Regional Leadership and Governance

Regional leadership and governance are needed to address the complex interdependencies and shared challenges transcending municipal boundaries across urban regions. Effective regional leadership and governance mechanisms are essential for coordinating land use planning, transportation infrastructure, environmental management, and economic development strategies across multiple jurisdictions. Canada needs new collaborative decision-making processes that engage diverse stakeholders, including local governments and their provincial and federal partners, regional agencies, indigenous communities, and civil society organizations- to collaborate and coordinate policy and investment. CityTalk contributes to the development of innovative governance models, intergovernmental partnerships, and regional planning frameworks that promote sustainable and equitable development within urban regions. By identifying gaps and identifying best practices, and promoting dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among regional leaders and stakeholders, CUI supports building stronger and more cohesive urban regions that are better equipped to address shared challenges and seize opportunities for collective action and prosperity.

  • Toward People-Centered Cities: Civic Engagement and the Legacy of Jane Jacobs

    Former Jane’s Walk Co-Chair Celia Beketa emphasized that the initiative serves as a powerful vehicle for fostering empathy, and understanding urban life through shared, lived experiences. Having discovered the initiative after moving to Toronto, she became deeply involved, later researching its impacts through a master’s thesis on belonging. Her findings showed how Jane’s Walk enables…

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  • Community Innovation in Uncertain Times: Building Resilient Main Streets with Local Solutions

    A common thread among all panellists was that local innovation thrives in times of disruption. From pandemic-era buying programs to procurement shifts triggered by tariffs, these efforts show how communities respond with creativity and determination. Gwen Patrick noted, “It’s not a coincidence that this work was incubated in an environment of scarcity.” Mary Pattison echoed…

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  • Lessons from Main Streets: How Are Local Businesses Navigating Economic Uncertainty?

    Olivier Legault of Rues Principales highlighted that the communities which emerged strongest from past crises—such as the COVID-19 pandemic—were those with a strong local customer base. He cautioned that trends like “buy local” often surge in response to crises but tend to fade without sustained policy support. Legault advocated for long-term strategies centered on densifying…

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  • Addressing Canada’s Housing Supply: Can Regulations Drive Housing Innovation?

    Alkarim Devani stressed the importance of public education in addressing Canada’s housing crisis, particularly around the misunderstood concept of “missing middle” housing. His company, mddl, has engaged with over 700 participants through intensive training to demystify the development process. Devani argued that enabling homeowners—especially older Canadians—to become small-scale developers could catalyze a transformation of underused…

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  • Let’s Talk About Placemaking: Scaling Impact, Building Community

    Placemaking is a powerful tool for fostering connection, strengthening local identity, and enhancing public spaces in ways that resonate with people’s lived experiences. It also plays a crucial role in helping communities recover from crises. The discussion highlighted placemaking as an instinctive and universal concept that transcends geography, culture, and history. Ryan Smolar underscored its…

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  • Good Neighbours, Strong Regions: Cultivating Regional, Cross-border Strategies to Build Local Economies

    The discussion highlighted the growing importance of cross-border and regional cooperation in strengthening local economies. Panellists emphasized that economic regions often span provincial and national borders, creating both challenges and opportunities. For example, Isabelle Veilleux noted that while Gatineau and Ottawa are physically close, differing regulations complicate labor mobility and transit systems. Strengthening collaboration across…

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  • When Global Hits Local: Navigating Tariffs on Canada’s Main Streets

    Mayor Justin Towndale of the City of Cornwall highlighted how deeply intertwined Canadian border communities are with their American neighbors. He emphasized that municipalities must address local challenges like housing, healthcare, and economic pressures while navigating the impact of tariffs and trade disruptions. Having already met with some of his peers in New York State,…

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  • From Policy to Prosperity: Local Economic Development That Works

    Panelists agreed that consumers are wielding significant power over the economy, particularly as they grapple with financial pressures. Gordon Stevens noted that consumers “start to talk and act with their pocketbooks” when facing challenges. Shelley Carroll echoed this, stating that “the consumer really is the boss right now,” emphasizing that their spending choices (or lack…

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  • Local Matters: Community Wealth Building

    Bolstering Canada’s local economies has become an instant priority in the wake of proposed actions by the Trump administration. Fortunately, we have no shortage of smart people with innovative solutions already in the works.

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  • Local Matters: The View from the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

    Host Mary Rowe welcomes another ‘tariff/no tariff’ conversation with Doug Griffiths and Heather Thomson of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, and frank talk about what could, and what shouldn’t, happen in this moment of economic uncertainty (crisis? opportunity?) for communities across Canada.

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  • Local Matters: Supporting Community Businesses

    We interrupt CUI’s post-State of Canada’s Cities Summit programming for some timely conversation about economic resilience. There’s nothing like the wake-up call of a looming Canada-US trade war to focus the attention of communities everywhere on innovative strategies to generate local strength and reduce impacts of cross-border disruptions.

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  • Culture, Equity, and Infrastructure: Conversations from the Summit

    Mention infrastructure, and it’s hard not to picture things like public buildings, transit systems and water/power distribution. However, other vital elements of urban society are, or should be, integrated into those things and need to be part of their design.

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