Urbanization is transforming landscapes, cultures, and economies at an unprecedented pace. Many are unprepared and hindered by outdated technology and slow moving politics. Our panel, led by Ken Bautista from Makespace, will explore how everyone has a role to play in city building. They will share small (and big) ideas, pop-ups, and pilots that are shaping cities one project at a time.

A thriving and equitable nighttime economy is one that promotes economic, cultural, and social resilience. Nate Sabine from Blueprint and Hospitality Vancouver Association (HVA) and Jessica Borich from Prism X Strategy share insights from HVA's public consultation. Building on the collective power of the community can be a powerful driver of economic growth and community development.

How do we design places to be truly unique destinations on Earth? Ginger Gosnell-Myers, from Ginger Gosnell-Myers Consulting, introduces how we can incorporate Indigeneity throughout the planning and design process while avoiding the advancement of colonization through current practices.

Joseph Fry from Hapa Collaborative talks to the former Mayor of the City of North Vancouver, Darrell Mussatto, about the vision, trials, and success of The Shipyards District in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood.

True collaboration is happening between the City of Chilliwack, developers, and local businesses. Josh Vanderheide from Field House Brewing talks to developer Dave Algra from Algra Bros. Developments about the amazing cultural changes emerging in downtown Chilliwack.

Melissa Higgs from hcma leads an exciting group of creative voices to elevate the spirit of collaboration in service of creating truly inclusive public spaces within our most critical urban areas.

A successful community is one that creates intersections between living, business, and common space.

Jorden Foss, the owner operator of Steel & Oak Brewing Company talks about the future of micro retail and the need to move “artisanal makers” closer to urban centres and their residents.

Who will be the true champions of public space in our city? How can private investment and public amenity leverage each other, creating a whole better than the sum of the parts?

Cities around the globe can become healthier by investing in thoughtfully designed public spaces that support human interaction, however, it is important to ensure the story of a space is effectively shared and social media can be a valuable tool for this.