute to people’s well-being such as connectivity, walkability, place identity and attachment, safety and trust, inclusion, and sociability. The framework has great potential for replication and for building the community of knowledge and practice.

Company: Saugeen First Nation, Brook McIlroy Indigenous Design Studio, Dean McLellan Stonework, Joseph Pitawanakwat / Creators Garden, Theatre Consultants Collaborative, Tatham Engineering, Runge Engineering,

The First Nation GZHE-MNIDOO GI-TA-GAAN / Creator’s Garden and Amphitheatre Master Plan is commended for its goal of improving community health through park design in Bruce Peninsula, home to Saugeen First Nation. The master plan was designed by Brook McIlroy’s Indigenous Design Studio, in association with medicine plant educator Pitiwanagwat, and elder Duke Redbird.

Embedding the principles of healthy communities, the park incorporates new facilities (Cultural Centre, Visitor Centre, Stage Support, Skating Rink, and Wedding Pavilion) aiming for LEED Platinum designation, which provide indoor and outdoor activities supporting a healthier lifestyle and education throughout all seasons. The garden offers a unique opportunity to explore and provides the community Indigenous healing through a planting strategy that supports the growth of traditional plant medicines. To develop the plan, an inclusive process to engage and validate Indigenous knowledge was used, which brings a holistic perspective to reinforce the physical, environmental, economic, and cultural health of Saugeen First Nation. The extensive use of graphics, icons, detailed architectural, landscape and engineering drawings, infographics, and colour to integrate different components of the garden, as well as clear goals and objectives, facilitated the ease of understanding for all audiences. The Master Plan serves as a visionary document which outlines the community’s needs and desires – it is anchored on a holistic framework based on health and healing, and supports implementation with detailed characteristics for construction materials and techniques.

Overall, the project delivered on a series of objectives for a Healthy Community. It will not only enable everyday health and well-being but will also promote economic vitality and long term sustainability for the Saugeen First Nation.

Company: Kitselas First Nation and Meraki Community Planning

The Kitselas First Nation, located in Northwestern British Columbia, retained Meraki Community Planning to prepare an updated land use plan for the seven reserves of the nation. The jury noted multiple dimensions of inclusion in the plan preparation.

The Kitselas FN Land Use Plan is a beautiful document, well prepared, simple to understand, and grounded in the needs of its community. The jury affirms that the plan, especially the approach and the unique process and product, can be a model for other Indigenous communities and consultants working in partnership with First Nations. It is the deep partnership that represents one dimension of inclusivity. The plan is a richly illustrated and culturally grounded document that reflects the Kitselas people and their unique heritage and crafts.

The risk of imposing settler-normative planning frameworks on First Nations has been successfully avoided through a made-by-Kitselas approach. The Meraki planners worked in tight partnership with the seven Kitselas communities to identify objectives which were relevant to the Kitselas people. The collaborative approach has integrated a strong element of relationship-building into the methodology, with several trips made by Meraki Community Planning to the subject lands to connect and engage with the people. A second dimension of inclusion is evident in the efforts of the First Nation and the consulting team to include all generations in the plan-making process. Youth, young adults and elders all featured prominently in the process of developing this plan.

The focus on inclusion, results, and implementation is evident, and the jury applauds efforts to identify potential funding sources for each action in the implementation section. Implementation actions, lead departments, funding sources, and timelines are clearly laid out for each of the 72 action areas. An annual reporting protocol is also recommended to assist the Chief and Council in monitoring progress.

Kitselas culture and identity were infused throughout the document in the form of artwork by Kitselas youth, photos, and stories, representing a third dimension of inclusion. The plan considered cultural artefacts and landscapes – the jury noted this is an important consideration for others working in the First Nations planning sphere.

Company: City of Edmonton

Like many cities, Edmonton has long had minimum parking requirements in its zoning by-law, which has contributed to the City’s over-supply of parking. However, in 2020 the City approved a new Open Option Parking approach that removes the regulation of parking from the zoning by-law and shifts it to being a market-driven amenity.

