Brief description of the organization
Engage is a civic leadership institute and think tank that develops stronger, fairer public policy. We equip young people with policy literacy, creative tools, and hands-on experience so they can understand civic systems, shape public conversations, and lead meaningful change.
Our programs position youth as co-creators who build civic tech tools, produce public-facing media, and contribute directly to policy work with governments and community partners. We advance youth-driven solutions that challenge systemic barriers and support more equitable, sustainable communities.
Engage operates across Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia and has been recognized by the Toronto Foundation and York University for its impact on youth civic engagement.
Problem area
Most GTA suburbs are locked into deep car dependency. They were built for driving, which physically isolates housing from daily essentials like groceries, schools, and medical care. But simply drawing new bike lanes or zoning for taller buildings on a map doesn't work; adding density can quickly strain existing suburban electrical grids, storm sewers, and local water mains.
This leaves students to solve a complex puzzle: how do we restructure a car-centric suburb so daily needs are within a 15-minute walk, without overloading local utility infrastructure or imposing prohibitive costs on the city?
Main objectives
In this project, students will tackle the spatial, physical, and financial realities of suburban densification. Their main objectives are to:
- Analyze and map a GTA corridor: Select a specific suburban neighborhood in the GTA and evaluate its current land-use patterns, active transit gaps, and existing utility infrastructure.
- Build a dynamic spatial model: Create a digital or physical model simulating how reconfiguring zoning, housing variety, and community amenities improves local walkability.
- Conduct a rigorous feasibility study: Calculate the utility load impacts (such as water, waste, and power) of this new density, and stress-test the financial viability of the retrofits for both the municipality and local homeowners.
- Develop a phased transition plan: Outline a realistic, step-by-step physical and policy roadmap detailing how the suburb can gradually transition to self-sufficiency over time.
Scope of work
To transform a car-centric suburb into a functional 15-minute neighborhood, students will complete the following key phases:
- Environmental Scan & Site Selection: Choose a GTA suburb and gather GIS, zoning, and transit data to map the current baseline.
- Policy & Regulatory Analysis: Identify bylaws, parking minimums, and zoning restrictions that limit neighborhood adaptation and diversification.
- Spatial Modeling: Construct a digital twin or physical model to visualize new spatial layouts, housing configurations, and active transit corridors.
- Infrastructure Impact Assessment: Calculate the estimated demand shifts on local utility grids, such as water, waste, and electrical systems.
- Economic Analysis: Evaluate the financial impacts, balancing municipal infrastructure costs against long-term tax yields and resident savings.
- Transition Roadmap: Draft a phased implementation plan detailing the step-by-step physical and policy changes required over time.
Deliverables
- Report
- Resources
- New protocols/processes
- Presentation
- Physical or digital model of 15-minute city
Team meeting frequency
Monthly
Skills and training required
This project is designed to bridge technical engineering, economics, and environmental design. Students will develop and apply a highly diverse set of professional skills:
- Geospatial & Spatial Modeling: Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems), CAD, or parametric design software to map suburban corridors, build digital twins, and visualize layout changes.
- Civil Infrastructure & Systems Analysis: Conducting engineering calculations to model load shifts on municipal utility networks, including water, waste, and electrical grids.
- Economic & Financial Modeling: Designing cost-benefit calculators to evaluate capital infrastructure expenditures, municipal tax yields, and resident cost-of-living savings.
- Policy Research & Regulatory Analysis: Navigating municipal official plans, zoning bylaws, and transit regulations to identify systemic barriers to development.
- Rapid Prototyping & Physical Fabrication: Operating 3D printers, laser cutters, or traditional machining and woodworking tools to construct a high-fidelity physical model of the reconfigured neighborhood.
- Interdisciplinary Communication: Translating complex, multi-sector data (engineering, finance, and policy) into highly visual, compelling presentations for municipal planners and community stakeholders.
Resources required
Software & Modeling Tools
- Spatial & GIS Modeling: ArcGIS Pro or Esri CityEngine for mapping; Rhino/Grasshopper or AutoCAD for parametric urban layout design.
- Infrastructure Simulation: EPA SWMM for stormwater and hydraulic modeling; RETScreen for utility and energy load estimates.
- Data & Finance: Python (with GeoPandas) for data analysis; Excel for the municipal cost-benefit and tax-yield models.
Maker Space & Prototyping Gear
- Fabrication Tools: Laser cutters (for layout bases), 3D printers (for modular structures), and CNC routers or basic woodworking tools to frame the physical model.
Municipal & Regional Datasets
- GTA Open Data: Municipal portals (e.g., Mississauga or Region of Peel) for local parcel boundaries, transit routes, and utility line capacities.
- Demographic Data: Statistics Canada census files for local household sizes and commute patterns.
NDA or a commercialization agreement for this project?
Yes