Expertise

Community Engagement

Our dedicated community engagement team works collaboratively with planners, urban designers, clients and communities. 

It’s important for people to understand what’s happening in the spaces where they live and work, particularly when change is on the horizon. For many, the planning process can be confusing.

That’s where we come in.

  • Tailored Strategies
    Community engagement helps to create a strong foundation for any planning project, with strategies that are tailored to the needs of the client and the community.
  • Translating Complexity, Building Access
    In many ways, we are translators who provide access for communities to understand the process and its inner workings.
  • Opening Channels for Community Voices
    We find ways to create a fair and transparent platform where people can engage and share their thoughts, and provide a direct channel for communities to interact with the people who are proposing change. 
  • Tools of Engagement
    Stakeholder and public engagement sessions, workshops, open houses, urban design charrettes, visioning sessions and surveys are just a few of the tools we use.
  • Project Websites
    We create dedicated project websites that feature highlights, FAQs and application materials that provide clarity and a view to the big picture. 

“We aim to be the go-to firm for communications and messaging when it comes to the planning process. Toronto and other municipalities have a lot of challenges around that. We really try to simplify the process for people.”

– Community Engagement Specialist


Our community engagement specialists operate in a team learning environment.

We share resources and experience, working creatively with architects, designers and planners to develop strategies and materials that bring projects to life.

Our collaborative approach also includes internal capacity building, helping our planners with in-person presentations with community members.

Most of our community engagement specialists have a background in planning with a real understanding of the planning process and how those areas of expertise work together.


Learn more about Bousfields planning services

Projects

1 Front

Planning for growth. Building on history.

6 Dawes

Creating connections for an emerging community.

CG Tower

An iconic landmark designed to change a city.

625 Church

Honouring the past to meet the needs of a modern community.

Connect with us

We’re proud to share that Bousfields is part of an amazing team that recently received Zoning By-law Amendment approval for a mixed-use development strategically located near Ontario Tech University (UOIT) and Durham College in Oshawa!
 
This 10-storey, mixed-use development will offer a range of high-quality housing options, including student geared housing aimed at addressing the critical need for student housing in the area. This @6ix_dev.inc development will integrate Niagara Station as part of the proposed Aerial Cable Car Transit line, as well as a variety of retail spaces including a grocery store and commercial gym, designed to meet the needs of the local community.
 
Bousfields is excited to be part of a project team that includes @6ix_dev.inc, @wspcanada and Nextrans Consulting Engineers, all working together to create a modern, sustainable, and community-focused development in Oshawa.
We’re proud to share that Bousfields is part of an amazing team that recently received Zoning By-law Amendment approval for a mixed-use development strategically located near Ontario Tech University (UOIT) and Durham College in Oshawa!

This 10-storey, mixed-use development will offer a range of high-quality housing options, including student geared housing aimed at addressing the critical need for student housing in the area. This @6ix_dev.inc development will integrate Niagara Station as part of the proposed Aerial Cable Car Transit line, as well as a variety of retail spaces including a grocery store and commercial gym, designed to meet the needs of the local community.

Bousfields is excited to be part of a project team that includes @6ix_dev.inc, @wspcanada and Nextrans Consulting Engineers, all working together to create a modern, sustainable, and community-focused development in Oshawa.
Last month, Bousfielders Ashley Paton and Simon Horner, participated in the TMU MPGSA (Metropolitan Planning Graduate Associate) Speed Networking night. The event included 35 students and 35 professionals from a diverse range of educational and professional backgrounds, contributing to insightful and thought-provoking conversations about the industry as a whole!
Last month, Bousfielders Ashley Paton and Simon Horner, participated in the TMU MPGSA (Metropolitan Planning Graduate Associate) Speed Networking night. The event included 35 students and 35 professionals from a diverse range of educational and professional backgrounds, contributing to insightful and thought-provoking conversations about the industry as a whole!
We’re #Hiring! We are currently recruiting for a Planner. Visit bousfields.ca/careers for more info and email careers@bousfields.ca to apply!
We’re #Hiring! We are currently recruiting for a Planner. Visit bousfields.ca/careers for more info and email careers@bousfields.ca to apply!
Bousfields is thrilled to have sponsored the 7th Annual ULI Winter Social alongside our colleagues at @rwdiwestcoast and @costar ! A big thank you to the @uli_toronto team for organizing such an amazing event. The evening was full of insightful conversation, knowledge sharing and fun! 

