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Bi-Annual Report 2019-2020

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Bi-Annual Report 2019-2020 Ryerson City Building Institute 2018-2019 Biannual Report Contents About Us .........................................1 Activities and Impacts ......................2 Research ...................................2 Academic Collaboration.............3 Engagement ..............................4 2018-2019 By the Numbers ............7 CBIdeas: Blog and Social Media .....7 Issues Focus 2018-2019 .................8 Stakeholders .................................10 Panels and Appointments ..............11 Financial Statement .......................13 About Us The Ryerson City Building Institute combines We envision a future in which all cities are prosperous, leading-edge research with broad public equitable, environmentally sustainable and resilient. In engagement to advance progressive city building in collaboration with the Ryerson community and external the GTHA and beyond. partners, we produce public policy research and share insights addressing diverse urban challenges to promote healthy neighbourhoods, cities and regions, starting with the GTHA. We are recognized for our accessible approach to knowledge mobilization, our multi-disci- plinary perspective, and for providing leadership and dialogue that motivates action on important issues. In This Report This report covers our activites from January 1, 2018 to as we celebrated five years of operation, we met these December 31, 2019, and was prepared for the Office of objectives with a broad program of integrated activities, the Vice President, Research and Innovation, Ryerson which you will read about in these pages. University. In the first half of 2020, we have continued work aligned Our objective is to provide timely research and analysis with our issue areas (see page 8). However the Ryerson of current urban issues that seeks to drive forward new City Building Institute is undergoing a period of organi- thinking in policy and development. We also seek to zational review and for this reason cannot project next connect Ryerson University to broader urban dialogues year’s activity plan or proposed budget. through academic and engagement initiatives involving faculty and students, and demonstrate Ryerson’s unique thought leadership in city building. In 2018 and 2019, Ryerson City Building Institute | Biannual Report 2018-2019 | Page 1 Activities and Impacts Inspiring Change with Action-Oriented Research CBI is recognized for its public policy research focused on solutions, produced by expert in-house staff and in collaboration with Ryerson faculty and students. Our publications and research activities receive strong uptake by media, government, industry and urban development sectors. 2018-2019 CBI Research (see next page for projects with faculty): Rethinking the Tower: Finding the Missing Middle in A case study review of the GTHA: widespread innovations in A thought experiment in which development, construction we found room enough for and financing to help 174,000 housing opportunities achieve greater housing in Mississauga via urban attainability in the GTHA. intensification. TAXED OUT: Toronto’s Great Streets: A look at the impacts of An accessible guide to urban rising commercial property mobility and neighbourhood taxes on business and revitalization through culture in Toronto. We effective street redesign. presented the results in a public gallery exhibition and hosted events calling for a solution to this threat to local vibrancy in the fall of 2018. See page 5 for full PLUS Getting Intense: A policy paper on rethinking details. planning for an intensification-first approach. Ryerson City Building Institute | Biannual Report 2018-2019 | Page 2 Showcasing Ryerson Insights through Academic Collaboration In 2018-2019, we emphasized our efforts in connecting academic expertise within the university to broader public policy and city-building issues, through events, reports, storytelling and other special projects. Ryerson CBI showcased Ryerson thought leadership in 2018-2019 Projects with Faculty many ways, notably by including faculty members in all of our public presentations and continuing our “Ryerson Completed City Builders” blog series of academic profiles. » *Can Ryerson Benefit from a Better Yonge In addition, we established an Academic Council Street?: Report and video about public realm composed of members from diverse academic improvements and university campuses prepared with departments. Its members help to guide our research research led by Dr. Zhixi Zhuang, with Jessica Brodeur agenda and provide input on a wide range of issues. See and Graeme Kennedy, School of Urban and Regional Stakeholders section for more information. Planning. Content direction by Ryerson CBI. » On-Demand Transit Data Analysis: A CBI-driven synopsis and promotion of