Plan Canada Spring 2026 Issue
Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
A Unique Opportunity for Canadian Planners to Champion SDG 11
Plan Canada invites readers to contribute to a special issue focused on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
This issue offers an opportunity to share how planners across the country are helping to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable communities – adding much-needed Canadian perspectives and experiences to the global conversation on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Why SDG 11, and Why Now?
Each year, the United Nations reviews select SDGs to assess global progress. In 2026, UN-Habitat will lead a comprehensive review of SDG 11 to assess progress towards achieving “inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable” cities and settlements worldwide.
Since adopting the SDGs in 2015, the Government of Canada has recognized their value as a framework for action—one that naturally aligns with the work of planners addressing long-term challenges, such as climate change, reconciliation, housing, and economic resilience.
SDG 11 reflects the very principles at the heart of planning in Canada:
- Safe, affordable, and inclusive housing;
- Sustainable and accessible transportation systems;
- Equitable, resilient, and healthy communities;
- Protection of cultural and natural heritage;
- Climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction;
- Access to public and green spaces;
- Integrated regional and national planning;
- Inclusive, resource-efficient urban policies; and
- Support for resilient urban development in lower- and middle-income countries.
In a rapidly changing global environment, the visibility of SDG 11 cannot be taken for granted. Continued reporting, storytelling, and evidence from planners are essential to demonstrating its value and relevance. This is why the Commonwealth Association of Planners is calling on Canadian planners to showcase the work they are doing to advance SDG 11 and to reaffirm the importance of its renewal.
Submissions may explore innovative local initiatives, partnerships, planning tools, or policy approaches that embody the spirit of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities. Contributions from this issue of Plan Canada will help inform the United Nations’ global review of SDG 11.
The co-editors for this issue are Tharini Prakash, MCP, B.Arch, LEED AP BD+C. and Kelley Moore, MA, RPP, FCIP, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association of Planners.
Submission Deadline: January 5, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PT