In June 2024, The Placemaking Community welcomed a group of Quebec-based Healthy Communities Initiative (HCI) funding recipients to Rendez-Vous Collectivités Viables, an annual placemaking conference hosted by our partner organization Vivre en Ville. This was an opportunity to build networks and learn from panel discussions on equitable placemaking.

Canada’s Placemaking Community empowers HCI grant recipients and placemakers through capacity-building sessions, community and network creation, and access to mentorship. Our community of practice includes in-person convening and virtual events that connect placemakers working across the country. By fostering collective action, we aim to drive better public outcomes and create vibrant, equitable public spaces for all.

Vivre En Ville Presents 5 Perspectives On Sustainable Communities

By: Eva Morrison

On June 12th, 2024, over 500 people filed into Montreal’s spacious Marché Bonsecours to answer a common question: how do we build equitable cities?

Participants from municipalities, community organizations, urban planning firms, environmental groups, the health sector, and more gathered for Vivre en Ville’s conference on urban justice (Rendez-vous Collectivités viables). The conference brought experts and advocates together for a full day of programming to delve into issues of territorial inequities, social justice, and environmental health.

Photo: Vivre en Ville

The Healthy Communities Initiative team welcomed several Quebec-based placemakers to attend, connecting organizations including Sport et Loisirs de l’Ile de Montreal, Polliflora, and the South-West borough of Montreal. Together, we attended discussions and presentations that presented five key perspectives:

Lived Spaces

The first session set the tone by exploring the human consequences of territorial inequities. We heard stories on how inequity, social justice, and environmental health affect communities’ everyday lives and experiences. The conference was launched with a keynote from Toni L. Griffin, founder of Urban American City, on how design and planning contribute to conditions of justice and injustice in our cities.

Public Space

The next session tackled the inclusivity of public spaces. The panellists explored how inclusive design practices, governance, and investment strategies can enhance the accessibility and usability of public spaces for everyone. Hanna Love of the Brookings Centre delivered a presentation on broadening the civic, economic, and social impacts of public space investments through transformative placemaking.

Neighbourhood

“Quartier” focused on the critical role of community-driven urban revitalization. As climate change and the housing crisis affect urban neighbourhoods in Montreal and beyond, residents feel the impacts. The session called for collaborative approaches to urban development that prioritize the needs and voices of the community, with a presentation by Leila Ghaffari from Concordia University on the potential of socially acceptable and equitable gentrification processes.

Participants connect at a coffee break between sessions. photo: Vivre en Ville

City and Region

In this area, the focus shifted to strategies to tackle territorial inequities. This session provided valuable insights into practical approaches for creating fairer urban landscapes. Alexandre Bacon, founder of the Ashukan Institute, discussed the historic milestones and addressed the current consequences of land-related issues for Indigenous populations.

Mobilizing for Social-Ecological Justice

The closing panel highlighted the crucial link between reducing territorial inequities and climate action. The discussion emphasized that addressing social and spatial justice is integral to creating resilient and healthy living environments.

These five approaches highlighted ways that social justice can be embedded in placemaking and urban planning practices. With contexts in the City of Montreal, Canada-wide, and beyond, we learned about a range of challenges and action plans to create just and inclusive spaces.

Yom Bekele, Program Coordinator, and Eva Morrison, Storytelling Lead, Canada Healthy Communities Initative. Photo: Vivre en Ville

This in-person event was a valuable opportunity for our community of practice to share knowledge and build human relationships, leaving the conference with inspiration for future placemaking projects.

Further Reading from the programming:

• Readings from Just City Lab
• Collectivites Viables Site (French)
• Research from Brookings Insititute
• Toward a socially acceptable gentrification: A review of strategies and practices against displacement

Want to join the community of practice? Tune in to presentations, stories, and news from Canada’s Placemaking Community to discover projects happening across the country.