Post-pandemic urban recovery through the eyes of our students

Students who took part in our first CivicLabTO course in 2021 share their post-pandemic recovery ideas

February 28, 2022

In fall 2021, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) participated in CivicLabTO (external link) , a collaboration between the City of Toronto and the city's seven other higher-education institutions in the GTA designed to share perspectives and harness collective problem solving to bring about ideas for a more equitable, resilient post-pandemic urban future. Part of the initiative was a senior undergraduate course, delivered with the City of Toronto and led at TMU by CBR's Dr. Pamela Robinson and Cherise Burda.

The students' capstone project asked them to recommend a recovery solution for the TMU campus neighbourhood. Their work included writing a blog to showcase their ideas. Here are some of their creative proposals!

The case for a marvelous mural project on Ryerson campus

By Zechariah Bouchard

If the COVID experience taught us anything, it’s that maybe we don’t want to return to the same world we last saw before we retreated into our homes. Maybe we’d like to imagine a new world, a more colourful world.

Increasing green space for a green recovery and resilient city: easier than we think?

By Morgan Baker

Small-scale interventions are quick and cheap to implement. Potted trees and plants could be a pilot program to soften the landscape along Dundas Street.

Let’s eat! Why TMU needs an outdoor winter food hub

By Nicolas Zucco

A single meal can have a big impact on food security. Addressing student food insecurity and COVID-19 safety with a free outdoor food hub.

New opportunities for the university to collaborate with the surrounding community when reopening

By Edmun Natkunarajah and Inara Awadia

Idea for TMU to build supportive relationships and partnerships with local community organizations through a student liaison collective called Community Squared.

Exploring the potential for community land trusts in the Church-Yonge corridor

By Joyce Sandoval

A student imagines creating a community land trust that would achieve long-term housing affordability in downtown Toronto through leveraging university-owned land.

Staggering class hours to prevent rush-hour commuting

By Holli Butrimas

A proposal to stagger students’ hours in class to avoid rush-hour commuting, minimizing stress.