2025 Conference Program

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Time	Room	Session
8:00am–4:00pm	Confederation Boardroom	API Board Meeting
11:00am–5:00pm	Pre-Function Area A&B	Registration
1:00pm–4:30pm	Meet in Hotel Lobby	Mobile Workshop #1: Metro by e-Bike Additional Fee: $80 (to cover e-bike rental and refreshments during tour) Session Description:* Explore St. John's and Mount Pearl on e-bikes. Covering a total distance of approximately 25km by e-bike to help concur the infamous St. John’s hills, participants will hear about the St. John's Shared Use Paths, Churchill Park, the St. John's Farmer's Market, Bowring Park, the T'Railway Provincial Park and the Waterford River linear park system in the heart of Mount Pearl. Participants will stop along the route where we will hear from people ‘in the know’ about topics of interest to planners. Registration is limited to a minimum of 15 and maximum of 25 participants. An additional fee will apply for registration to cover the cost of e-bike rental and refreshments. Helmets will be provided. The workshop will begin and end from Pedego E-Bikes at 172 Water Street, which is approximately 1km from the hotel. Speakers: Corrie Davis, MCIP, Director of Planning and Development, Town of Conception Bay South Alanna Felt, MCIP, Sr. Planner, City of Mount Pearl Amer Afridi, P. Eng, Manager of Transportation Engineering, City of St. John's Ken O’Brien, MCIP, Chief Municipal Planner, City of St. John’s Stephen B. Jewczyk, FCIP, planner and resident of Churchill Park
1:00pm–4:30pm	Meet in Hotel Lobby	Mobile Workshop #2: A Path toward Truth and Reconciliation in St. John’s Additional Fee: $ (to cover bus rental) Session Description:* This mobile workshop features a tour of the Town of Torbay, a growing municipality located north of the City of St. John's. Torbay contains an array of bogs, fens, marshes and wetlands that provide essential community services and benefits. The tour will highlight the collaboration between the Town of Torbay and Ducks Unlimited Canada to support wetlands management and protection using the Wetland Ecosystems Services Protocol for Atlantic Canada (WESP-AC). The tour aims to highlight the ongoing work of First Light, present the process and partnerships between the City of St. John's and First Voice Urban Indigenous Coalition that led to the creation of the Joint Coordinating Committee on Indigenous Rights, explain how First Light's developments intersect with City's Development Regulations and the St. John's Heritage By-Law, and discuss next steps as the City works toward implementing the commitments outlined in Council's 2020 Declaration in Support of Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Speakers: First Light Representative Ann-Marie Cashin, MCIP, Planner III, City of St. John’s
1:00pm-4:30pm	Meet in Hotel Lobby	Mobile Workshop #3: Planning with Nature in Atlantic Canada: A Case Study of Wetlands in Torbay, NL Additional Fee: $ (to cover bus rental) Session Description:* This mobile workshop features a tour of the Town of Torbay, a growing municipality located north of the City of St. John's. Torbay contains an array of bogs, fens, marshes and wetlands that provide essential community services and benefits. The tour will highlight the collaboration between the Town of Torbay and Ducks Unlimited Canada to support wetlands management and protection using the Wetland Ecosystems Services Protocol for Atlantic Canada (WESP-AC). You will also learn about natural asset management – a proactive approach to infrastructure planning that puts nature on a level playing field with built infrastructure. When municipalities do not explicitly protect and manage natural assets for all the services they provide, they may expose themselves to significant costs and risks, especially in a changing climate. Participants will leave the workshop having identified some steps to better include natural assets in their community’s land use policies and plans. Speakers: Julia Schwarz, MCIP, Director of Planning and Development, Town of Torbay Michel Ungurain, Conservation Program Specialist, Duck’s Unlimited Canada Donna Chiarelli, Director of Programs and Capacity Building, Natural Assets Initiative Emily Sharma, Communications and Engagement Advisor, Natural Assets Initiative
6:00pm–6:30pm	Colonial Building, 90 Military Road	New Member Welcome
6:30pm–9:00pm	Colonial Building, 90 Military Road	Opening Reception

Thursday, October 23, 2025

Time	Room	Session
7:30am-8:15am	Meet in Hotel Lobby	Quidi Vidi Lake Morning Dash Start your day with an invigorating run around Quidi Vidi Lake (approximately 5km). This morning activity is designed to energize you for the day ahead. Bring comfortable running shoes and water bottle.
