A talk with Brent Toderian—the City of Vancouver’s new Director of Planning November 2, 2006

Free Public Lecture
Reservations required: Email cs_hc at sfu dot ca or call 604.291.5100

About Brent Toderian:

The City of Vancouver has appointed Brent Toderian as its new Director of Planning, after City Council approved the recommendation of the selection committee.

Toderian has most recently served as Manager of Centre City Planning and Design for the City of Calgary where he led a team of 20 in visioning and policy; master planning; development design and architectural review; civic realm design; heritage planning, and special projects work (e.g. a new downtown library, the new university downtown campus, and the expansion of the Calgary Stampede) in areas of the city experiencing rapid residential, office and retail growth.

He has been heading the development of Calgary's new comprehensive Centre City Plan, which meshes design and planning issues with arts and culture, social planning, economic development, and other facets of successful planning. Toderian also spent four years setting the tone for neighbourhood design in Calgary as its Chief Subdivision Planner, where he was instrumental in introducing new approaches to sustainable design and growth.

Before joining the City of Calgary in 2001, Toderian spent nine years as an award-winning city planning and urban design consultant with the Ontario-based firm MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Ltd. At MHBC, he consulted on and managed a wide variety of residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use projects throughout Ontario, and created many municipal plans and strategies for Canadian cities.

He holds an Honours Bachelors Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Waterloo, and has also been a frequent guest lecturer at the University of Waterloo, Guelph, Western Ontario and Calgary on the topics of planning and design.

The search process was guided by a cross-departmental committee with input from staff and key community stakeholders, including developers, who were invited to provide feedback. Members of Council and the Corporate Management Team also met the leading candidate before a decision was made.

"We are delighted that Mr. Toderian will be joining the City of Vancouver's award-winning planning team," said Mayor Sam Sullivan. "On behalf of Council and City staff, I welcome him to Vancouver and look forward to the contribution he will make in helping us continue to ensure that Vancouver remains one of the world's most livable cities."

Toderian will start work with the City of Vancouver on September 14.

The Director of Planning is the City’s senior representative in the planning and negotiation of major private and public developments and oversees more than 100 staff members. The Director will lead the Planning Department’s two divisions, City Plans and Current Planning, which advise Council on policies which guide growth and change in the city, with an emphasis on land use and built forms. The department considers the implications of a wide range of social, economic, physical and environmental issues on the livability of the city.

The Director of Planning will take the place of the retired Co-Directors of Planning, Ann MacAfee and Larry Beasley. The Director’s role has traditionally been filled by one individual but in the past decade, due to a unique set of circumstances, two Co-Directors were appointed.

from http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/ctyclerk/newsreleases2006/NRdirectorplanning.htm

Official Website: http://www.sfu.ca/city/fpl.htm