The University of ݮƵ’s Future Cities Institute (FCI) founded by CAIVAN brings together a global network of interdisciplinary researchers from a variety of fields, industry leaders, practitioners, students and community members to develop new tools and approaches for building healthy, prosperous and sustainable cities.
Fostering – We promote the integration of research, teaching, and knowledge mobilization to drive innovative city and community solutions.
Healthy – We embrace a One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, environmental, and planetary well-being.
Prosperous – We create the conditions for communities to thrive socially and economically by fostering employment, innovation, education, and inclusive growth that benefits citizens.
Future – We explore multiple plausible futures, not just preferred ones, ensuring adaptable and resilient city and community strategies.
Cities and Communities – We engage with municipalities and Indigenous communities to collaboratively shape sustainable development.
News
FCI member Dr. Troy Glover featured on the Happitecture podcast
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.
Six award-winning solutions for urban challenges
From AI-powered civic tools to sustainable housing solutions, University of ݮƵ students came together to present interdisciplinary projects tackling real-world issues at this year's i-Capstone symposium.
Held on March 26, the event showcased student creativity, teamwork and dedication to solving real-world urban challenges.Designed to unite students from every faculty, i-Capstone — the University of ݮƵ’s first interdisciplinary undergraduate capstone program — enables students to tackle complex problems facing Canadian communities while working with real world partners, all for academic credit. This includes areas like sustainable housing, infrastructure and integrated urban planning.
Interdisciplinary initiative allows students to bring real-world impact to Canada’s North
A new collaboration between the University of ݮƵ and the City of Iqaluit is allowing students to apply their skills to real-world challenges — all while making a tangible difference in the North.
Events
Connections 50+ Presents Cambridge Third Age Learning with Dr. Leia Minaker
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 ݮƵ, 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?
