CivicAction

At CivicAction, we see housing not just as a sector challenge, but as a systems issue that requires coordination across public, private, and community leaders. Our partnership with DMZ's Centre for Housing Institute is about exactly that - bringing the right people to the table, supporting innovation, and helping move ideas closer to implementation. We are thrilled to be a partner in the CHI, supporting cohorts with mentorship, and to see our research series on the housing challenge featured as a resource for innovators building the future of housing in Canada. Read our research on workforce housing here: https://lnkd.in/gVSzybYT. #HousingIsInfrastructure #CollaborationIsKey #HousingAffordability

Ontario’s 2026 Budget includes important investments for housing: infrastructure, purpose-built rentals, finance tools, and more. But it stops short of fully addressing the challenge of housing affordability for workers who power our cities: healthcare workers, educators, service providers, skilled workers, and more. Projects stall because the system makes the multi-sector partnerships we need to deliver this workforce housing difficult. And the ripple effects hit everyone, every workplace, every city, and the provincial and national economy. That’s exactly the gap CivicAction’s new Workforce Housing Playbook for Action is designed to solve. Informed by the voices of over 350 cross-sector leaders, it shows that gap isn’t just funding or even motivation. It’s coordination. When financing, resources, approvals, and partners aren’t aligned, housing that’s affordable to middle-income households (half of all GTHA households) doesn’t get built at the speed and scale we need. The next urgent step we all need to push for, whatever our sphere of influence? Bring the Playbook lessons to life in policy and practice to make sure the 2026 budget investments lead to partners delivering housing that millions of people and families can afford in the GTHA, and beyond. Read the Playbook: https://lnkd.in/e4bzYJmj. #MissionAffordable #WorkforceHousing #OntarioBudget #HousingAffordability #ONpoli

Congratulations to Alicia R., recipient of the Civic Leadership Impact Award at this year's Women in Change for Change event. As a DiverseCity Fellow Alumna, AVP of Social Impact and Strategy, Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship at TD Bank Group, and through her board work with several organizations across the region, Alicia brings heart and intention to everything she does. Her contributions to civic leadership, social impact, and community building reflect a deep belief in the power of people to shape the places they call home.  We are proud to celebrate a leader whose impact is felt across our communities and whose work continues to grow✨ #WomenInChangeForChange #CivicAction #WICFC26 #Leadership #WomenLeaders #Inclusion #Equity #TheFutureWeWant #WICFCAwards 

Congratulations to Godyne Sibay, LL.B., ICD.D, recipient of the Civic Leadership Excellence Award at this year's Women in Change for Change event. Godyne's career is a testament to what sustained, purpose-driven leadership looks like in practice. As Senior Strategic Advisor and Counsel at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, and a Board Director at CivicAction and Invest Ontario, she has consistently championed inclusive leadership and created meaningful civic impact across the GTHA. Her work reminds us that real change is built over time through vision, dedication, and a deep commitment to community. We are honoured to celebrate her contributions and the legacy she continues to build✨ #WomenInChangeForChange #CivicAction #WICFC #Leadership #WomenLeaders #Inclusion #Equity #TheFutureWeWant #WICFCAwards

🚨 CivicAction's new Workforce Housing Affordability Playbook for Action offers solutions to building the housing our region so desperately needs to make sure the people who power our region can live here. What did we find, with the help of over 350 cross-sector leaders? The problem isn't motivation, it's structure. And this Playbook shows us the structure we need to transform the way we do things for the better. It details a step-by-step framework to build affordable homes for key workers: nurses, long-term care workers, transit operators, skilled tradespeople, teachers, service workers, and more. The Playbook identifies seven essential partners required to move housing affordability projects forward and transform how we do things: capital providers, development experts, governments, nonprofit providers, employers, Indigenous communities and organizations, and community voices. Because no single player can solve this alone. Priorities and risks must be aligned and shared. 🔗 Read the full report and accept the mission: https://lnkd.in/e4bzYJmj #MissionAffordable #WorkforceHousing #HousingAffordability #GTHA #TheActionPlan #PartnershipsForChange #CivicLeadership