By ”right-sizing” parking needs to what the market demands, Edmonton has the potential to transform urban spaces, add density, and better support the creation of new affordable housing. The initiative allows for shared parking spaces between users, while still prioritizing the provision of fully accessible spaces. This large shift represented the conclusion of a decade of incremental changes that Edmonton has made to parking requirements in their zoning by-law.

The City undertook a robust education and public consultation effort as part of this project.  Innovative efforts were used to crowd-source data collection and get opinions from residents and businesses on an otherwise dry and technical topic. This project is just one of many in the City driving towards a more sustainable future.

The jury applauds the City of Edmonton for its leadership on this project and being the first major Canadian city to take such a drastic step away from regulatory parking.

Company: Eastside Culture Crawl Society

The A City Without Art? No Net Loss Plus! report by the Eastside Culture Crawl Society draws urgent attention to the loss of suitable and affordable artist production spaces for visual artists practicing in the Eastside Arts District in Vancouver, British Columbia. Through a collaborative effort with the planning and artistic communities, the research and data gathered fills a significant gap in understanding the displacement and gentrification of arts and culture production spaces in industrial and inner-city neighbourhoods. This work has led to the City of Vancouver to partner with the Society and other stakeholders to develop a strategy to identify policies, incentives, and regulatory changes in preventing the loss of artist production spaces as part of other City-wide planning processes.

The jury was impressed by the Society’s work that sought to make visible groups that are often invisible in our communities, so that they are considered in the planning of a vibrant city with a strong local economy. The jury was especially pleased with the extensive and detailed methodology to engage artists, building owners, City staff and stakeholders in the gathering of the data, which added to the body of planning knowledge. A City Without Art? by the Eastside Culture Crawl Society provides a model for developing cultural planning policies in other communities and ensures that arts and culture continue to play a key role in building community, fostering creativity, and leading urban regeneration.

Company: City of Edmonton

The Edmonton City Plan is a comprehensive document that promoted the means to move Edmontonians forward with focus, boldness, and agility within the global context. It is a modern policy document that integrates all city strategic plans.

Anchored in economic and health realities, the City Plan is a living document built with resilience to disruption in mind. The overall goal of the plan is to lay out the path for a city of one million to grow in the coming decade, by responding to social and environmental challenges through people-focused, evidence-based, integrated, and measurable actions. It builds on the city’s transformational priorities (the five Big City Moves). The Edmonton City Plan was recognized for its sustainability goals: people-oriented, compact, and efficient urban form, fueled by the integrated Municipal Development Plan and the Transportation Master Plan, a geospatial approach to analyze nodes, corridors and urban fabric, growth management, preservation of the North Saskatchewan River Valley and ecological corridors, and clear strategic objectives and indicators, while seeking synergies with the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan.

The Edmonton City Plan is a good example of how technical studies, strategic documents, and multifaceted participation techniques can reach a broad audience and engage stakeholders and the community to support and enable the re-imagining of sustainable development policies and actions by city staff.

Company: Halifax Regional Municipality Planning and Development

The Old South Suburb Heritage Conservation District Plan is a comprehensive heritage plan with goals and objectives relating to the management and revitalization of a significant downtown precinct in Halifax. The project consists of a development plan implemented through a Heritage Conservation District By-law which includes amendments to the applicable land use bylaw, and programs pertaining to density bonusing, public realm investments, public education, and financial incentives that support heritage conservation projects on private property. The Old South Suburb is in a Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) Third Heritage Conservation District, encompassing a large historic neighbourhood within Downtown Halifax. The plan was adopted by Halifax’s Regional Council in January 2020 and approved by the Nova Scotia Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage in July 2020.

The jury finds that the process is an excellent example of the implementation of a planning approach for the protection and enhancement of the historic built environment. It maintains the historic and cultural value of the neighbourhood while offering controlled densification.

In terms of innovation and contribution to planning practice, the plan stands out by offering a response to the real estate pressures that a historic district, located in a downtown area, may experience. It avoids the enhancement of the built environment through facadism and encourages the retention of whole buildings while supporting the development of infill sites through the use of density bonuses. Finally, following an exhaustive analysis of the heritage and architectural values of the area, and greatly inspired by the nationally documented “Character Defining Elements”, design guidelines have been developed that are in perfect harmony with the architectural language of the district.

