Cities have been designed without women’s experiences in mind for a long time, making public spaces feel unsafe or inaccessible. Placemaking with a gender lens centres women’s daily realities such as care work, mobility needs, and safety concerns. It calls for inclusive and supportive environments shaped through diverse voices. Designing for women ultimately creates cities that work for everyone.

While rarely the face of Canada's homeless crisis, many women experience homelessness. The lived experiences of women who sleep rough differs significantly from those of men. On top of challenges of obtaining basic necessities, women who are unsheltered must also deal with gendered obstacles such as menstruation, threats of violence, and pregnancy.

The bus can be a hostile environment for many women, which can place limits on their travel choices and behaviours. Transit agencies have various tools at their disposal that can help to improve women’s safety.

Street harassment is pervasive in Canadian cities, creating unwelcome and even dangerous public environments for many women. Here are some urban design strategies for getting harassment off our streets.