research into Canada’s first on-demand transit pilot. Original research performed by Shadi Djavadian, Bilal Farooq and Irum Sanaullah, Department of Civil Engineering. » *Turning Laneways into Public Places Toolkit: A faculty-led project resulting in a practical toolkit for laneway revitalization by Dr. Shelagh McCartney and Courtney Kaupp, School of Urban and Regional Planning. Produced in partnership with The Laneway Project. » Course collaboration on mixed-use development: Ryerson CBI participated in the course “Emerging Trends & Design Strategies for Mixed-Use Development,” delivered to students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning. Collaborative elements included curriculum development, a public presentation at Urbanspace Gallery that included Our work involves three program platforms: research, expert external review of student work, and engagement, and collaboration with Ryerson faculty and storytelling on the Ryerson CBI blog. students. Initiated — in progress » Pedalling Forward with a Priority Cycling Grid: Research report led by Dr. Anne Harris, School of Student Placements Public and Occupational Health, with funding from We were pleased to work with these the Metcalf Foundation. Ryerson students in 2018-2019: » *Unlocking Housing Solutions: Research report Shay Alford, Research Assistant led by Dr. Steven Webber, Assistant Professor, School Patrice Mitchell, Project Assistant of Urban and Regional Planning. Also funded by Arielle Zamdvaiz, Project Assistant Ontario Home Builders Association. *Produced with research funding from Ryerson CBI Ryerson City Building Institute | Biannual Report 2018-2019 | Page 3 Convening City Builders to Foster a Movement Our events and presentations aim to engage people in making cities better. In 2018-2019, we seized many opportunities to convene city builders and share meaningful ideas. Ryerson CBI Meetups Toronto’s Streets at a Crossroads Our signature events, meetups are hosted free for hundreds at the Sheldon & Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre with Steve Paikin as moderator. On September 5, 2018, we presented “Toronto’s Streets at a Crossroads,” examining and calling for immediate action to end Toronto’s road safety crisis. Panelists: Polly Trottenberg, N.Y.C. Department of Transportation; Gil Penalosa, 8 80 Cities; Barbara Gray, Transportation Services, City of Toronto; Liliana Quintero, City of Vancouver; Mike Layton, Toronto City Council; Dr. Anne Harris, School of Occupational and Public Health, Ryerson University; Dr. Raktim Mitra, School of Urban and Regional Planning, Ryerson University; and Nancy Smith Lea, Toronto Centre for Active Transportation. Ryerson City Building Institute | Biannual Report 2018-2019 | Page 4 TAXED OUT Our First Gallery Exhibition In this project, CBI conducted extensive research into the complex issue of commercial property tax policy and the impacts it is having on our main streets. To present our findings, we designed our first public gallery exhibi- tion, TAXED OUT. To put together the exhibition, we curated all content, commissioning custom photography by Vik Pahwa and visual concept presentation by Spacing. The exhibition ran in the Urbanspace Gallery at 401 Richmond from September to December, 2018, and was open during Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. We were also pleased to present: » An opening reception featuring a panel discussion with Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto City Council); LoriAnn Girvan (Artscape); Mark Garner (Downtown Yonge BIA); Peter Tomlinson (tax expert, University of Toronto); and Rob Sysak (West Queen West BIA) » A special reception for Toronto BIAs in partnership with TABIA and Toronto Region Board of Trade » A remount at City Hall for BIA Week 2019 » A “digital edition” capturing all the visuals and research data from the exhibition, available for download on our website Garnering interest from top officials from municipalities, the provincial government and the Toronto business community, TAXED OUT helped to further an import- ant conversation about changing the course of current taxation policy. Ryerson City Building Institute | Biannual Report 2018-2019 | Page 5 Events Continued... Urban Innovation Cafe Series Jane’s Walk: Forever Yonge In 2019, we launched a new event series featuring Imagining the proposed people-centric redesign of coffee and conversation with industry leaders, public Toronto’s iconic Yonge Street. professionals and academics. The first three events in the series hosted over 300 participants in: » Innovations in Housing Affordability » Hacking Surface Transit in Toronto » Taken for a Ride: Hailing On-Demand Transit for Good Toronto, Interrupted A conversation with Ken Greenberg and moderated pan- el with special guests about political changes in spring Mixing It Up in Toronto 2019 threatening
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