The plan is unique in that it combines several means of intervention to achieve the project objectives. This includes a combination of creative regulations for architects, designers, and urban planners, as well as the enhancement of public realm by the municipality, adapted to the identity and architectural values developed for the district. Furthermore, the plan uses placemaking and walkable destinations for residents and visitors to support local business and economic growth. Not only does the plan seek to enhance a historic built environment, but it also develops policies that sensitize the community to the promotion of heritage and the unique social, cultural, and economic gains generated by a remarkable overall vision.

Company: University of Waterloo, University of Saskatchewan, and University of Toronto

Canadian Cities in Transition: Understanding Contemporary Urbanism is a diverse and forward-thinking collection of articles that address key issues facing urban Canadian communities. The book covers a wider variety of topics planners are addressing today, including physical planning, environmental design, public space, social and cultural planning, transportation, governance, the digital city, housing, and pathways to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Written by leading new and established urban scholars across the country, the articles not only provide fundamentals for planning students, it also challenges how planners should think critically about the evolution of our own urbanism in large and small cities across Canada.

Besides the breadth  and depth of the collection, the jury was especially impressed by the equality analysis used throughout the articles to specifically understand how racialization, gender, and social segregation has played a part in the history and current realities of the city and the planning profession. The book provides a compelling critical analysis of Canadian cities and adds to the body of knowledge that is vital to effective planning, development and functioning of democratic processes. The jury applauds the authors of Canadian Cities in Transition, for creating a wide-reaching, well-written and accessible collection that will help students, planners, and communities gain a better understanding of urban and rural cities across the country, and spark innovative ideas to overcome the challenges Canadian cities face, especially during this time of great national and global transition.

Company: Canada Lands Company, MST Partnership and DIALOG

Through a unique joint-venture partnership between Canada Lands Company, a federal crown corporation, and MST Development, the land development corporation for Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, the Heather Lands Rezoning Plan seeks to plan and develop lands today known as the Heather Lands in the City of Vancouver, which is located on the unceded territories of the three Nations.

Through an extensive public consultation process with neighbours, and collaboration with MST community members and cultural liaisons, MST culture and traditions are imprinted in all facets of site design, creating a complete community organized around a vibrant public realm that includes a forest trail spine reminiscent of the trails travelled by Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh ancestors across the peninsula of Vancouver. The Plan also supports the healing of painful histories for Indigenous peoples, by replacing the existing RCMP heritage building with a new MST Cultural Centre, which celebrates MST culture at the site where the Nations’ customs and culture were oppressed. The development of these lands through this joint-venture partnership unwinds the colonial history and makes a powerful step towards reconciliation in the City of Vancouver.

The jury applauds this plan for not only being an example of thoughtful and culturally integrated design and consultation, but also for being an excellent example of co-creation and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments and developers. In particular, the jury was impressed with the development of the Heather Lands Cultural Interpretative Plan that collected the stories and ideas shared by the Nations which were used to guide the development of the Rezoning Plan.

The result of a robust and culturally appropriate planning process that upholds the integrity of Indigenous expression, has created an inspiring, progressive, and sustainable new neighbourhood that will be a beautiful space to benefit the community harmoniously integrated with the neighbourhood that is there today. Jury members congratulate CLC, MST and DIALOG for truly reflecting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s intent that the preservation, revitalization and strengthening of Indigenous cultures are best managed by Indigenous people and communities. The Heather Lands Rezoning Plan and its planning process offer a new relationship model for planning for reconciliation in communities across Canada.

Company: Niiwin Wendaanimok Partnership, Narratives Inc., and Ministry of Transportation Ontario

CIP’s Policy on Planning and Reconciliation references the importance of respecting and incorporating indigenous planning systems and practices in Canadian planning initiatives. The jury commends this project for making innovative first steps in the inclusion of traditional indigenous knowledge into the Environmental Assessment process for the proposed twinning of Ontario’s Highway 17 between Kenora and the Manitoba border. The proposed undertaking is located on the traditional territory of four Anishinaabe Nations of Treaty No. 3.