7:30am - 9:00 am	Pre-Function Area A&B	Registration
8:00am–9:00am	Salon B	Breakfast
9:00am–9:30am	Salon B	Welcoming Remarks & Introductions
9:30am–10:30am	Salon B	Keynote Speaker: William Ping
10:30am–11:00am	Pre-Function Area A&B / Salon B	Break
11:00am–12:00pm	Salon B	Session 1: No Voice Left Behind: Tools for Immigrant Inclusive Community Engagement Session Description: As Atlantic Canadian communities grow increasingly diverse, planners face both a challenge and an opportunity: how do we ensure our engagement processes reach and reflect everyone who calls our towns, cities, and regions home, including immigrants and newcomers? This interactive, skill-building workshop will explore proven and creative strategies for designing inclusive, culturally-responsive community engagement processes that deliberately centre immigrant voices. Drawing on a doctoral research focused on immigrant participation in planning and transit conversations in Halifax and St. John’s, the session will highlight real-world examples of how planners, newcomer organizations, and other stakeholders have worked through engagement barriers to achieve meaningful outcomes. Participants will engage in practical exercises and case-based group activities to explore: How traditional engagement processes unintentionally exclude immigrant communities. Alternative, equity-driven engagement tactics — from pop-up consultations to multilingual storytelling circles. Tools for navigating misinformation and building trust within newcomer communities. Best practices for integrating digital tools and AI to enhance inclusive engagement. Designed as a hands-on session, attendees will leave with a toolkit of adaptable strategies and communication approaches applicable to urban, small towns, and rural planning contexts. This workshop will challenge participants to reflect on their own engagement practices and co-create solutions that address the demographic realities of today’s Atlantic communities. Together, we’ll lift the fog on who is missing from the table and reimagine what authentic, community-wide engagement can look like in Atlantic Canada. Speakers: Dr. Tolulope Victoria Akerele Ph.D. Senior Consultant, Treasury Board Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland, and Commissioner, St. John’s Transportation Commission
11:00am–12:00pm	Salon C&D	Session 2: Adapting the St. John’s Built Environment to Nature: Snow, Water, and Wetlands Session Description: The City of St. John’s recognizes climate as a global and a local issue related to our long-term sustainability. Climate change brings instability, with warmer temperatures, more frequent and more intense storms (rain, snow and wind), and changes in ice storms and snow-depth accumulation. The City is adding mitigation and adaptation strategies into policies and regulations, and undertaking new initiatives. The City’s Planning and Development Division has used adaptation approaches in the Envision St. John’s Development Regulations, including winter design in development that helps balance snow-clearing costs with increasing storm intensity and higher development density; procedures to evaluate and protect wetlands which help control stormwater as well as providing wildlife habitat; and requiring floodplains to be mapped using climate-change rainfall data. The City has a number of climate-change projects in several departments, including energy retrofits to more than 17 facilities and over 160 units of non-profit housing, estimating the financial impact of risks on City buildings, the electrification of our transit and public-works fleets, active transportation improvements and a public network of electric-vehicle (EV) chargers, and partnerships to support community action. Adaptation is integrated across the City, including our drinking-water infrastructure master plan, evaluating climate hazards for emergency and business-continuity planning, and assessing the risk of storm surges and sea-level rise. Speakers: Ken O’Brien, MCIP, Chief Municipal Planner, City of St. John’s Tracy-Lynn Goosney, P.Eng., Manager of Development Engineering, City of St. John’s Lindsay Lyghtle Brushett, MCIP, Supervisor - Planning & Development, City of St. John’s Edmundo Fausto, Sustainability Manager, City of St. John’s
11:00pm–12:00pm	Garrison & Signal	Session 3: More Places to Call Home: Accommodating Rapid Population Growth in a Traditional Atlantic Canadian Urban Neighbourhood Session Description: Fredericton is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities and is transitioning from looking and feeling like a big town to being much more urban. Fredericton’s growth strategy and municipal plan ambitiously targets that at least one-quarter of Fredericton’s population growth be accommodated in the City’s urban core. The City of Fredericton, in partnership with The Planning Partnership, have prepared a new Secondary Plan for the South Core area in the heart of the city. The plan calls for 6,000 new residents in this urban neighbourhood over the next 25 years. Most of the new development is planned to occur in a new “Mid-Town” mixed-use node with mid- and high-rise infill development as well as intensified development on the collector and arterial street corridors in the plan area. Importantly, the Plan welcomes new residents while protecting the form and character of the tree-lined local streets that host a rich variety of old and new low density housing stock. The presenters will share their insights from the planning process, public engagement, and planning innovations in a traditional Atlantic Canadian urban neighbourhood. Speakers: David Leinster, BLA, OALA, FCSLA, RPP, MCIP, Principal, The Planning Partnership Ken Forrest, RPP, MCIP, Director of Planning and Development, City of Fredericton
