Lecture

How can we shape the future of urban life in Canada and beyond? 

Join fellow University of Waterloo alumni and friends for an evening of reflection, reconnection, and future-focused dialogue on the challenges and opportunities shaping Canadian cities. 

Hosted in partnership with TELUS at the iconic TELUS Garden in downtown Vancouver — a symbol of urban sustainability and innovation—this special event will feature inspiring  insights from the Future Cities Institute founded by CAIVAN. Hear about real-world examples of urban change and get an exclusive preview of a bold national initiative to build healthier, more resilient communities. 

We are proud to welcome Sir Andrew Steer, the 2025 TD Walter Bean professor. 

Sir Steer brings decades of global climate leadership to Waterloo for two timely and thought-provoking lectures on how we - leaders, innovators, and citizens - can rise to meet the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, for nature, our cities and our future.

As former President & CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund and a longtime global advisor on climate and development, Dr. Steer brings deep insight into how transformative solutions take root—across governments, industries, and communities. At a moment when the need for bold, coordinated action has never been clearer, he will explore what it takes to drive real progress for cities, ecosystems, and future generations.

How do we have reasonable dialogue about the biggest issues facing our municipalities today? Dr. Leia Minaker, inaugural Director of the Future Cities Institute at the University of Waterloo, will talk about how the Institute is trying to shake up typical partnerships for action and impact. How do we get past the “this is how we’ve always done things” mentality, and decision making for political reasons to support healthy and prosperous cities?

Join Sandy Little, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Waterloo, to explore linkages between housing, health (with a focus on planetary health specific to climate change), and humanity highlighting homelessness and the importance of connecting and collaborating with municipal divisions, other levels of government, and community strategic partners in this work.

Join Tai Huynh, Editor-in-Chief at The Local, to unpack how cities can be health promoting but they can also make us unwell. How they do this often isn’t very visible and goes beyond plainly obvious things like walkability or road safety. Using Toronto as a case study and drawing on his work at The Local, Huynh will discuss the social determinants of health within the context of a dense urban setting.

Join Frank Cairo, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Caivan, and Co-Founder of the FCI, to explore the intersection of economy, environment and social realms and the lack of comprehensive, interdisciplinary methods in land use planning. Topics covered:​

• Generative and Parametric Design Tools;​
• Harnessing quantitative methods and optimization in the planning of built environment;​
• The need for robust economic feasibility modelling in municipal decision making;​
  Advanced manufacturing as a productivity solution for the construction sector.

Join Juanie Pudluk, Director of Infrastucture at Nunavut Housing Corporation, to explore the challenges of building in Nunavut. What are the solutions or strategies that we can use to alleviate the housing crisis? We will discuss some of the challenges and strategies that we have started and share that with the students.

Join Eryn Stewart, Managing Director of the Future Cities Institute, for a networking session on climate action implementation with Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) members. This session offers an opportunity to share successes, discuss challenges, and exchange insights on driving meaningful climate initiatives forward.