By: CIP Recognition Committee
Area of Planning: Indigenous, environmental and watershed planning as well as community development services
Tell Us Something Interesting About Yourself: Beatrice Sharkey and I (Susan Robertson) believe in doing planning differently. As a community development expert and a Registered Professional Planner, we combine capacity building skills with applied planning practice for the benefit of greater collaboration and partnership. We bring people together to plan for vibrant and sustainable communities.
What’s New or Exciting at Work?: We recently worked together with the New Credit Cultural Committee to define a high-level community-led plan for the future. In its initial scoping phase, this collaborative plan explores new governance models, community priorities and clear goal setting in order to help this leading grassroots organization reach its fullest potential, now and in the future, for the benefit of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation.
What are your hopes for the next 100 years of planning?: The centenary of the Canadian Institute of Planners makes me think about the past and the future. We have much to be proud of as a planning community, but still much work to do to honour Indigenous Treaty rights and achieve climate change goals through applied planning practice.