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Scale, sustain, and empower Community leadership in neighbourhood planning

We're 67% there! join the call to action

Why this matters

Local non-profits and grassroots leaders know their neighbourhoods inside and out. They’ve earned the trust of their neighbours and understand day-to-day challenges. When they’re part of planning new buildings or roads, they help ensure that projects actually meet their collective needs by lifting people up and reducing poverty.

The Problem

Right now, many community groups and local leaders are left out of key planning meetings with city officials and developers. Without their input, new developments often miss what existing residents really need. That can lead to fewer jobs, rising rents, and more community spaces and small businesses shutting down, moving away, or failing to meet local needs. Poverty grows, and long-time neighbours get pushed out.


A healthy democracy listens to everyone, not just the powerful or well-funded. A strong economy is one where working people are able to build wealth and own assets. If we continue to shut out grassroots voices, only the richest and most influential will decide how our neighbourhoods change - while everyone else loses.

Communities across Canada are taking big risks just to raise enough money to pay people to participate in neighbourhood planning. They need more help, so most of the time their members end up working for free.


For example, in 2024 the leaders in Oakwood Vaughan (Little Jamaica, Toronto) did five times more work than the funds they collected.

When non-profits can’t help shape neighbourhood plans, affordable housing and community life suffer.


In Ontario, only 2.5% of homes are non-market (non-profit or government operated), far too few - and the same shortfall exists across Canada.


Because of this gap, Canada misses out on over $136 billion in economic gains from lower housing costs.

Wins through community leadership in planning

Our Solution

Support and grow community leadership in planning new buildings and infrastructure. When the people most affected help make the decisions, we gain community buy-in resulting in delivering real benefits faster. The result is fair, inclusive, and sustainable development that builds our nation and respects human rights.

  

This approach is proven to secure benefits such as:

  • Affordable housing for renters and buyers
  • Community spaces like recreation centers, arts venues, and parks
  • Local purchasing that includes small businesses and social enterprises
  • Good jobs and training opportunities for all

Let's build an economy that meets community needs

Substantial Investment

Our research finds that a neighbourhood needs at least $250,000/year to hire locals and consultants, and over costs to help them effectively secure community benefits.

 Government Representation

Real estate and infrastructure policy is decided by all levels of government, so collaboration across all levels is essential.

Community-led planning is meaningful work that delivers results that make communities healthier.

Do you agree with the 3 above calls to action?

 Sign the form below to be added to this website's list of those who agree with the 3 calls to action above. These calls and supporting list will be shared with government, philanthropic, and private sector leaders as part of efforts supporting their follow through in making investments aligned with community needs and the opportunity to create immediate and long term impacts of securing community benefits through real estate and infrastructure development.

Help this campaign achieve it's goal of 300 supporters

202 supports so far (updated September 25)

