News

On June 11^th, the School of Planning celebrated the accomplishments of our 2024 Graduates during the annual Graduation Luncheon. This event marks a tradition for the School of Planning to honour the time our graduates have spent with us, and to provide final words of encouragement as they prepare to move forward in their future endeavours.

School of Planning MES student Jane Kelsey has been partnering with Region of Waterloo Public Health to explore how alcohol access changed in the Region from 2014 to 2023. These findings were recently shared with nearly 20 Region of Waterloo employees to highlight how we might anticipate alcohol-related harms changing in the coming years. 

The School of Planning’s Dr. Luna Khirfan recently spoke with CBC to discuss the benefits of daylighting natural waterways hidden below Canada's three largest cities. 

School of Planning PhD Candidate Ryan Lok has received the 2024 Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student. 

Updated April 15, 2024 - Domestic application deadline extended to June 1st for MA/MES. Please contact our grad office (env-plan@uwaterloo) to discuss your interest in this program.  

Former Caivan Communities Post-Doctoral Fellow Dr. Raphael Ayambire and the School of Planning’s Dr. Markus Moos have recently released an in-depth review on scenario planning, a method of future planning based on a variety of assumptions, drivers and uncertainties. They found that social equity is largely ignored or is not emphasized in traditional scenario processes at all.

The Canadian government’s Task Force for Housing and Climate recently released their Blueprint for More and Better Housing– a report outlining plans to build 3.8 million new affordable and climate-friendly homes by 2030. The School of Planning’s Dr. Dawn Parker commented through a recent piece in The Conversation on the task force’s report, stating that the “report recommendations fall short by failing to fully consider land and housing market dynamics,” and perpetuate the “tall and sprawl” method of urban development.

A recent study overseen by School of Planning’s Dr. Leia Minaker finds that even a few minutes spent surrounded by nature can boost the mental well-being of children living in cities. Dr. Minaker and her research team recently took 70 children aged 9 to 17 to a variety of stops across Kitchener, both urban and natural, to poll how each location made them feel.  

The School of Planning's Dr. Dawn Parker spoke with both Global News and the Woolwich Observer about the role that parking can play in addressing the Canadian housing crisis. 

On Tuesday, February 6^th, Dr. Katherine Perrott and her PLAN 720 class took the ION LRT down to Kitchener’s southern terminus. This area is largely characterized by car-oriented suburban retail and is a perfect opportunity to learn about the challenges of planning for transit-oriented densification.