Toronto’s City Building Summit

April 27 2020

#TheNextStep2020

Inclusive city-building requires purposeful action. That’s why we created The Next Step. Rather than have equity, diversity, and inclusion as part of the conversation – it is the conversation. Leading city-builders from across the region invite you to join us in a day of workshops, panels, speeches, artistic sessions, and discussions where we will share and build strategies to make cities better spaces for all.

The Next Step is hosted on ZOOM

Download the 2020 Conference summary

Schedule

12:30 – 1:00 Hellos, How do you dos, and Check ins
1:00 – 2:00 Engagement that Shapes the City & Future Proofing your City Building Team
2:00 – 3:00 Art as a Means of Community Building & Urban Agriculture in the City
3:00 – 4:00 Big Ideas in Urbanism & Debrief

12:30PM: Hellos, How do you dos, and Check ins
Panelists: Cheryll Case (CP Planning), Nikki Pagaling (Urban Studies Student Union), The Next Step organizing team,
Opening Remarks: City of Toronto Mayor John Tory
Cheryll, Nikki, and members of the Next Step organizing team will give a background on The Next Step, and share some thoughts on why we created this conference. Mayor John Tory will provide opening remarks before the kick off of the first set of panels 🙂

1PM: Engagement that Shapes the City
Panelists: Zahra Ebrahim (Doblin), Ajeev Bhatia (Centre for Connected Communities), Graig Uens (City of Toronto, Urban Planner), Valentina Harper (CareMongering TO)

1PM: Future Proofing your City Building Team
Panelists: Ryan Ram (Matrix 360), Rosemarie Powell (Toronto Community Benefits Network), Clayton Barranger (Bousfields), tbc

2PM: Art as a Means of Community Building
Panelists: Assaf Weisz (Artscape), Sara Udow (Process), Hiba Abdallah (Artist), Kevin Merrit

2PM: Urban Agriculture in the City
Panelists: Melana Roberts (Power Lab), Fatima Saya (Daniels Corporation), Cheyenne Sundance (Sundance Harvest)

3PM: Big Ideas in Urbanism & Debrief

Panelists: Sa’ad Ahmed (Tiny Home TO), Nadine Spencer (Black Business Professionals Association), Armi De Francia (Town of Ajax)

Build Together

In a region as large, complex, and diverse as this one, there are many types of city builders practicing their expertise to make cities work. How can we collaborate to actually secure affordable housing for all? To achieve food security for families and those with lower incomes? To build a shared future where the environment is not only protected, but a luxury available for daily indulgence?

At The Next Step, city builders will collaborate to tackle big questions and demonstrate their active work in solving for how to make cities better places that are inclusive to all.