Featured Guest
You’ll find this guest among our growing roll of Urban Champions.
Vicki Saunders
Founder, SheEO
Gretchen Gscheidle
Founder and CEO, GM Gscheidle R+D
Elizabeth Ha
Equity Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Labour
Armine Yalnizyan
Author and Economist
Anila Umar Lee Nuen
President & Chief Executive Officer, Centre For Newcomers
5 Key
Takeaways
A roundup of the most compelling ideas, themes and quotes from this candid conversation
1. COVID has exacerbated Canada’s digital divide
While Canada’s digital divide is often spoken of in terms of the disproportionate internet access felt by northern and remote communities, it is also important to identify growing disparities within Canadian cities. As a large portion of Canadian life is shifted online, those who lack access to vital technologies are facing greater barriers to employment. Anila Lee Yuen highlights the disproportionate effect this has on Canadian newcomers faced with the dual challenge of searching for a job in the midst of a pandemic and adapting to Canadian life in a virtual setting.
2. Canada has a responsibility to ensure the safety of migrant workers
As a resident of Windsor, Ontario, Elizabeth Ha seeks to place the focus on Canadian migrant workers. Outbreaks of COVID-19 amongst migrant farm workers have shed light on unsafe living conditions. Migrant workers travel to Canada on an annual basis in order to help put food on our tables and have become integral contributors to the Canadian economy. Elizabeth contends that the Canadian government has a responsibility to ensure the protection of these workers.
3. ‘Productivity’ is not always a useful buzzword
COVID-19 may represent a valuable opportunity to transform the way we talk about work. Canadians with the privilege to be able to work from home have benefited from increased flexibility and new forms of relationship building. Instead of focusing on productivity, Vicki Saunders argues that businesses should speak more in terms of individual capability and capacity. As children run around in the background of zoom calls, we are reminded that life is incredibly complex and that workplaces should be built in recognition of these complexities.
4. There will be no economic recovery without a ‘She-Covery’
Women are among those who have been most severely impacted by COVID-19. Women with young children, in particular, have struggled to regain employment and have been more likely than men to experience reduced hours. Armine Yalnizyan argues that there will be no economic recovery without a ‘She-Covery’ and there will be no ‘She-Covery’ without accessible childcare. If women do not return to work, household income and household spending will not recover. This is particularly concerning given that 57 percent of Canadian GDP is driven by household spending.
5. Canadians will return to congregate workspaces
While many Canadians are currently working from home, Gretchen Gscheidle has little doubt that we will return to congregate workspaces. However, it remains largely unclear how physical office spaces will be structured and what purpose they will serve moving forward. COVID-19 has forced businesses to rethink how they structure and design their physical office space. Gretchen offers higher education institutions as a potential model for businesses. While university students travel to campus in order to participate in seminars and group meetings, the bulk of their work is completed at home.
Full Panel
Transcript
Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.
Full Audience
Chatroom Transcript
Note to reader: Chat comments have been edited for ease of readability. The text has not been edited for spelling or grammar. For questions or concerns, please contact events@canurb.org with “Chat Comments” in the subject lin
From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://canurb.org/citytalk
12:03:02 From Canadian Urban Institute: Welcome! Folks, please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:03:53 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:04:20 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #citytalk @canurb
12:04:21 From Laurel Davies Snyder: Tuning in from Stratford, ON.
12:04:22 From Tanya Fink to All panelists: Hello from Vancouver, BC
12:04:28 From Abby S: Toronto! Hi Vicki!
12:04:39 From Vicki Saunders to All panelists: Hi Abby. Joining from Toronto.
12:04:41 From Meaghon Reid: Tuning in from Calgary! (hi Anila!)
12:04:42 From Théa Morash: Hello from St. John’s, NL!
12:04:44 From amanda sebris: North York!!
12:04:45 From vickie baker to All panelists: hello from Detroit Mi, v. baker
12:04:49 From Deirdre Pike: So excited to hear these brilliant women! Tuned in from Hamilton, Ontario!
12:04:49 From Ruby Carrico: Vancouver, BC
12:05:05 From Judith Taylor to All panelists: Hello from Toronto.
12:05:05 From Mary Ann Neary to All panelists: Mary Ann from Toronto
12:05:26 From Ron Richards: hi! Ottawa, ON
12:05:28 From Martha Sickles to All panelists: Martha Sickles, NYC Metro Chapter APA, Chair Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Comm.
12:05:44 From Yolistli osario to All panelists: hi, from puebla, mex!
12:06:57 From Canadian Urban Institute: Reminding attendees to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments. Thanks!
12:07:26 From kendall christiansen: Monitoring from Brooklyn/NYC (albeit relocated in central Maine); according to knowledgeable observers, Manhattan remains a ghost-town – CBDs look like Sunday mornings – even as the city attempts to re-open; movers are very busy relocating offices outside of the city.
12:08:41 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: Today’s panelists include:
Anila Lee Yuen: https://twitter.com/anilainyyc
Vicki Saunders: https://twitter.com/vickis
Armine Yalnizyan: https://twitter.com/ArmineYalnizyan
Elizabeth Ha: https://twitter.com/Elizabethhaha
Gretchen Gscheidle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchengscheidle
12:09:00 From Abby S: Curious to hear what the fate of shared work spaces will be…more useful as those who work at home look for a respite outside of the home, or irrelevant as everyone who has the ability to work from home does so. Of course, not an option for everyone…and comes with a degree of privilege.
