Each year, the School of Planning hosts a Planner-in-Residence, an expert who teaches and conducts seminars. The program gives students and professors the opportunity to interact with professionals who are leaders in their field. The Planner-in-Residence program is funded by the University of Waterloo Planning Alumni of Toronto.
2025-2026 - Leslie Woo
Leslie Woo Planner-in-Residence for 2025-2026
Leslie Woo is a respected city leader with over 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban development in Canada’s fastest-growing urban region, greater Toronto. Leslie is a tri-sector athlete with experience convening and co-creating with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a seasoned urban planner, architect and tireless community activator. At CivicAction Leslie is leading the growth of the next generation of civic-minded leaders. By equipping them with the knowledge and networks needed to tackle persistent urban problems, she is in the impact business. CivicAction is an influential and apolitical organization that moves between sectors to find collaborative solutions.
Before joining CivicAction, Leslie was Chief Planning and Development Officer at the Greater Golden Horseshoe’s regional transit authority, Metrolinx, for over 12 years, responsible for the strategic planning and public policy for a historic public investment of $60B in transit expansion. She is a Board Director at Waterfront Toronto (since 2021), Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care (since 2022), and a Trustee and former Director for the Urban Land Institute Americas (2020-2022).
Leslie has been recognized as a CEO Monthly’s 2025 Civic Engagement Canadian CEO; University of the West Indies (UWI) 2025 Vice Chancellor Award Honoree; 2023 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Recipient; one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017 (by WXN); Spacing Toronto’s Transit Changemaker in 2016 and Canada’s Women’s Infrastructure Network’s inaugural 2015 Outstanding Leader. Founder of shebuildscities.org, Leslie uses her voice and platform to amplify and celebrate other women city builders.
Leslie is a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto and a member of the Advisory Board of the Social Purpose Real Estate Accelerator at the Infrastructure Institute, University of Toronto. Leslie holds a graduate degree in Planning, and undergraduate degrees in Architecture and Environmental Studies, from the University of Waterloo.
Leslie was born in St. Augustine, Trinidad, a Toronto east-ender and a proud mum of two millennials.
Previous Planners-in-Residence
-
Jason Thorne, Chief Planner, City of Toronto
-
Martin Quarcoopome , Vice President, Weston Consulting
- Becca Nagorsky, Vice President of Stations Planning, Metrolinx
- Jay Pitter
- Rob Horne, Senior Advisor, Overlap Associates - Public Lecture Presented by Rob Horne
- Ann Joyner, Strategic Planning Advisor, Dillon Consulting
- Dana Anderson, Partner, MHBC Planning, Burlington Office
- Lee Anne Doyle, former Executive Director & Chief Building Official, City of Windsor
- Bill Green, GSP Group
- Paul E. Johnston, Johnston Litavski Ltd.
- Dan Leeming - The Planning Partnership
- Aristotle Christou - The Christou Group
- Lori Martin - Senior Cultural Affairs Officer, City of Toronto
- Glenn R. Miller - Vice President, Canadian Urban Institute
- Paul Puopolo - Associate, IBI Group
- Ian MacNaughton - President MHBC Planning
- Paula Dill - Commissioner of Urban Development Services - City of Toronto
- Bob Lehman - President of Meridian Planning Consultants
- Brian Tuckey - Commissioner of Planning and Development Services - Region of York
- Daniel Burns - Public Policy Consultant - Government of Ontario
- Ray Simpson - Senior Consultant - Hemson Consulting Ltd.
- Antony G. Marcil - Senior Policy Advisor
- Marilou McPhedran - Director, International Women's Rights Project
- Cameron Kitchen - Senior Consultant
- John Farrow - Consultant
- Helen Cooper - Municipal Consultant
- Ron Farrow - Former Special Advisor for Policy Development
- Henry Stewart - Planning Consultant
- Gardner Church - Consultant
- John Sweeney - Former Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing