News

The University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment welcomed Sir Andrew Steer as the 2025 TD Walter Bean Professor in Environment, bringing decades of global insight to a packed lecture on the future of our cities, communities, and ecosystems. The lecture was presented as part of the University of Waterloo’s Waterloo at 100 vision and in partnership with the Future Cities Institute. 

Following the lecture, FCI Director Dr. Leia Minaker moderated a wide-ranging conversation on the scale of the climate challenge and the opportunities for action across sectors.

The Future Cities Institute has joined forces with BUILD NOW, a $500-million initiative led by Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, to help deliver 10,000 new “missing middle” homes by 2030 across the Region of Waterloo. With 70% of these homes set aside for ownership and protected by a legal model that ensures lasting affordability, this is one of Canada’s most ambitious attainable housing efforts to date. 

At the heart of the project is a 25-acre living lab near RIM Park, where FCI researchers will examine how housing design and neighbourhood planning shape lives. Over 40 researchers from all 6 faculties at the University of Waterloo are already involved, bringing expertise in housing futures, urban health, and community resilience. 
 
With home prices in Canada up 77% over the past decade, and most solutions focused on rentals, homeownership is slipping out of reach, especially for younger generations. FCI is working to track what works, share evidence, and help co-create a scalable model for communities nationwide.

What started as an interdisciplinary i-Capstone collaboration has grown into a transformative partnership between the City of Iqaluit and the Future Cities Institute. Faced with complex infrastructure challenges in a harsh Artic environment, the city turned to Waterloo co-op students to bring fresh thinking and technical expertise to the table, and the results have been impactful.  

Engineering student Ahraz Yousuf spent a co-op term in Iqaluit, modernizing the city’s fleet management system. From implementing Fleetio software to building custom tools and leading multi-department training, Yousuf’s work has helped streamline operations and improve service delivery in the North. “I got to build something from the ground up,” he shared. “It allowed me to step outside of the traditional software development and into stakeholder collaboration.” 

This partnership continues to create opportunities for students to apply their skills in meaningful, community-driven projects, advancing real innovation in Canada’s northern cities. 

As Waterloo Region prepares to welcome one million residents by 2050, the Future Cities Institute has partnered with the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BestWR) to launch the Vision 1 million Scorecard, a first-of-its-kind academic–business collaboration. 
 
This public, data-driven tool tracks the region’s progress across five key areas: housing, transportation, healthcare, employment, and livability. Updated every six months, the scorecard highlights where the region is succeeding and where more focus is needed, helping guide investments and drive meaningful conversations across the region. 

As the academic partner, FCI is grounding the scorecard in data, equity, and long-term impact. With many regions facing similar growth challenges, this model has real potential to scale nationwide, and FCI is proud to help lead the way.

Sehaj Raj Singh joined the Future City Innovation Challenge, co-hosted by the FCI and Velocity, with a bold idea: make Canada’s permitting process smarter. He walked away with the top prize, new interdisciplinary teammates, and the attention of judge Frank Cairo, founder of the Future Cities Institute and a leader at CAIVAN.  

Now graduating, Sehaj is stepping into a new role as an Analyst in Land Development Engineering at Caivan Communities. Reflecting on the experience, he shared, “The Velocity Future City Innovation Challenge was hands down one of the most fulfilling moments of my undergrad... From being in the crowd to being on stage, I’m just glad I bet on myself.” A powerful example of how ambition, collaboration, and real-world challenges can shape the future.

At a recent event co-hosted by the University of Waterloo and TD Wealth, members of the Waterloo community gathered for a powerful conversation on Shaping Cities of the Future: Women, Leadership & Philanthropy.  

Moderated by Leia Minaker, our Director at the Future Cities Institute, the discussion highlighted the vital role women play in financial leadership and philanthropy. Leia guided a rich conversation that emphasized the value of trust-based giving, the power of intentional investment, and the many forms philanthropy can take, whether it be time, ideas, or financial support. 

Dr. Shams Anwar, a postdoctoral researcher with the Future Cities Institute, recently presented his work on sustainable mobility and resilient infrastructure at two major national conferences: the 247th ECS Meeting and the CSME International Congress–CFDSC–CSR 2025. 

His research explores the role of energy-efficient transport and urban systems in enabling the transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient cities. Emphasizing practical, impact-driven green technologies, Dr. Anwar’s work contributes to a growing body of applied research that informs infrastructure planning for sustainable urban futures. 

From overlooked parkettes to bustling plazas, Dr. Glover explores how thoughtful design, policy, and programming can turn public spaces into powerful catalysts for connection and community. 

“Placemaking isn’t just about aesthetics - it’s about people, purpose, and possibility,” says Dr. Glover.

Future Cities Institute (FCI) member Professor Jennifer Dean was recently invited to present her research on active and sustainable transportation to the Federal Table on Healthy Cities. Professor Dean highlighted the critical challenges associated with developing a strong evidence base to guide decision-making around emerging micro-mobility technologies, such as e-bikes and e-scooters.

New article alert from FCI member Michael Drescher!

How can cities balance urban growth with climate adaptation? Dr. Michael Drescher, from the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, explores this challenge in his latest journal article: "Nature’s role in residential development: Identifying leverage points for climate change planning in Ontario, Canada."