Future Cities Canada: The Summit in June focuses on creating inclusive spaces and places

First TD Future Cities Speaker Series on what it means to design and build inclusive cities and public spaces – free virtual gathering on June 23, 2021

TORONTO, June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cities are where most people live, work and play. But as cities strive to create sustainable communities for all, they face a myriad of challenges. Future Cities Canada, the national cross-sector initiative designed to accelerate innovation to transform cities, presents a series of live discussions on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 focusing on how to create more inclusive spaces in our cities. The one-day free virtual event is part of Future Cities Canada: The Summit, a monthly program led by Evergreen and hosted by Future Cities Canada, that brings together urban thought leaders, private- and public-sector innovators, mayors and community leaders to showcase the what’s-next in creating more resilient communities of the future. The first of the TD Future Cities Speaker Series in 2021 features a powerful panel discussion focusing on issues stemming from inequality in arts and cultural sector.

“Bringing together diverse people to plan, design, manage and program shared-use spaces is integral to creating more inclusive cities,” said Orit Sarfaty, Chief Program Officer, Evergreen, one of the founding partners of Future Cities Canada. “The TD Future Cities Speaker Series continues to inspire us to push the boundaries of how we approach our city systems and care for our public places. The first in this year’s series is a thought-provoking discussion that will encourage us to rethink and reimagine what’s needed to shape and create public spaces that are accessible and welcoming to all.”

“TD is pleased to support the TD Future Cities Speaker Series via its global corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment. Building liveable and resilient urban spaces where innovation can thrive is one of the ways we’re working towards a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow,” said Andrea Barrack, Global Head of Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship at TD.

For more details and to register, visit https://thesummit.futurecitiescanada.ca/

The Summit line-up for Wednesday, June 23, 2021

• (Re)claiming Our Common Grounds: Indigenous Placekeeping in Public Spaces – 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EDT
  
  Across Canada, municipalities and civic organizations are being called to engage with Indigenous partners through reflexive, equitable and reciprocal relationships and partnerships. Tanya Chung-Tiam-Fook, Director of Research and Thought Leadership at Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Technology, and Civic-Indigenous Indigenous Engagement Associate for Evergreen and Future Cities Canada, is the author of the Civic-Indigenous Placekeeping & Partnership Building Toolkit. Together with Toronto-based civic and Indigenous practitioners Terence Radford, Principal, Trophic Design, Ange Loft, Interdisciplinary Performing Artist and Initiator, and Selina Young, Director, Indigenous Affairs Office, City of Toronto, the panel will discuss their experience and efforts to do parks planning differently. Through the case studies of Toronto Island Park’s Master Plan process and The Don River Valley Park, they explore the need for city builders to work in step with Indigenous partners and cultural protocols. Followed by a live Q&A.
  

• TD Future Cities Speaker Series: Transforming Spaces into Inclusive Places – 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT
  
  The panel discussion focuses on issues stemming from inequality in the arts and cultural sector. Will Kwan, Artist and Associate Professor, Department of Arts, Culture and Media, University of Toronto Scarborough, Dr. Julie Nagam, Associate Professor, History of Art, University of Winnipeg, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Arts, Collaboration and Digital Media, Director of Aabijijiwan New Media Lab, Sean Lee, Director, Programming, Tangled Arts + Disability, and moderator Joy Bailey Bryant, President, Museums (US), Lord Cultural Resources will explore untold stories and awaken new perspectives. The session will shed light on the challenges and benefits of what it means to be inclusive and what it will really take to make significant contributions to the generation of a more open, diverse and inclusive society.​ Followed by a Live Q&A.
  

PLUS:

• A World Café: Improving Pre-Development Processes
  French session: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. EDT
  English session: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. EDT
  
  The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) hosts a virtual World Café as part of the Housing Supply Challenge’s Getting Started round. This event will include a series of short group discussions focused on the barriers and potential solutions to improve pre-development processes of housing that is affordable. The World Café is one of many activities offered through the Housing Supply Challenge Support Program led by Evergreen. This is an opportunity to share information, build awareness, network and collaborate and a not-to-miss event for those interested in applying to the next round of the Housing Supply Challenge. Limited space is available.

About Future Cities Canada: The Summit
From May through to October, The Summit provides an important meeting place to spark partnerships and create opportunities from across the country and around the world on topics ranging from Housing & Infrastructure, Placemaking and Placekeeping, Data & Technology, Climate Change Adaptation, Education and the Future of Work. The monthly Summit began on May 19 and continues June 23, July 21, August 18, September 22, followed by the final gathering in October 2021.

More sessions and speakers to be announced shortly.

Led by Evergreen, this is the fourth national gathering by Future Cities Canada, a collaborative platform founded in 2018 by Evergreen, McConnell Foundation, TD Bank Group, Maison de l'innovation sociale and Community Foundations of Canada.

To be the first to learn about new speakers and sessions, sign up for the Future Cities Canada newsletter and join the conversation at @FutureCitiesCA

Future Cities Canada: The Summit

Lead Funder: Infrastructure Canada

Lead Sponsors: TD Bank Group, McConnell Foundation, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Lead Media Partner: The Globe and Mail

Convened by: Evergreen

Media contact:
Renee Tratch, Sr. Manager, Public Relations & Content, Evergreen
416-596-1495 Ext. 273, rtratch@evergreen.ca

Future Cities Canada is a national cross-sector initiative with the mission to accelerate innovation to transform cities for the benefit of all. Drawing on the expertise of its founding organizations - The McConnell Foundation, TD Bank Group, Evergreen, Maison de l’innovation sociale and Community Foundations of Canada - and together with a diverse and growing network of partners, Future Cities Canada collectively strives to address the challenges facing cities and city-dwellers to reimagine cities that are equitable, regenerative and prosperous. www.futurecitiescanada.ca

Evergreen is dedicated to making cities more livable, green and prosperous. For 30 years, we’ve been facilitating change in communities through connection, innovation and sustainable actions. We work with community builders across sectors to solve some of the most pressing issues cities face: climate change, housing affordability, and access to nature and public spaces. Through our award-winning programs and collaborative initiatives across the country and at Evergreen Brick Works, our headquarters in Toronto, and through national partnerships with Future Cities Canada, we are building resilience in schools, public spaces, housing and communities as a whole.
www.evergreen.ca