Edition 54: June 2026

What’s New

💻 Designing for dignity: what we’ve learned from 5 years of creating housing for the unhoused. Gensler shares insights from their partnership with DignityMoves to provide interim and permanent supportive housing. Read the blog. 

💻 Cities are rehearsing for deadly heat. Will it help when disaster comes? Heat waves strain hospitals, resources, and transit. But as cities focus on averting breakdowns, the question remains how prepared are they really? Read the blog.

💻 Urban minded: designing cities that support mental wellbeing. This blog explores how designing for young women and girls can help address wellbeing in planning. Read the blog.

💻 Bike lane closed: Toronto cyclists bear the burden of construction impacts. This article highlights cycling safety concerns in a city that routinely prioritizes motor‑vehicle flow. Read the blog. 

📄 Social impact study of permanent interactive public artworks. The study shares how art and design studio Daily Tous Les Jours’ installations create community anchors and foster social connection. Read the study. 

📄 Sheltering in parks: mapping the implications of local bylaws on unhoused populations. This report examines the impact of municipal bylaws that govern where people experiencing homelessness may shelter in city-owned parks. Read the report.

📄 Root change: reimagining GBV response through disability justice. This report examines the systemic barriers and impacts of gender-based violence and identifies best practices to ensure models of care are fully accessible, inclusive, and trauma-informed. Read the report. 

📄 Guide to creating urban public spaces for children. This guide highlights the importance of public spaces for children's health, well-being, and realization of their rights. Read the guide. 

🎙️ Shifting the story on disability with Jenna Barnable. This episode explores what it means to build truly accessible communities and why shifting the narrative around disability requires all of us to listen, learn, and act. Listen to the podcast. 

🎙️ Transit in Edmonton (with Emily). This episode talks about how transit advocacy came to be in Alberta's capital city and the challenges and opportunities in making transit work for everyone. Listen to the podcast. 

🎙️ Montreal. In this podcast episode by City Share, Sarah and Dana explore a sandwich shop that might convince you to move to Canada, share their favorite city park, and stop by one of the city’s best beer gardens. Listen to the podcast.

What’s Inspiring

🏘️ City Council approval unlocks hundreds of new affordable homes in Lawrence Heights. Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) will move forward with the next phase of redevelopment, enabling the creation of 1,747 homes, including hundreds of new affordable units. Learn more.

🚴‍♀️ Celebrating the 11 school streets of the 2025/2026 school year. Students across Canada are wrapping up the school year and celebrating their achievements as part of the National Active School Streets Initiative (NASSI) by Green Communities Canada. Learn more. 

🌳 ZAV architects weaves a modular yellow playground through an olive orchard in Iran. The playground features a raised network of platforms, giving children a direct way to experience the orchard through movement, height, and touch. Learn more. 

🚧 Car-free Corydon: Heart of the village to become a pedestrian corridor on Sundays. One of Winnipeg's most popular streets is going car-free for the summer, inviting people to experience the neighbourhood in a whole new way. Learn more. 

🏫 Edmonton launches a $2M program to help faith groups convert empty churches, extra land to affordable housing. Churches, temples and mosques have already expressed interest in the program, which will help assess the feasibility of developing housing on their land. Read the news. 

🤸‍♀️ Barcelona’s city‑wide play strategy: from idea to implementation. The city is placing children at the centre of its urban planning, reshaping school surroundings, schoolyards and public spaces. Learn more. 

🚧 Church Street pedestrianization begins for the summer. Approved by Toronto City Council in May, the pilot project will close the street to traffic from June 19 to Aug 21. Read the news. 

🚴‍♀️ Kitchener's newest active transportation route connects neighbourhoods. Eight active transportation routes have been planned to create a connected and cohesive active transportation network across the city. Learn more.

🎨 Toonie Stamps launches new art vending machines in TTC stations. Artist Jemma Chapman collaborates with TTC on an interactive art installation that dispenses Toronto-inspired stamp prints in select subway stations. Learn more. 

🍼 A nursing room review gets a positive response from the city. Ottawa-resident Caroline Leal’s review of a City hall nursing room sparks action from a city councillor to improve caregiving infrastructure for parents. Learn more.

What’s Coming Up

👩‍💻 Market Ambassador employment opportunity at ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA). Open until filled.

👩‍💻 Events Coordinator employment opportunity at Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities. Apply by June 30, 2026.

👩‍💻 Coordinator, Fundraising (Midlevel and Direct Response) employment opportunity at Ottawa Food Bank. Apply by July 3, 2026. 

👩‍💻 Research Manager employment opportunity at WomanACT. Open until filled. 

✍️ Share your thoughts on Ookwemin Minising's new streets and help shape the future of public spaces on Toronto’s newest island. Take the survey.

✍️ Cities for all: the ABCDs of disability inclusion in mobility is an online course that helps urban and transport practitioners and advocates understand systems change toward mobility and accessibility for all. Sign up for the course that starts on June 29, 2026. 

✍️ Our city hall community priorities survey by Women Transforming Cities (WTC) is seeking input on what communities need to belong, participate, and thrive in Vancouver. Take the survey.

✍️ Take action: protect women’s shelters by Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) is a petition against funding cuts that will disproportionately impact a dozen shelters across Alberta. Send a letter. 

📝 Ontario Community Changemakers is seeking applications from people with bold ideas to activate public space, enhance civic engagement, and foster social inclusion in their communities. Apply by July 31, 2026.

💰 Activate YYC grant opportunity by Federation of Calgary Communities. Apply by August 31, 2026.

Becoming a member gives you the opportunity to shape the organization and welcomes you into a community of like-minded women and gender-diverse people.