12:09:16 From Judith Perry to All panelists: Halifax! If one doesn’t have a car how is one supposed to access drive-in events? With limited bus transportation and no rail transportation how can one get out of the city for the “Staycations” that we are supposed to take?
12:10:54 From Abby S: cats too
12:16:43 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: Cities represented by our registrants today: Arlington, VA, USA Barrie Brampton Burnaby Calgary City of Coquitlam City of Kawartha Lakes Comox Dourados Edmonton gander Greely Halifax Hamilton Kingston London Markham mississauga Montreal Nanaimo New York City Newmarket Niagara Falls North York Oakville Oakville, ON Oldcastle Orangeville Orleans Oshawa Ottawa Palm City Paris Perth Peterborough Pickering Puebla, Mex Richmond Hill Saskatoon Scarborough Smths Falls St. John’s, NL Toronto Vancouver VICTORIA Washington, DC Waterloo
12:19:57 From Abby S: This is what a feminist model looks like
12:30:33 From Laurel Davies Snyder: Amazing. Thank you.
12:30:46 From Abby S: How do we square a consumer driven recovery with the impact on earth’s resources? Not to take away from anything that Armine has said. But is there an alternative to a consumer driven recovery? Childcare includes families working in government infrastructure projects. Childcare is critical without question…and the impact on parents with school age children is incalcu
12:30:52 From Abby S: incalculable.
12:30:57 From Samira Farahani: Graet Armie, thanks
12:31:36 From Christina Sisson: Christina from the City of Kawartha Lakes, women have been impacted through care giving in general – senior care, child care, professional work – in office or from home (taking care of co-workers or reporting staff, etc.), friend care, personal care.
12:32:59 From Vicki Saunders to Abby S and all panelists: armine is fierce!!
12:33:01 From Vicki Saunders to Abby S and all panelists: love her
12:37:11 From Martha Sickles: Public transportation that makes cities sustainable and more equitable, is a great barrier in Covid times.
12:38:24 From Abby S: Will we return to a hierarchy within companies…those who are in person versus virtual?
12:38:30 From David Crenna: Excellent point! What is the transit path to viability?
12:39:09 From Canadian Urban Institute: https://bringbackmainstreet.ca/
12:40:29 From Abby S: Hear Hear Armine
12:44:51 From Abby S: what an amazing summary Armine…brilliant
12:44:53 From amanda sebris: Thank you all panelists and Mary Rowe – for reinforcing that this is the time for women to lead….at least until 2030.
12:45:38 From Laurel Davies Snyder: Essential Economy – great concept; coincides with the term “shovel-worthy” instead of “shovel-ready”.
12:48:40 From David Crenna: True! Especially now, there is a potential to build “bridges to nowhere”… Have to rank projects sitting on the shelf from that perspective…
12:49:45 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:50:55 From Canadian Urban Institute: https://neighbourlytics.com/
12:52:02 From Andrea Calla: FYI: Here’s an interesting article on Strategy in this month’s Harvard Business Review: “How Businesses Have Successfully Pivoted During the Pandemic”.
The reality of how companies are dealing with the crisis and preparing for the recovery is one of pivoting to business models conducive to short-term survival along with long-term resilience and growth. Pivoting is a lateral move that creates enough value for the customer and the firm to share.
Link to full article:
https://t.a.email.hbr.org/r/?id=h5b86f7eb%2Cadba6aa%2Cadba6b1&s=Q_NkLY8SGhs2BqUOpgW6aRTOlgPf4dCtQjhvmLtcFgw
12:53:05 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #citytalk @canurb
12:53:30 From Abby S: Is there a pathway to citizenship for temporary workers?
12:54:53 From Laurel Davies Snyder: Can we have a Part II to this panel?
12:55:06 From Canadian Urban Institute: What did you think of today’s conversation? Help us improve our programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/2CAG8Ao
12:55:11 From Kirsten Frankish to All panelists: I second that – this is a fabulous conversation!
12:55:30 From MARYAM MOMENI: Amazing talk, thank you.
12:56:04 From Canadian Urban Institute: covidresponse@canurb.org
12:56:10 From Vicki Saunders to All panelists: we are not here to win. we are here to transform.
12:56:18 From Théa Morash: Thank you all – such an interesting conversation.
12:57:24 From Abby S: Fantastic conversation!
12:57:32 From Meaghon Reid: Thank you all!
12:58:22 From Anila Lee Yuen: Thanks Meaghon and everyone!:)
12:58:45 From Laurel Davies Snyder: Also, as a professional woman, questioning the “status quo”
12:59:11 From Abby S: Armine is AMAZING and so right!
12:59:41 From Jacqueline Canales to All panelists: Love Armine
12:59:46 From Stephanie Gonos: childcare is right, we need to support families
12:59:46 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff to All panelists: YES YES YES
13:00:06 From Abby S: If we don’t create opportunities for children to go to school so parents (Mother) can get back to work…one way or another…we will have a generation of sadness and…
13:00:12 From Lindsay Stroud: Thank you all! I’m in for Part 2. Lots to learn, lots to discuss!
13:00:24 From Abby S: SHECOVERY
13:00:45 From Laurel Davies Snyder: #SHE/WECOVERY
13:00:59 From Marsha Paley: Thank you, Absolutely fantastic. SHE TOO.