Four foundational principles are proposed together with seven Anishinaabe teachings. The IAIA Impact Assessment principles are said to be integrated into one of the circles. Four Environmental Assessment stages are integrated within the model. Together this integrated framework is referred to as the Harmonization Model. The Model was developed with the community using a wide variety of tools including storywork, mapping, participatory video, ceremonies, feasts, interviews, community sessions, gatherings on the land and on the water, and in dozens of meetings between the proponent and the Niiwin Wendaanimok.

The jury recognizes that this submission represents an important first step in the journey toward an inclusive system which fully integrates indigenous knowledge and practices with the statutory environmental assessment process. The jury applauds the efforts of Niiwin Wendaanimok Partnership, Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation, and Narratives Inc. for their innovative approach to reconciliation in the environmental assessment process.

Company: Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture, Lydia M. Lewycky Planning + Design, and Town of Cow Head

The community of Cow Head is located on the Great Northern Peninsula on Newfoundland’s West Coast. It is a small, rural community with a population of 436 residents, who, like so many others in the province, traditionally depended upon the area’s natural resources to survive. The tourism potential of the community has remained untapped. The Town Council wished to improve its position to capture this audience by providing new services and amenities that would encourage tourists to explore the community and improve overall visitor experience.

“Discover Cow Head” started as a tourism development plan but evolved to become much more. Gently, its focus turned to protecting and preserving the natural landscapes and cultural experiences that were the backbone of the community – the very essence of the people and the place. These key features would serve as the catalysts to grow tourism.

Through various recommendations, light interventions and enhancements, these experiences were encouraged within the plan, not simply to facilitate tourism, but also to enhance the community’s overall sense of identity and place. This project, its process, and outcomes represent sound professional planning.

Residents had the opportunity to share their ideas through discussion and interactive displays at a public open house, while many tourism-based stakeholder groups within the region participated in individual meetings. Collectively, their feedback clearly illustrated how special the landscapes and cultural heritage of Cow Head were to the community; these elements were the very essence of the community that provided its sense of pride and spirit of place.

The jury applauds the Town of Cow Head for generating a planning document that brought together the many interests of the community into a cohesive plan that addressed and highlighted the ecology, landscape morphology, and bio-diversity within a tourism strategy that will undoubtedly inspire other communities to follow their lead.

Company: L’Atelier Urbain and Ville de Longueuil, with MandaWorks and STGM

The Master Plan for Boulevard Taschereau, known as Project LÉEO, is a transformative project in downtown Longueuil, QC. This integrated and visionary redevelopment transforms a big arterial road, surrounded by asphalt and big-box retailers and warehouses, with surgical precision into  a new set of lungs for the Montreal’s South Shore. What’s unique here is the pulling together of LRT, active modes, greenways, and economic development to significantly transform this commercial and traffic artery and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urban heat island effects by rolling out a carpet of green in the form of a streetcar, multimodal pathways, landscaping, vegetation, and greenery. The plan will add six kilometres of light rail with streetcar-style stations along Boulevard Taschereau thereby removing traffic lanes and integrating public transit and active transportation with areas for redevelopment. Creating a link to existing metro and rail stations and the new REM Panama station, Project LÉEO improves transit connections and transit options to minimize the dominance of vehicles, surface parking and car-oriented development patterns along the Boulevard.

The addition of a light rail system is the trigger for neighbourhood revitalization along the Boulevard resulting in a total redevelopment area of 245 hectares including 7 million sq. ft. of new commercial, office, and institutional space, and 30,000 new residential units. The Plan is oriented around six nodes (transit stations), each with a unique planning concept. Redevelopment schemes for each of the six nodes are enhanced by greening and public space, which incorporate storm water management and biodiversity.

The jury recognizes the ambitious nature of Project LÉEO to redefine the South Shore of Montreal as a diverse, healthy and sustainable urban environment. The scale of the transformation is nothing less than phenomenal and the improved quality of life to residents is remarkable.

Company: EPI EcoPlan International, Inc. and City of St. George

St. George Island is located in the Bering Sea, with approximately 60 on-island residents. Recognizing an urgent need to act, the City of St. George undertook an innovative economic development strategy with EcoPlan International. The January 2020 strategy had to be one-of-a-kind to address the unique conditions facing the Island.

