Toronto skyline at sunset
Resilient Cities

Planning for resilient communities starts today

From climate-resilient infrastructure to affordable housing, our researchers are re-imagining what urban life can be and turning bold ideas into blueprints for thriving communities. The Faculty of Environment has always included a School of Planning, and the School of Planning was one of the first in Canada with research-intensive and professional degrees from Bachelor to PhD. This is because we recognized over 50 years ago that the complex interactions between built and natural environments could not be understood in isolation if we wanted to drive transformative change for people and the planet. 

Cities of tomorrow need the researchers of tomorrow

  • Brian Doucet

    Associate professor, School of Planning, Director of 'Thinking Beyond the Market: a film about genuinely affordable housing'

  • Dawn Cassandra Parker

    Professor, School of Planning, Influential Female Researcher in Land System Science, 2024

  • Leia Minaker

    Associate professor School of Planning, Director of Future Cities Institute founded by CAIVAN

Community-based research for healthier and resilient communities

Whether it’s designing tools to support Indigenous-led planning, developing strategies for affordable and sustainable housing, or helping cities adapt to climate extremes, we work hand-in-hand with communities, governments, and industries to put research into action. Shaping the resilient cities of our future cities isn't simply a concept here at the Faculty of Environment, it's a collaborative, interdisciplinary, data-driven, visionary effort that's happening right now.

House under construction
  • Environment

Waterloo partnership aims to build 10,000 ‘missing middle homes’ by 2030

A new partnership between the FCI and BUILD NOW is reimagining affordable home ownership across Waterloo Region and Canada
  • Environment

Waterloo partnership aims to build 10,000 ‘missing middle homes’ by 2030

A new partnership between the FCI and BUILD NOW is reimagining affordable home ownership across Waterloo Region and Canada
Seoul cityscape.
  • Environment

Unlocking cities’ potential for climate-resilient urban futures

Environment researcher contributes to UN-Habitat report identifying untapped solutions to address climate risks in urban areas
  • Environment

Unlocking cities’ potential for climate-resilient urban futures

Environment researcher contributes to UN-Habitat report identifying untapped solutions to address climate risks in urban areas
Apartment for rent sign on post in front of a building.
  • Environment

Financial landlords are leading Toronto rent hikes

Waterloo researchers are first to prove corporations, such as private equity firms, drive up the prices of rental apartments in the city 
  • Environment

Financial landlords are leading Toronto rent hikes

Waterloo researchers are first to prove corporations, such as private equity firms, drive up the prices of rental apartments in the city 
Top-down view of an urban neighbourhood with high- and low-rise buildings and green space
  • Campus

Letting go of these three myths could help build more homes

Experts at Waterloo’s “Bold Urban Futures” event shared unexpected insights for tackling Canada’s housing crisis 
  • Campus

Letting go of these three myths could help build more homes

Experts at Waterloo’s “Bold Urban Futures” event shared unexpected insights for tackling Canada’s housing crisis 

Research institutes at the forefront

The Future Cities Institute (FCI) brings the University of Waterloo’s exceptional strengths in applied science and engineering, interdisciplinary research, work-integrated learning, partnership building and academic programming to the field of city building. The Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI) is a member-led and member-driven research and networking hub that promotes innovative training and application of complex systems tools and theories to address challenges essential to human well-being, including those at the intersection of society, health, and environment.

  • Future Cities Institute founded by CAIVAN

    Fostering healthy, prosperous future cities and communities

  • Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WCI)

    Applying complexity science to real world problems

Help us build the future

With the only Planning school in Canada to offer programs at the Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD levels, along with the newly formed Future Cities Institute (FCI) founded by CAIVAN, joining us here at Waterloo means being a part of shaping the future of how we live with the world.