12:00pm–1:00pm	Salon B	Lunch Fast & Funny Presentation (12:30 pm) Selling Setbacks: What if Planners Had a Reality Show? Session Description: If luxury realtors can have their own drama-filled reality show, why not planners? Selling Setbacks takes you inside the high-stakes world of zoning bylaws, site plan approvals, and last-minute council meeting surprises. Picture this: a team of glamorous (and slightly sleep-deprived) planners navigating public consultations gone off the rails, heated debates over parking minimums, and the ever-thrilling process of revising a secondary plan for the fifth time. This session will use a slideshow backdrop to set the scene and live performances by new planners to illustrate the comedy in our profession. Whether you’re a seasoned planner, a newbie, or just here for the drama, this session will make you laugh, cringe, and maybe even appreciate your planning headaches a little more and imagine what our field would look like if it got the Selling Sunset treatment— passive-aggressive emails turned confessionals and all. This 10-minute session blends satire and real-world planning absurdities, offering a fresh (and hilarious) take on the profession we love. Speakers: Timothy Gouveia, LPP, MCIP, Planner, Dillon Consulting Maria Lutes, Planner, Dillon Consulting
12:00pm-1:00pm	Salon C&D	PSB Lunch & Learn Professional Standards Board Aspiring and current RPP candidates seeking certification as Registered Professional Planners (RPPs) in Canada, Mentors, and Sponsors are invited to join us on a journey through the certification process. In this presentation, we’ll explore the pathways to becoming an RPP. With a focus on both the accredited degree pathway and Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) pathway. From the requirements for admission through to obtaining your RPP designation to the final exam, we’ll demystify the certification process. We’ll delve into the role of the mentorship in the certification journey, expectations and best practices for mentors, and resources to support you on your journey. Whether you’re a fresh graduate, or seasoned planner working in Canada, this session will provide valuable insights into obtaining your RPP designation. Join us as we pave your path toward excellence in planning!
1:00pm-2:00pm	Salon B	Session 4: Digital Frontiers in Participatory Planning: Wind in Our Sails, or a Gathering Storm? Session Description: Technological change is rapidly reshaping the participatory planning landscape. This session will focus on two of the most impactful trends: the widespread adoption of dedicated digital engagement platforms (such as EngagementHQ and Social Pinpoint), and the emerging influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While these tools introduce powerful new possibilities for public engagement and decision-making, they also raise complex ethical dilemmas and governance challenges that planners must navigate. In this session, Morgan Boyco, RPP MCIP, PhD Candidate at the University of Waterloo and a practicing planner, will share insights from two of his recent national research projects. The first investigates how Canadian municipalities adopt and use dedicated digital engagement platforms, drawing on a national inventory of platform use and interviews with dozens of planners and engagement staff. The second, conducted in collaboration with planning and technology researcher Dr. Pamela Robinson, explores the ethical and practical implications of AI in public participation, based on a series of workshops with practitioners across the country. This interactive session draws on research insights as a foundation for a collaborative exploration of the potential and pitfalls of digital platforms for community engagement, along with the implications and ethical dilemmas planners face when incorporating AI into public participation. Participants will reflect on how technology is reshaping participatory processes and work through the most pressing challenges that digital platforms and AI pose for the profession. Speakers: Morgan Boyco, RPP, MCIP, Associate, Planner and Public Engagement Specialist, Dillon Consulting, PhD Candidate, School of Planning, University of Waterloo