Rebuilding our Future goes beyond the territory of a traditional economic development strategy, blending healing, community need, traditional knowledge, and environmental resilience, while providing actionable items for growing and diversifying the economy. The strategy involved significant research and public engagement, with over 80% of St. George’s residents engaged, as well as 23 organizations and knowledge-holders. Recommendations from the strategy focus on leveraging partnerships, while combining knowledge of the traditional Unangan economy with Western science, to sustainably manage and leverage the Island’s natural resources.

Increased cooperation between the City government and the Traditional Council will be key to the success of the strategy. The actions recommended by this strategy are broad-reaching and clearly laid out with short, medium, and long-term plans for implementation.

The jury applauds St. George’s Island for the Rebuilding our Future strategy, noting the action-oriented nature of the plan, with a heavy focus on not only economic development but also sustainability.

Company: City of Kitchener

Kitchener’s Cycling and Trails Master Plan focuses on improving sustainable transportation options to build on Kitchener’s recent growth and the addition of the region’s light rail system (ION LRT). The Plan integrates cycling routes and trails into a single master plan that embraces broad social, environmental, and economic priorities. This approach combines the work of separate city departments – parks and transportation – into a single planning document. The combination of on and off-road routes also addresses different uses (recreational, commuting) and users (children, seniors, varying abilities). The Plan approaches mobility through an equity lens by identifying areas and demographics of the City that are underserved by amenities and transportation options.

The Plan was informed by extensive community engagement including walking and cycling workshops with residents and city staff to evaluate the existing trail and cycling network. The information gathered during these fun and inclusive mobile workshops was the basis for the plan, which was then guided by a Community Working Group. Public engagement with more than 3,200 residents was used to refine the plan.

Designed around three main themes: Connection, Experience and Culture, the plan is integrated with the public transit system, enhances safety measures, includes supportive facilities such as bike parking, and incorporates driver education to encourage a culture of active transportation. An implementation plan provides activities and costs to advance the plan over a five-year period. Implementation has been scoped to align with supporting and enabling documents such as development standards and transportation demand management plans.

The jury notes that “all signs point to increasing the use of cycling and other forms of personal mobility over time in Kitchener with the roll out and implementation of the plan. It could certainly change the trajectory of travel patterns in the City of Kitchener and improve health and modal split.” Given the size of the City of Kitchener, the plan offers a template for other mid-sized municipalities looking to advance sustainable transportation options.

Company: L’Atelier Urbain, HUMÀ Design + Architecture et Arrondissement Ahuntsic-Cartierville (Ville de Montréal)

The Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Ahuntsic and Chabanel, located in the center of the Island of Montreal and the Montreal metropolitan region, is a complete, integrated detailed program to revitalize an economic hub through a collaborative approach. The project was carried out for the City of Montreal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville district by l’Atelier Urbain, in partnership with HUMA Design + Architecture.

The Programme Particulier d’Urbanisme (PPU) embeds the city and regional planning scales, the Ahuntsic-Cartierville district Urban Plan, and the Montreal Metropolitan Plan, to apply a novel planning concept, Transit Oriented Development, to achieve five integrated planning goals: greening the urban fabric, mobility, complete community, participation, and design for place identity. The program offers a unique opportunity for sustainability by 2040, anchored on existing and optimized rail, subway and transit infrastructure, mixed-use residential and commercial, complemented by a series of strategies and actions for greening public and private properties, such as enhancement of biodiversity, stormwater management, and heat island effect management, through biodiversity corridors, urban agriculture, and community gardens.

Commendable efforts were made to revitalize and enshrine the character of the area by engaging stakeholders responsible for urban planning and economic development at local and metropolitan levels: Développement économique de l’Arrondissement Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Downtown Montréal, Communauté Métropolitaine de Montréal, Société de Transport de Montréal, Autorité régionale de transport Métropolitain, Exo and Grands propriétaires fonciers. The jury highly regards the application of the statutory planning tool (the PPU) to implement the TOD as a planning principle that integrates visual and descriptive analyses, community participation, and horizontal and vertical coordination of stakeholders for a sound implementation roadmap.