About City Building TMU
City Building TMU connects researchers, students, industry, and communities to imagine and shape the future of cities. As a university-wide initiative, we mobilize knowledge and facilitate partnerships that turn research into real-world impact.
We act as a testbed for research co-creation – creating space where emerging ideas, technologies, and policies can be explored, tested, and refined before they are scaled. Drawing on interdisciplinary expertise, we bring together urban planners, engineers, data scientists, economists, health leaders, and social scientists to tackle urban challenges from all angles.
Our researchers turn complex data into clear, actionable insights that help cities respond to critical issues such as climate resilience, housing affordability, and mobility. Through global and industry partnerships, we cultivate connections that bring leading ideas to Toronto and share our solutions with the world.
Leadership
Dr. Pamela Robinson FCIP RPP
Academic Director
Dr. Pamela Robinson FCIP RPP is a professor at the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and Academic Director at City Building TMU. Throughout her career as a planner her research and practice have focused on complex, emergent challenges that Canadian communities face. Her current SSHRC funded research asks: how do we rightsize local government’s role in AI governance and how do we engage the public in AI governance? In 2020 Pamela received the inaugural Canadian Institute of Planners President’s Award: Academic. She is an Advisor on the Toronto Public Library’s Innovation Council and serves on the Board of Directors for the Metcalf Foundation.
Explore Our Work
What We Do: Create spaces where emerging ideas, technologies, and policies can be tested before they scale.
Impact: Enable rapid innovation that informs urban planning, climate adaptation, and infrastructure solutions.
What We Do: Bring together urban planners, engineers, architects, data scientists, economists, healthcare leaders, legal experts, designers, and social scientists to tackle complex urban challenges.
Impact: Deliver solutions that consider social, economic, and environmental dimensions, shaping more resilient cities.
What We Do: Leverage international partnerships to exchange knowledge and co-develop solutions.
Impact: Bring best practices to Toronto and share innovations globally.