School of Cities
The future is urban: U of T’s School of Cities celebrates its fifth anniversary
September 30, 2023
Five years ago, UofT established the School of Cities, a multidisciplinary hub tasked with creating solutions for more efficient and equitable cities in an increasingly urbanized world. The project makes enormous sense. In a world where 4.5 billion people live in cities and more move to cities every day, there is no question that the future is urban.
Toronto mayoral candidates debate at U of T’s School of Cities
June 25, 2023
On June 12, the six frontrunners of the Toronto mayoral byelection participated in a debate at U of T’s Innis Town Hall, hosted by the School of Cities. The debate was themed around housing affordability, and candidates took questions from student leaders and community advocates.
Sustainable Future – Challenge Accepted! Equitable Communities Ep. 5
June 13, 2023
This instalment explores the intersection between equity, the environment and the economy. Karen Chapple, director of U of T’s School of Cities, says students and researchers are coming up with new ways to address the challenges of affordable housing and energy efficiency – and the next step is to put those ideas into practice.
Brave new tech: Experts say AI tools like ChatGPT – and the ethical questions they raise – are here to stay
April 5, 2023
In recent months, news headlines have outlined the issues relating to generative AI tools and content. Illustrators, graphic designers, photographers, musicians and writers have expressed concerns about losing income to generative AI and having their creations used as source material without permission or compensation.
On the academic front, instructors are having to cope with students submitting work written by ChatGPT and are re-evaluating how best to teach and assess courses as a result. Institutions such as U of T are examining the ramifications of this technology and providing guidelines for students and instructors.
From mapping stars to helping youth escape poverty, student researchers break new ground
October 5, 2022
Learn more about the work of student researchers supported by the DSI, the BRN and School of Cities.
School of Cities releases plan to boost mixed-use development in Toronto
April 27, 2022
Family shelters below upscale condos, student housing above a rec centre and affordable housing built on top of community spaces offering social services. These are a few local examples of mixed-use development, a kind of urban planning not often found in Toronto that blends residential, commercial and other uses. Amid pandemic-related economic pressures and skyrocketing […]
Can a ‘problem’ be a solution? U of T’s School of Cities rethinks Toronto’s aging apartment towers
October 6, 2021
“Towers in the Park: A Prospective for Equitable Resilience,” led by Fadi Masoud, aims to evaluate the social and environmental value of public and private open-space assets as they relate to the city’s overall resilience goals. It will also explore the potential for integrating adaptation and mitigation strategies in the tower neighbourhoods. It is just one of the innovative interdisciplinary research projects supported by U of T’s School of Cities.
U of T names renowned urban planning and data science academic, Karen Chapple, as director of the School of Cities
December 9, 2020
December 9, 2020 by Lucianna Ciccocioppo - A&S News Professor Karen Chapple, of UC-Berkeley, is the new director of the U of T’s School of Cities.Photo credit: Shoey Sindel Photography Reposted from U of T News Urban planning and data science academic Karen Chapple has been named the new director of the School of Cities at the University of Toronto, […]
Report back: "Toward healthy, sustainable and equitable global food systems: Is the global food supply aligned with healthy eating guidelines?"
December 9, 2020
December 9, 2020 by School of Cities Staff (Report back: "Toward healthy, sustainable and equitable global food systems: Is the global food supply aligned with healthy eating guidelines?" | School of Cities (utoronto.ca)) In this talk, Prof. Penny discussed global food supply and tracking its alignment with food-based dietary guidelines. The creation of food-based dietary guidelines […]
Critical Perspectives on Homelessness and COVID-19
August 21, 2020
On August 11, the Affordable Housing Challenge Project held our first online seminar since the arrival of the pandemic, Critical Perspectives on Homelessness and COVID-19. We were joined by guests Dawnmarie Harriott (coordinator of Voices from the Street at Working for Change) and Emily Paradis (affordable housing advocate, activist and instructor with the University of Toronto’s […]
'Lost art: Measuring COVID-19’s devastating impact on America’s creative economy' - A Report by Richard Florida, via Brookings.
August 17, 2020
"This study estimates the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the creative economy, which is comprised of industries such as film, advertising, and fashion as well as creative occupations such as musicians, artists, performers, and designers. We estimate losses in sales of goods and services, employment, and earnings for creative industries and creative occupations at […]