1:00pm–2:00pm	Salon C&D	Session 5: Planning Needs Women: Bridging the Leadership Gap in the Profession in Atlantic Canada Session Description: Representation in the planning profession matters. As a signatory of the Canada 50-30 Challenge, the Canadian Institute of Planners is committed to work towards gender parity and to increase the representation of equity-deserving groups in leadership positions. However, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles within the planning profession across Atlantic Canada. This moderated panel will bring together four (4) women in leadership roles in the planning field across the Atlantic provinces to share their experiences navigating structural barriers, and the opportunities to overcome them. The discussion also aims to serve as an opportunity for peer support and mentorship. While the session will be open to all attendees, priority will be given to self-identified women during the Question & Answer period. Speakers: Dr. Tolulope Victoria Akerele Ph.D. Senior Consultant, Treasury Board Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland, and Commissioner, St. John’s Transportation Commission Tracey Wade, RPP, MCIP, Lead Consultant and Planner, We6 Planning Group Donna Miller Ayton, Manager of Heritage and Policy, City of Charlottetown Jessica Paterson McDonald, LPP, MCIP, Director of Community Development, Town of Bridgewater (Moderator) Melisa Tang Choy, Planner, City of Fredericton
1:00pm–2:00pm	Garrison & Signal	Session 6: Rezoning your Career: A Frank Discussion About Transitioning Between the Public and Private Sectors Session Description: Moving between the public and private sectors at any point in a planning career can be daunting and frustrating, but it can also be exciting, challenging and very rewarding. We know that planners have heard stories from colleagues about public and private sector jobs. Some of these stories are positive, while others are downright scary. There are lots of questions about expectations, responsibilities, variety in the work, opportunities for advancement and promotion, time off, late nights, council meetings and bureaucratic red tape, billable time, and time management, and more recently, the importance of a work-life balance. While work in both sectors is fundamentally different, it can be fun on both sides. Change as they say, can be a good thing, but do planners really know what the realities are in both sectors? Many may have preconceived ideas and opinions based on the narratives they’ve heard, and it may be preventing them from advancing their careers or true interests. This session will offer a frank discussion between several planners from across Atlantic Canada who have recently moved between the public and private sectors at various points in their careers. They will share lessons learned from their transitions and speak candidly about their experiences to help make the decision-making and onboarding process for others a little easier. This will be an opportunity to help other planners make informed decisions about their career opportunities and change and help them learn from their colleagues who have worked in both the public and private sectors. Ultimately, it will connect planning colleagues no matter what sector they’re currently working within. Speakers: Jamie Burke, RPP, MCIP Senior Associate & Atlantic Lead - Urban Planning, Stantec Samantha Murphy, RPP, FCIP Owner, SJ Murphy Planning & Consulting Partner, We6 Planning Group
2:00pm–2:30pm	Pre-Function Area A&B / Salon B	Break
2:30pm–4:00pm	Salon B	Session 7: Planning Through Chaos: Navigating Rapid Change in a Stormy World Session Description: The world’s a crazy place these days. A pandemic, a housing crisis, rapid population growth in much of Atlantic Canada, the growing federal government influence on land use planning including the Housing Accelerator Fund and CHIF, immigration, tariffs, Trump, the changing nature of bricks and mortar retail, working from home…Atlantic Canada’s planners have never had to be so nimble and so responsive to change. Join a dynamic group of panellists from across the region for a fast-paced, no holds-barred, and perhaps sometimes controversial and irreverent discussion about what’s making planning in our part of the world exciting and important. Speakers: Ken Forrest, RPP, MCIP, Director of Planning and Development, City of Fredericton Sébastien Doiron, RPP, MCIP, Director of Planning, Southeast New Brunswick Regional Service Commission
2:30pm–4:30pm	Salon C&D (+Downtown Mobile Workshop)	Session 8: Strengthening your Downtown Session Description: In recent years, several contradicting paradoxes have been observed in the downtown areas of the Maritimes, a phenomenon that extends well beyond this region. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, downtown areas have emptied out their offices and, consequently, their workers. The rise of online commerce, combined with increasing rents, also discourages retail businesses from setting up downtown. However, conversely, an unprecedented population growth is currently being observed in the Maritimes. Domestic tourism is also experiencing significant expansion, and we are confident that this trend will continue in the coming years. The crucial question is therefore: how can we strengthen the resilience of our downtown areas in this new era, without completely reinventing them? Faced with these challenges, the workshop facilitator will present the methodology developed by her team in downtown Montreal. This approach aims to identify development opportunities and propose suitable solutions to strengthen the resilience of downtown areas and meet the needs of their visitors. During the mobile portion of the workshop, participants will be invited to test this methodology and propose resilience actions adapted to the needs and ambitions of Downtown St. John’s. The workshop will be conducted in four main stages, corresponding to the key phases of the methodology: diagnosis, space selection criteria, opportunity assessment, and development proposals. Speakers: Aude Tessier, Team Leader, Urban Planning & Landscape Architecture Studio, Stantec