Marking its second year, Women in Change for Change, is an exclusive evening dedicated to honouring the women shaping the future of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The evening will feature The Future We Want. The Change We Need panel to explore how women's leadership is shaping city-building at a moment of political, economic, and social transition. It will also mark the first ever Women in Change for Change awards, created to celebrate women contribute their time and expertise generously to empower and inspire the next generation of leaders.    Congratulations to this year’s inaugural Women in Change for Change award recipients- Godyne Sibay, LL.B., ICD.D , honoured with the Civic Leadership Excellence Award, and Alicia R., for the Civic Leadership Impact Award.    Co-chaired by CivicAction Board Members Nan (Nandini) DasGupta and Laura Adams, speakers include Mitzie Hunter, President and CEO, Canadian Women’s Foundation , Karla Congson 🇨🇦 Congson, CEO & CTO, agentiiv, Gillian Smith, Executive Director, Office of the Chair, Deloitte Canada & Chile, Bibi H., Senior Parliamentary Affairs Advisor, Minister of Transport, and moderator Anita Li, Publisher and CEO, The Green Line.    Women in Change for Change raises critical support for CivicAction's leadership development and city-building work, strengthening pathways for women and underrepresented leaders across the region.    Partner with CivicAction to support a livable GTHA. Learn more and take action at: https://lnkd.in/e8Sxzt2H     #WomenInChangeForChange #CivicAction #WICFC26 #Leadership #WomenLeaders #Inclusion #Equity  

Eid has always been a time for reflection, for turning toward one another with compassion, for remembering our shared humanity even when the world makes that feel hard. Today, that reminder feels more important than ever. At CivicAction, we believe that a more liveable region begins with a fair, inclusive and just society for all of its members. To everyone celebrating: may this Eid bring you moments of peace, connection, and hope. And may it renew in all of us in our commitment to a world where every community is safe, seen, and valued. Eid Mubarak.🌙

What should the future of suburban cities look like? Our partners at Brampton Board of Trade are tackling that question head-on at Cities We Deserve, a candid panel discussion on messy urbanism, grassroots entrepreneurship, and city-building.    Join Messy Cities co-editors Dylan Reid, John Lorinc Leslie Woo CRE®, and Zahra Ebrahim for an honest conversation on plaza economies and what suburban growth should really look like. Find the details below and register to secure your spot today!  📅 March 24, 2026  ⏰ 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM  📍 BHive, Brampton    👉Secure your seat: https://buff.ly/6uG8AyE

We are excited to welcome Surranna Sandy, MA, MBA, ALM as she begins her first day as CEO of CivicAction. This organization was built on the belief that real progress happens when leaders come together with a shared commitment to the region. That belief continues to guide our work every day and grounds us in this next chapter. We are looking forward to building what comes next with our partners, our community - you. Welcome, Surranna!

As we continue with our DiverseCity Fellows Spotlight Series, we're thrilled to introduce Moe Akel,a passionate advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights. His journey began in Lebanon, where he first started his activism, and has since brought him to Canada, where he now dedicates his career to serving some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. A MasterCard Foundation scholar and Canadian Arab Institute 30 Under 30 honoree in 2023, Moe has built a career across several leading organizations supporting refugees, newcomers, and those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Today, as Director at Fife House, he leads the AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario, supporting individuals and families navigating AIDS grief and loss. At the core of Moe's leadership philosophy is a deep commitment to uplifting others. For him, leadership means helping people reach their highest potential and leading by example, driven by a compassion for everyone who deserves to live a dignified life and to be their true authentic selves. He also believes that great leadership requires a commitment to lifelong learning, and that "to be a lifelong learner" is the most important thing a leader can do, staying curious, remaining open to new ideas, and continuously growing to stay truly connected to the communities he serves. On the importance of diverse leadership, Moe shares that being receptive to diverse perspectives and unique ideas holds significant potential that we might otherwise miss due to our unconscious biases and cultural differences. For him, an inclusive city looks like a place where everyone feels safe to be their true authentic selves and are celebrated for exactly that. Congratulations to Moe Akel on completing the DiverseCity Fellows powered by Purpose Unlimited program, and for his unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, and community care!👏 #DiverseCityFellows #SpotlightSeries #CivicAction #InclusiveLeadership #GreatLeadersBuildGreatCities #DiversecityFellows