DAY 2 - FRIDAY OCTOBER 23rd 2026

F3 - The Great Urban Design Debate: Life after Death?

Urban design is under fire.

It is blamed for slowing approvals, criticized as arbitrary, and accused of applying rigid standards without regard for context and economic considerations. Has urban design lost its legitimacy, or has its value simply been misunderstood?

Join a provocative conversation with influential city-builders as they debate the future of the profession. Our panellists will confront the successes and failures that brought us to this moment, examine the risks of abandoning design principles, and ask whether urban design can be reinvented for a new era.

Can urban design regain its credibility and relevance? Will its ambitious city-building goals survive, or are we witnessing the end of an era?

For design professionals, policymakers, and political leaders, this session promises bold perspectives on the life, death, and possible rebirth of urban design in Canada, and what is at stake for our communities.