2:30pm–3:30pm	Garrison & Signal	Session 9: Priority Place Initiatives in PEI & NB: Preserving Habitat Through Parkland Session Descriptions: The PEI Forested Landscape and the Wolastoq River Watershed were chosen as 2 of 11 Priority Places for Species at Risk in Canada by Federal-Provincial governments due to their biodiversity values and conservation need. The Federation of PEI Municipalities (FPEIM) recently released a guide to help PEI municipalities protect forested and natural areas. “With the urgent need to develop housing and the resulting pressures on our land, municipal leaders want to ensure PEI’s natural areas are protected,” said FPEIM President Bruce MacDougall. “Forests and other natural areas make our Island more resilient to climate change. These areas also provide animal habitat and help to create communities where people want to live and visit.” In New Brunswick, a planning guide to protect habitat for species at risk has been created that includes sample language that can be adopted by municipalities based on their size and their ambitions in conservation management. We6 Planners Janice Harper and Tracey Wade have led the development of these tools for municipal decision makers to identify habitat for species at risk, and to establish processes and sample language for land use plans and zoning provisions. Funded by NRCan, planners worked with provincial and municipal officials and watershed organizations to conservation activities that have climate mitigation and recreation co-benefits for communities. This session offers a creative and practical approach to addressing the need find space for habitat conservation as municipalities continue to develop. This session will explore how planners can adapt these guides to local use. Speakers: Janice Harper, RPP, MCIP, Planner, We6 Planning Group Tracey Wade, RPP, MCIP, Planner, We6 Planning Group
3:30pm-5:00pm	Garrison & Signal	Session 10: Collaborating for Coastal Adaptation & Climate Resiliency in Atlantic Coastal Communities Session Description: Coastal communities in Atlantic Canada are increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts. This session looks to highlight the Climate Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) initiative, funded by NRCan, that supports climate resilient approaches in 10 Atlantic municipalities along with the Coastal Adaptation Toolkit (CAT) and the Building Climate Adaptation Capacity (BCAC) program through CLIMAtlantic. The CRCC initiative emphasizes that municipal planning is critical before making infrastructure decisions. Technical experts guide participating municipalities through a number of stages: 1) assessment of municipal governance policies for equity and adaptation; 2) identification of vulnerable populations and equity issues; 3) climate vulnerability assessment; 4) land use planning assessment of existing policies and approaches, and recommendations for new directions; 5) nature-based solutions training and activities for residents and municipal staff; and 6) capital planning and financing strategies to achieve resiliency goals. Representatives from the Town of St. Andrews (NB) and the City of St. John’s (NL) will discuss how this collaborative and integrated process has worked to date. As the planning lead, We6 partners are working with the multi-disciplinary project team and each of the communities. AIM Network coordinates the project and provides GIS mapping, asset management and engineering expertise. CLIMAtlantic will provide an overview of their climate services for communities, including the CAT toolkit and BCAC program and how coastal communities are using the toolkit and program to support adaptation planning. Speakers: Mary Bishop, RPP, FCIP, Planner, We6 Planning Group Matt Delorme, Executive Director, AIM Network Xander Gopen, RPP, MCIP, Senior Planner and Housing Specialist, Southwest New Brunswick Regional Service Commission Sepehr Khosravi, CLIMAtlantic Newfoundland Climate Services Specialist
4:30pm-6:00pm	TBD	Dalhousie University, School of Planning Alumni Event
6:00pm–6:30 pm	Court Garden	Reception Cash Bar
6:30pm-10:00pm	Court Garden	Conference Banquet & Awards

Friday, October 24, 2025

Time	Room	Session
8:00am–9:00am	Salon B	Breakfast
