Strengthening Black Community-Led Planning to Confront Systemic Racism
Timeline: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027
This initiative addresses the legacy of systemic racism and settler colonialism that continues to produce inequitable outcomes for Black communities across Canada.
The project seeks to build the capacity of Black community organizations and nonprofits to lead Black-centred, community-driven planning initiatives that confront anti-Black racism and advance Black place-making.
The project builds on four years of research documenting Black Experiences with Planning in Canada, which resulted in the development of a Black-centred planning framework grounded in the lived experiences and priorities of Black communities.
Project Goals & Objectives
- Support Black Community Organizations and local leaders in identifying and addressing systemic racism in urban planning and development
- Strengthen Black communities’ ability to lead planning processes that deliver social and economic gains and foster thriving neighbourhoods
- Promote Black-informed and Black-led place-making and place-keeping as strategies for resistance and community building
The project aims to:
- Enhance capacity within Black communities to confront anti-Black racism in municipal and regional planning
- Build stronger collaboration between planners and community advocates around shared vision and goals that support Black communities
- Empower Black communities to advance equitable planning that delivers social and economic gains and fosters thriving neighbourhoods
- Increased awareness, understanding and knowledge-sharing among Black-led organizations of the community planning initiatives.
This project is funded by the Foundation for Black Communities, with partial support from the Government of Canada.
Participate in the Buying While Black Survey.
If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in an anonymous online survey to answer a series of questions about your home-buying experience in the GTHA.
It will not ask for your name, contact number, email, or address, but it will ask for your age group, income group, gender, and ethnic origin. The survey should take you 25–30 minutes to complete.
