DIALOG’s Jill Robertson, Partner and landscape architect, will join a panel discussion titled “Downtown Livability and Challenges in the Centres” at Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board’s REenvision Housing symposium on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at the Edmonton Convention Centre.

Session: Downtown Livability and Challenges in the Centres

What defines the heart of the centres of our communities?

The municipalities within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region have prized and prioritized downtown districts to create dynamic communities, build economic growth, and develop tourism and entertainment hubs. The rise of work-from-home culture, increased office vacancy rates, disproportionate climate impacts on the most vulnerable, challenges in houselessness, and the mental health and addictions crisis have all contributed to the struggling downtowns and centres in many communities across the nation.

In this session, Jill Robertson, alongside subject matter experts Dr. Annette Trimbee, President and Vice-Chancellor, MacEwan University; Cory Wosnack, Principal and Managing Director, Avison Young; Susan McGee, Chief Executive Officer, Homeward Trust; and moderator Catherine Keill, Chief Executive Officer, Keill & Co. Inc. will discuss centres as complete communities for families, seniors, and businesses alike. Panelists will explore the solutions and tools that are critical to the recovery and livability of Edmonton’s regional core and community centres.

About REenvision Housing

Hosted by the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB), the REenvision Housing symposium is a catalyst for change and regional action. Under the theme “Housing for All”, the symposium will dive deep into the housing continuum, exploring vital questions that demand answers: What critical factors must we address to secure housing in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region? How can we collectively engineer a thriving, healthy, and globally competitive Region? How do we address the housing needs of Edmonton’s Region today, and those that will accompany a growing and diverse population?

Leading professionals in residential development and housing innovation will come together for keynote presentations, plenary panels, and breakout sessions that all address Edmonton’s housing industry.