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The Future Cities Institute has joined forces with BUILD NOW, a $500-million initiative led by Habitat for Humanity ��ݮ��Ƶ Region, to help deliver 10,000 new “missing middle” homes by 2030 across the Region of ��ݮ��Ƶ. 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ are already involved, bringing expertise in housing futures, urban health, and community resilience.��
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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 ��ݮ��Ƶ 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ Region prepares to welcome one million residents by 2050, the Future Cities Institute has partnered with the Business and Economic Support Team of ��ݮ��Ƶ Region (BestWR) to launch the Vision 1 million Scorecard, a first-of-its-kind academic–business collaboration.��
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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 ��ݮ��Ƶ and TD Wealth, members of the ��ݮ��Ƶ 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.��

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 !

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

The Future Cities Institute (FCI) proudly celebrates Robin Mazumder for his recent invited commentary published in Nature Human Behaviour. Mazumder's innovative concept, "neuromimicry," applies structural and dynamical insights from neuroscience to inspire the creation of healthier, more adaptable urban environments.

FCI member in the News!

, a member of the Future Cities Institute and a professor at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Climate Risk Research Group, was featured in the Toronto Star discussing winter flood risks as temperatures rise.

His advice? A simple but effective hack: using pantyhose filled with road salt to prevent costly ice damming on roofs. With climate change making weather patterns more erratic, winter flooding is becoming a bigger threat to our communities.

“Flood season used to be in the spring in Canada, but now it just seems like it’s an all-around problem,” Thistlethwaite explains. His insights highlight the need for proactive climate adaptation strategies to protect homes and infrastructure.

Read more in the Toronto Star:

Congratulations to Dr. on being named Canada’s new Industry-Sponsored Research Chair in Industrial AI! 🎉 As an Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics at the and a valued member of the Future Cities Institute, David's interdisciplinary research will drive innovation at the intersection of AI, computational mathematics, and sustainable aeronautics.