June 22 Housing Summit: Register Now

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Subject: June 22 Housing Summit: Register Now

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ONE MONTH AWAY

Canada's Housing Future Summit: Mobilizing to Meet the Challenge

Monday, June 22, 2026 | InterContinental Toronto | 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Canada is facing a housing crisis with far-reaching economic and social consequences. The clock is ticking for leaders to deliver effective, industry-wide solutions.

Housing is increasingly unaffordable, supply is falling short of demand, and the systems that deliver housing are under strain. With federal housing programs from Canada’s 2017 National Housing Strategy set to expire, the decisions made over the next 2 years will shape the next 10 years of Canada’s future. Addressing this challenge requires coordinated leadership and sustained action across the entire housing ecosystem.

On June 22nd 2026, the Canadian Urban Institute, with the support of key partners from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, will convene Canada's Housing Future Summit, an urgent convening for senior decision makers from government, finance, development, labour, community housing, and advocacy organizations.

The agenda will feature senior stakeholders including keynote speaker, the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. Meet our Summit speakers to-date.

Limited seats available. Secure your ticket today.

Attend the Summit

Photo Credit: Stefonlinton

Engagement Opportunities

INTAKE OPEN UNTIL JULY 3

Call for Municipal Partners:

Housing Potential on Alberta Main Streets

CUI is inviting Alberta municipalities to participate as case study partners in a new province-wide research initiative examining the housing potential of main streets. The project will analyze under-utilized sites across more than 300 municipalities to better understand how main streets can support housing supply, economic vitality, and community growth. This project is funded by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. Through an Expression of Interest process, 3–5 municipalities will be selected for deeper analysis, including mapping, policy review, and quantified housing potential for key corridors. There is no financial cost to participate beyond staff time.

Complete the intake form today!

APPLICATION CLOSES JUNE 15

Learning From What Works 2026 Cohort: Call for Ideas

CUI and the School of Cities at the University of Toronto are learning from what works! In 2025, the first Local Solutions competition received over 120 made-in-community ideas from across Canada that had the potential to scale. This year, with support from RBC, we will put $10,000 toward Canada’s best place-building solutions: ideas that are already working to boost Canada’s competitiveness and quality of life. We welcome submissions by and for communities large and small, and from individuals or teams of planners, community organizers, policy thinkers, small business champions, data providers, urbanists, public servants, artists, activists and more.

Submit your solution by June 15!

NOW OPEN FOR INTAKE

Join A Cohort with the Climate-Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS)

Green Infrastructure Cohort

Get free expert consultation services to advance nature-based solutions for stormwater management, water quality, and shoreline resilience. Canada’s smaller communities are facing increasing pressures from climate change, especially in the areas of stormwater management, water quality, and shoreline resilience. To help address these challenges, the CRIS, in partnership with NAMS Canada, is offering targeted, hands-on support for Green Infrastructure projects in local governments and First Nations across the country. Apply before May 31

Alberta Climate Resilience Cohort

Access free support for housing and infrastructure projects in Alberta facing climate risks of wildfire or wildfire smoke, extreme heat, or drought. CUI and the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) invite Alberta communities and nonprofit housing providers to participate in a new CRIS cohort. This initiative supports local governments in advancing climate‑resilient infrastructure and housing projects that address priority climate risks through expert guidance and collaborative learning. Apply before August 31

Resilient Housing Cohort

Receive free expert services to strengthen climate readiness and low carbon opportunities for eligible community housing projects. The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association and the CRIS are launching a call for non-profit, municipal, First Nation or society owned housing owners and operators to join the Resilient Housing Cohort. This program is an opportunity to receive free expert services to enhance climate readiness and low-carbon opportunities for new build or retrofit housing projects. Apply before August 31

Join CUI's Board of Directors

CUI is looking for a Board Member who shares our conviction that strong, equitable, and resilient places are the foundation of a stronger Canada. After three decades of organizational evolution, CUI has transformed from a small charity providing targeted technical assistance on special urban challenges to and is now poised to become Canada’s leading resource for best practices and policy leadership for place-based solutions to key global challenges including climate, equity, and resilience. Apply today or share this opportunity.

CUI’s Early Start Program

Investing in the Next Generation of City Builders

This summer, CUI's Early Start program welcomes six new interns from across the country to our team. The program is designed to close the gap between academic training and meaningful professional experience in the urbanism industry. This cohort will contribute to projects across applied research, data tools, and national network, and leave with a deeper understanding of what it means to shape the places where Canadians live, work, and connect. Watch for their voices in our work this summer!

Photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash

Taking Action In May

Mental Health Awareness Month

May was Mental Health Awareness Month — and yes, it's an urbanist issue. The places we live shape our health outcomes. Accessible design, green space, active transit, affordability, and the countless other decisions that make up our cities are health interventions, whether we design them that way or not. Integrating a health lens into urbanism means navigating systemic transformation, coordinated service delivery, and sustained funding across intersecting community systems. It's a long game. But meaningful change can start small. Try introducing yourself to a neighbour! Research from the Hey Neighbour! Collective demonstrates that "Frequent social interaction and trust among neighbors are associated with higher levels of happiness, well-being, and life satisfaction."