  1. Ahmad Al-musa
  2. Alisa Velthuizen
  3. Allison Van
  4. Ayesha Talreja
  5. Erella Ganon
  6. Hasina Quader
  7. Jacqueline St.Pierre
  8. Jannies Le
  9. Joel Gilbert Anderson
  10. Karl Andrus
  11. Linda Lindau
  12. Liz Bohm
  13. Louroz Mercader
  14. Mona Dai
  15. Morgan Miya
  16. Nasra Mohamed
  17. Nathi Zamisa
  18. Rosana Rampersand
  19. Shihka Ahmad
  20. Thaddeus Sherlock
  21. Ushnish Sengupta
  22. Walied Khogali Ali
  23. Zoie Browne
  24. Ishan Juneja
  25. Regent Park Neighbourhood Organization
  26. People Design Co-op
  27. Bangladesh Centre & Community Services
  28. Emilia Kolodko
  29. River Hotline Collective
  30. Prentiss Dantzler
  31. Ronny Yaron
  32. Keron Case
  33. Petter Clutterbuck
  34. Bill Worrell
  35. Oakwood Vaughan Community Organization
  36. Gregory Banfield
  37. Aliyah Fraser
  38. Burkhard Mausberg
  39. Nathi Zamisa
  40. Housing Our University Students Equitably Canada (HOUSE Canada)
  41. Sharita Henry
  42. Victor Willis
  43. Victor  Beausoleil
  44.  Moez Bawania 
  45. Jessica Hines
  46. Abigail Moriah 
  47. Black Planning Project
  48. AMLB
  49. SETSI
  50. Property Pathways
  51. Eldon Theodore
  52. Dana Anderson
  53. Mohammad Ahsen Bhatti
  54. Jasmine Mohamed
  55. Rohan Walters
  56. Spacs by Rohan
  57. Liz McHardy
  58. Shane Laptiste
  59. SOCA Design
  60. Sean Blake
  61. Jasmine Mohamed
  62. Joe Mihevc
  63. Cassandra Creese
  64. Merryn Maynard
  65. Ryan Lo
  66. Abdullah Diab
  67. Niko Casuncad
  68. Parimal Bharthi
  69. Husmates
  70. Melissa Lui
  71. Joanna Delos Reyes
  72. AgentsC Inc.
  73. Liz McHardy
  74. Heart Commonos
  75. Harrison Thomas
  76. Halton Black Voices
  77. Lianne Hannaway
  78. Centre for Black Wealth Equity
  79. Gillian Mason
  80. Brianna Roye
  81. Catalyst Circle 
  82. Nicole Roach
  83. Liam Vu
  84. Shelley Bair
  85. Brian Doucet
  86. Arwen Muir Karaszewski
  87. Nadine Valcin
  88. Aaron Budd
  89. SvN Architects + Planners
  90. Michael Braithwaite
  91. East Scarborough Storefront
  92. Hardy Steinke
  93. Jordan Nusbaum
  94. Christine Bennett   
  95. Niko Casuncad
  96. Hardy Steinke
  97. East Scarborough Storefront
  98. Michael Braithwaite
  99. Aaron Budd
  100. Nadine Valcin
  101. Arwen Muir Karaszewski
  102. Brian Doucet
  103. Hilary Black
  104. Cassandra Alves
  105. SafeTO/City of Toronto & The Downtown Yonge BIA
  106. Erin Yalcin
  107. Jennifer Sharman
  108. Daniel Hall
  109. Paul Dowsett
  110. Sustainable | Architecture for a Healthy Planet
  111. Brian Cheung
  112. Karen Kenn
  113. Alyssa Trivelli
  114. Woodgreen Community Services
  115. Diane Dyson
  116. Marveh Farhoodi
  117. Open Architecture Collaborative Canada
  118. Michael Cook
  119. Afroza Begum
  120. Fran Quintero Rawlings
  121. Method Collective
  122. Elizabeth Farrugia
  123. Rohan Noronha
  124. Kevin Stolarick
  125. Paul Taylor
  126. David Anderson
  127. Kumsa Baker
  128. Trystan Anderson
  129. Nicola Holness
  130. Women in Urbanism Canada
  131. Javan Courtney
  132. Jason Pascua
  133. jabari lindsay
  134. Chrisantha Chetty
  135. Revive Strategies
  136. Nathan Schaper
  137. Indra Kapadia
  138. Sharon Zarita
  139. Irina Rouby Apelbaum
  140. The Architecture Lobby Tkaronto
  141. Safiyyah Memon
  142. Urban Strategies Inc
  143. Lina Al-Dajani
  144. Karen Kubey
  145. Rickesh Lakhani
  146. Ronny Yaron
  147. Amy Hall
  148. Amy Hall
  149. natalie snow
  150. Salima Jaffer
  151. Michelle Bilek
  152. Peel Community Land Trusts
  153. Amy Rumbolt
  154. Building Roots
  155. Ushnish Sengupta
  156. Diane Walter
  157. Margarets Housing and Community Support Services
  158. Stefan Novakovic
  159. Melanie Warren
  160. Teresa Maria Gagean de Almeida e Castro
  161. Heather Simpson
  162. Real People Collaboration
  163. Lisa Carrington
  164. Alexandra Piatkowski
  165. Piat Public Health
  166. Tura Cousins Wilson
  167. Studio of Contemporary Architecture, SOCA
  168. Faith Greaves 
  169. Mozia Women's Network Society
  170. Kevin Hood
  171. Principal Evolution
  172. Olivia Ashton
  173. Zahra Jaffer
  174. Kieran James
  175. Shiba Anjum
  176. Nisa Foundation
  177. Bhonita Singh
  178. Kimberly Langille
  179. Foodshare
  180. Evenings and Weekends Consulting
  181. Jenny Park
  182. Black Housing Community Advisory Table
  183. Ralph Holmes
  184. Nicholas Offer
  185. Alina McKay
  186. Zara Brown
  187. Agincourt   Community Services Association
  188. Lee Soda 
  189. Toronto Neighbourhood Centres
  190. Sree Nallamothu
  191. Tychon Carter-Newman
  192. Mind State U
  193. Gregory Banfield
  194. Amanda Cristiano
  195. Morgan Miya
  196. Andrew Morgan
  197. Zahra Jaffer
  198. Kieran James
  199. Shiba Anjum
  200. Nisa Foundation
  201. Bhonita Singh
  202. Kimberly Langille

 

 

 

 

 

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