"Putting the Citizen Back into Planning"

Putting the Citizen Back into Planning

St. Lawrence Centre Forum

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts
27 Front Street East
(2 blocks East of Union Station)

Panelists

• Gary Wright (Chief Planner for the City of Toronto)
• Lindsay Dale-Harris (Partner in Bousfields, an urban design firm)
• Graeme Stewart (Architect with E.R.A. and manager of the Tower Renewal Project)
• Andalee Adamali (Council of Agencies Serving South Asians)

• Moderated by Jane Farrow (Executive Director of Jane’s Walk and the Centre for City Ecology, and former CBC broadcaster)

Seventy five per cent of Toronto is made up of stable residential neighbourhoods and any new development has a huge impact on the people who live, play and work in the area. The city of Toronto, the province, developers, residents and BIAs all have a stake in the community but they don't always see eye to eye. These forums will explore how the planning process can be more responsive to residents who want to help determine how their neighbourhoods will change.

We took to the road, holding meetings in North Toronto, Etobicoke, and Scarborough to find out what the development and planning issues were, what people experienced in getting involved at the neighbourhood level and what they thought could be done to improve dealings with the city, their neighbours and developers. These local forums culminate in a city-wide event on May 29. Some of the hot issues are: inappropriate development, the OMB, secondary plans and avenue studies, park rejuvenation, community benefits, and social equity related to planning policy.

People Plan Toronto in partnership with the St. Lawrence Centre Forum presents a series of local forums in Etobicoke, Scarborough, and North Toronto/North York to discuss issues around citizen engagement in the planning process, culminating in a forum at the St. Lawrence Centre on May 29th.  You will hear different perspectives on how community needs and preferences are incorporated into the planning and development of your neighbourhoods.  These summits are for residents, tenants, and business owners who wish to learn more about their neighbourhood, and for those who have knowledge and experience to share.

Free, everyone welcome!

Speaker biographies

The St Lawrence Centre for the Arts which is home to the FORUM is in the heart of the The St. Lawrence neighbourhood. The FORUM provides the public an opportunity to engage decision-makers, experts and each other in lively discussion. Over the years Bill Dymond, Daniel Libeskind, Jan Wong, Naomi Klein, Elyse Allan, John Polanyi, Margaret Atwood, Frank Mahovlich, Lynda McQuaig, Bob Rae, Flora McDonald and many, many other public figures have joined concerned citizens at the Forum.