📸 Photographs by Shiraz Ali | www.shirazali.ca
Bousfields is thrilled to have sponsored the 7th Annual ULI Winter Social alongside our colleagues at @rwdiwestcoast and @costar ! A big thank you to the @uli_toronto team for organizing such an amazing event. The evening was full of insightful conversation, knowledge sharing and fun!

📸 Photographs by Shiraz Ali | www.shirazali.ca
It’s always fun to get to chat with students about the work we do! Bousfielders from our Community Engagement Team, Simone Hodgson and Lewis Walker, spoke to students at @uoft this week as part of Professor Aditi Mehta’s (@aditimehta12) Introduction to Urban Studies course. Thank you to Professor Mehta and the students for welcoming us, and asking lots of engaging and insightful questions!
It’s always fun to get to chat with students about the work we do! Bousfielders from our Community Engagement Team, Simone Hodgson and Lewis Walker, spoke to students at @uoft this week as part of Professor Aditi Mehta’s (@aditimehta12) Introduction to Urban Studies course. Thank you to Professor Mehta and the students for welcoming us, and asking lots of engaging and insightful questions!
Congratulations to Timurul Hoque Kazi, the 2024 John Bousfield Bursary recipient! In recognition of John’s visionary work in professional planning, the bursary is awarded to a student whose work and research promotes innovation and advances planning practice.
Congratulations to Timurul Hoque Kazi, the 2024 John Bousfield Bursary recipient! In recognition of John’s visionary work in professional planning, the bursary is awarded to a student whose work and research promotes innovation and advances planning practice.
Bousfielders had a great time last night celebrating Black History/Futures Month with a visit to the AGO to check out ‘The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century’ Exhibit, followed by a celebration of the 7th day of the Lunar New Year with a delicious hot pot dinner at Happy Lamb Hot Pot!
Bousfielders had a great time last night celebrating Black History/Futures Month with a visit to the AGO to check out ‘The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century’ Exhibit, followed by a celebration of the 7th day of the Lunar New Year with a delicious hot pot dinner at Happy Lamb Hot Pot!
We can’t wait to tune into this ULI webinar taking place on February 20th which will be unpacking the implications and opportunities for understanding the 2024 Ontario Provincial Planning Statement.
 
Our very own Partner, Mike Dror, will be part of the Expert Insights panel with fellow industry colleagues.
 
Whether you’re a planner or developer with work in Ontario, this is a webinar you won’t want to miss! Be sure to register through the link in our bio!
We can’t wait to tune into this ULI webinar taking place on February 20th which will be unpacking the implications and opportunities for understanding the 2024 Ontario Provincial Planning Statement.
 
Our very own Partner, Mike Dror, will be part of the Expert Insights panel with fellow industry colleagues.
 
Whether you’re a planner or developer with work in Ontario, this is a webinar you won’t want to miss! Be sure to register through the link in our bio!
We’re #Hiring!! We are currently recruiting for a HR Coordinator. Visit our website bousfields.ca/careers for more info and apply today!
We’re #Hiring!! We are currently recruiting for a HR Coordinator. Visit our website bousfields.ca/careers for more info and apply today!
New year, new faces! Welcoming our new interns and staff to the Bousfields team.
New year, new faces! Welcoming our new interns and staff to the Bousfields team.
We are excited to be part of the transforming of such a special building, in both Toronto’s history and skyline—The Hearn Generating Station—into a new mixed-use destination in the heart of the Port Lands. One of Canada’s largest buildings, The Hearn will become part of the long-term plan to transform the waterfront district into a vibrant community with new uses and programming.

Bousfields Inc. is proud to be part of such an incredible Team @svn.ap @partisansarchitecture @ccxa.landscape @eraarch helping the @cortelgroup to reimagine this structure into the new Hearn District. 

#HearnDistrict #PortLands #Toronto
We are excited to be part of the transforming of such a special building, in both Toronto’s history and skyline—The Hearn Generating Station—into a new mixed-use destination in the heart of the Port Lands. One of Canada’s largest buildings, The Hearn will become part of the long-term plan to transform the waterfront district into a vibrant community with new uses and programming.

Bousfields Inc. is proud to be part of such an incredible Team @svn.ap @partisansarchitecture @ccxa.landscape @eraarch helping the @cortelgroup to reimagine this structure into the new Hearn District.

#HearnDistrict #PortLands #Toronto
We are thrilled to kick off the year by announcing some promotions! Please join us in congratulating our team members as they take on their new roles! 🎉
We are thrilled to kick off the year by announcing some promotions! Please join us in congratulating our team members as they take on their new roles! 🎉