A Wrap on Jane’s Walk 2026!

On the first weekend of May every year, Jane’s Walk festivals take place in hundreds of cities around the world. Jane’s Walks encourage people to share stories about their neighbourhoods, discover unseen aspects of their communities, and use walking as a way to connect with their neighbours. We hope you were able to attend a walk in your community and look forward to taking to the streets once again in 2027!

Take Action During National AccessAbility Week

National AccessAbility Week is running from May 31 to June 6 and this year's theme was "Building a Strong, Accessible Canada." CUI is proud to recognize National AccessAbility Week alongside our partners at the Rick Hansen Foundation, champions of making Canadian places more accessible for all. Explore their free resources and join the conversation! This critical moment invites all of us, including governments, businesses, organizations, and individuals, to take action to build a truly accessible, inclusive and equitable Canada.

In the Field

Director of Research Greg Spencer delivered the keynote along with several workshops at the, Channeling Connections: Business Improvement Areas of British Columbia (BIABC) Conference, focussing on data-driven decision making, and measuring impact at the main-street scale. This included a demonstration of the CUI’s Main Street Metrics dashboards which are being leveraged by 100+ BIAs across Canada. Discover the Dashboards today!

Photo by Greg Spencer

Photo by the City of Edmonton

Alongside leaders from across Western Canada, CUI President and CEO Mary W. Rowe moderated a panel at Housing Forward: 2026 Prairies Affordable Housing Summit, the first prairie-wide affordable housing summit led by the City of Edmonton. Mary’s session, “Unlocking Land for Housing: Models that work”, tackled models for land stewardship and partnership, including community land trusts, public land development, and Indigenous-led housing approaches.

CUI joined the Evergreen Conference, celebrating cities bursting with life and connecting with partners across the sector. On the program, CUI Director of Research Greg Spencer shared a preview of CUI's upcoming work on transit-oriented development during the session, “Transit as a Catalyst for Unlocking Neighbourhood Potential", focused on how transit investments can unlock housing across income levels, support good jobs, and shape accessible, complete neighbourhoods.

Photo by Emily Wassmansdorf

Photo by Maxime Bernier

George Claydon represented CUI at the 2026 Quebec BIA Congress in partnership with the Quebec Association of Business Improvement Areas. Over two days, BIA leaders from across Quebec came together to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping commercial districts—from shifting consumer habits to the evolving realities facing restaurants and main streets.

Concordia University hosted, "From Departure to Belonging: Advanced digital technologies between empowerment, control and exclusion in migration journeys " as a part of the Institute for Research on Migration and Society, led by Toronto Metropolitan University. This conference, attended by Mary W. Rowe, explored how advanced digital technologies mediate migrant journeys, from initial departure decisions to long-term integration and belonging.

Photo by Fré Sonneveld on Unsplash

The Public Policy Forum hosted the 2026 Canada Growth Summit with Mary W. Rowe in attendance. This event convened leaders from government and industry across sectors to examine how Canada can leverage its core strengths – abundant energy and natural resources, world class talent, deep investment capacity, and strong civic values – to build long-term resilience.

On the Agenda With Our Partners

JUNE 3-5, 2026

Downtowns Atlantic Canada Annual Conference: Strong Downtowns, Strong Communities

CUI President and CEO Mary W. Rowe will be delivering the keynote of the 2026 Downtown Atlantic Canada Annual Conference, tackling the power of data-driven decision making for stronger main streets and better community outcomes. With three unforgettable days of learning, inspiration, and East Coast hospitality with downtown leaders from across Canada and beyond, CUI is glad to be on-site! Plus, check out "The Future of Atlantic Canada’s Downtowns & Main Streets", a report including input from 4300 businesses in fifteen Business Improvement Areas/Districts in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island - also available in French on their website.

SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2026

Adaptation Canada 2026: ICLEI Canada

Adaptation Canada 2026 is Canada’s premier national conference on climate adaptation. Now in its third edition, Canada’s leading national conference on climate adaptation is more expansive in its reach than ever. It will bring together over 1,000 participants from diverse Canadian sectors and communities to exchange ideas, share solutions, and spark action on climate resilience. Through engaging panels, workshops, sessions-on-the-move, and curated networking, delegates will take part in the conversations needed to drive meaningful action forward. Register today!

Photo by Douglas Schneiders on Unsplash

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The Canadian Urban Institute is a national Canadian charity, doing independent and non-partisan work to further vibrancy, resiliency, prosperity, and equity in every urban community. Promoting place-based and locally-driven approaches, CUI works collaboratively across every level of government, the private and non-profit sectors, grassroots and advocacy organizations, and more. We believe that urbanism is for everyone.

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Subject: June 22 Housing Summit: Register Now