United Way of Canada
Nominator Comments:
This project is key in developing stronger neighbourhoods and critical to policy change with impact on the quality of life for residents. The development of new zoning by law will enable new small scale uses of benefit to local residents in approximately 500 existing apartment sites. The opportunity to provide a variety of neighbourhood goods and services within apartment buildings is a key step towards creating more complete, walkable communities. This has been a result of tremendous on-going analysis and collaborations with the United Way Toronto team of Nauman Khan, Jamie Robinson and Chi Nguyen and different areas of the City of Toronto. The UWT team was instrumental in developing the policy- working with and funding ERA architects to support drafting the policy-, advocating to municipal politicians to support the policy and ensuring communities were consulted.
The team was able to successfully and respectfully leverage the best of the different stakeholders and to meet their diverse needs. Also, externally, the project has, from its inception, been inclusive and has ensured a variety of voices -particularly residents- have been heard. As well, the diversity of skills everyone brought to the table were maximized- Nouman- for ensuring political and policy links and working with key City staff; Jamie for contributing the real life experiences of neighbourhoods to developing the policy and working with key City staff and ERA architects; and Chi for organizing the community consultations.
The team truly went beyond expectations and brought new ways of working and collaborating – bringing forward a number of innovative solutions including: High quality research, effective advocacy strategies and Partnership and Relationship-building