9:00am–10:30am	Salon B	Session 11: Planning Under Pressure: Surviving and Thriving in Legal and Quasi-Judicial Settings Session Description: Planners across Atlantic Canada are increasingly finding themselves at the centre of legal and quasi-judicial processes—whether before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB), the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) in PEI, the Assessment and Planning Appeal Board in Newfoundland and Labrador, or the Regional Service Commissions and municipal appeal bodies in New Brunswick. Yet, few planning professionals have been trained to navigate these high-stakes settings. This interactive, hands-on workshop is designed to demystify the appeal process and help planners build the practical skills they need to prepare, testify, and collaborate effectively in legal environments. Co-led by a seasoned planner and a planning lawyer with extensive experience in appeals, this session covers how to prepare solid planning evidence, understand your role in the appeal process, work with legal counsel, and remain professional and credible under cross-examination. Participants will engage in mock exercises, real-world scenarios, and discussion on the challenges of giving evidence, handling tough questions, and maintaining integrity in adversarial spaces. The session is rooted in the Atlantic context and offers strategies tailored to the systems and realities faced by planners in the region. Aligned with the themes Adjusting the Sails & Adapting to Change and Lifting Through the Fog, this workshop helps build the confidence, competence, and resilience planners need to succeed in today’s shifting legal and political landscape. Speakers: Chrystal Fuller, LPP, RPP, MCIP, Principal, Brighter Community Planning & Consulting Dylan MacDonald, Associate, Stewart McKelvey
9:00am–10:30am	Salon C&D	Session 12: Planning for Equitable Recreation in Rural HRM Session Description: Reflecting the “Anchored in Culture” sub-theme, this workshop will be an opportunity to learn how Halifax Regional Municipality created an equitable Rural Recreation Strategy and, in turn, stronger relationships with rural communities. Rooted in local rural context and authentic and thorough community engagement and empowerment, the strategy demonstrates a meaningful shift away from applying urban solutions to rural challenges. Staff used engagement methods that were tailored to connect with a rural audience, and took an asset-based approach by working with rural not-for-profit recreation organizations (e.g., community halls, recreation clubs, cultural organizations, sports clubs, and trails groups) and intergovernmental recreation partners (e.g., provincial grant providers, Department of Natural Resources, and Libraries) to understand what already exists and how the municipality can support existing recreation services and provide additional recreation opportunities in each rural community. The Rural Recreation Strategy was guided by three essential principles: 1. Creating a rural lens for recreation service delivery 2. Asset-based community development 3. Building partnerships This workshop will provide an overview of how the Rural Recreation Strategy was created, including data used, community engagement methods, and encouraging a shift to simple yet innovative actions. Through activities and discussion, this workshop will provide planners, and municipal staff more broadly, with tools to consider an asset-based community development approach to their own challenges with planning for municipal service provision and community engagement. Speakers: Meaghan Dalton, Planner III, Community Planning, Halifax Regional Municipality Mickie McDow, Community Recreation Coordinator, Parks and Recreation, Halifax Regional Municipality
9:00am–10:30am	Garrison & Signal	Session 13: A Planning Re-Imagination Session Description: The confluence of environmental, policy, social, and economic challenges demands adjustment and adaptation, but also the courage to set an entirely new course. This 90-minute panel presentation and facilitated discussion will help participants to re-imagine the status quo of planning. We will explore new ways to think about our relationship with nature and energy infrastructure and suggest a new role for planners as change-makers. Patricia Manuel will challenge current thinking about landscapes—specifically coastal landscapes. Coastal cultures are intimately connected with the shore, but a legacy of maladaptive development has degraded environments and turned coastal processes into hazards. We need a new relationship with the landscape where healthy ecosystems thrive, development respects coastal processes, and natural environments strengthen the shore—foundations for a good coastal life. Chad Walker’s research on low carbon energy transitions has highlighted the value of community-driven renewable/clean energy projects. Although most emissions are influenced by municipal governments, planners have historically been disconnected from climate change and energy transitions. Fortunately, climate and community energy planning is gaining momentum in Canada. Chad will speak to his recent research, including findings from Solar City—the Halifax Regional Municipality’s solar energy financing program. Kate Thompson will present her research on those resourceful planners—policy entrepreneurs—who apply their personal and professional values and interpersonal skills to effect policy change. Policy entrepreneurs can play an important role in advancing new ideas in planning practice—but where do they fit in the institutions of planning, and how can we support their efforts? Speakers: Dr. Patricia Manuel, School of Planning, Dalhousie University Dr. Chad Walker, Assistant Professor, School of Planning, Dalhousie University Dr. Kate Thompson, Instructor, School of Planning, Dalhousie University
10:30pm–11:00am	Pre-Function Area A&B / Salon B	Break
11:00pm–12:00pm	Salon B	Closing Keynote - TBA
12:00pm–12:15pm	Salon B	Closing Remarks