Park People’s Executive Director, Erika Nikolai, has been honoured with the Distinguished Individual Award from World Urban Parks—an international recognition that celebrates her leadership and the growing national movement Park People has helped build here in Canada.
Why are events in parks important? How do grants fit into Park People’s larger goals for creating change in city parks?
The emerging stream of the Park People Nature Connect Fund provides up to $5,000 to grassroots and registered organizations across Canada that connect people with nature, foster ecological stewardship, and restore urban parks and green spaces.
The scaling stream of the Park People Nature Connect Fund offers up to $20,000 to registered organizations across Canada that connect people with nature while fostering ecological stewardship and restoring urban parks.
Learn more about green social prescribing, an evolving practice that encourages individuals to reestablish connections with nature and one another to enhance their mental, physical, and social wellbeing.
A reflection on the BEING BLACK IN PUBLIC Survey Report, exploring how Black communities experience parks and public spaces, and what fosters joy and belonging.
How do we build a healthier, greener, more joyful Toronto? We start at the park. Discover how communities across the city have transformed their green spaces over the past fifteen years. Then roll up your sleeves and help shape what comes next.
By donating to Park People, you’ll support vibrant parks for everyone.
Urban green spaces help mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing temperatures and lowering flood risk. However, unequal access to these spaces leaves many lower-income, racialized communities more vulnerable to these impacts. Addressing these inequities involves more equitable distribution of green space and changes in how we engage and involve communities in the design and planning of city parks.
Experts from across the country explore what environmental justice means for city parks and how the concept is being applied in Canada.
The webinar is held in English; French subtitles are available.
Larissa is a restorative circle keeper, published Indigenous and anti-racism researcher, award-winning ribbon skirt artist, and proudly passes on Métis…
Lorien Nesbitt seeks to create more liveable and equitable urban environments. During her career, she has had the privilege to…
CEED Canada (aka CEED) is a not-for-profit environmental education organization that provides tools and resources to MURB residents and property…
Park People launches the 2022 Canadian City Parks Report, the fourth annual report featuring the biggest trends, issues, and practices shaping Canada’s city parks.
In the webinar, you can hear directly from the Canadian City Parks Report authors—Adri Stark, Emily Riddle, and Jake Tobin Garrett and get the inside track on:
The session features an in-depth discussion moderated by Park People Board Chair Zahra Ebrahim. The webinar is held in English; French subtitles are available.
Adri Stark is specialized in research and policy at Park People, and co-author of the annual Canadian City Parks Report.…
Emily Riddle is nehiyaw and a member of the Alexander First Nation in Treaty 6. She lives in amiskwaciwâskahikan. A…
Jake Tobin Garrett (he/him) is a writer, illustrator and public space policy and research consultant. He was previously Park People’s…
Zahra is a public interest designer and strategist focused on shifting power to people who are typically underrepresented in institutions…
After two years of people enjoying parks more than ever, we have an opportunity to give back to the green spaces that give so much.
This Earth Day webinar offer a fresh perspective on great spring community cleanups. Learn from experts with on-the-ground experiences making clean-ups inviting and engaging with lasting impact.
The session aims to inspire you to join or start a park clean-up in your community or refresh your community’s event. It is for anyone that wants to learn fresh approaches to engaging people in the important work of keeping our parks looking their best.
Harpreet is the President of the County Court Neighbourhood Association where his work exemplifies his passion for community capacity building…
Marica Tagliero has worked for more than 20 years in environmental and community development in Quebec and abroad. She has…
The Friends of Oakridge Park have been putting on events to involve the community of Oakridge in Toronto since 2015.…
In the face of climate change, what nature-based solutions are cities implementing to support their resilience and biodiversity? Last December in Montreal, COP15 (the United Nations Biodiversity Conference) ended with a landmark agreement to guide global climate action through 2030. This agreement created several ambitious targets, including one (Target 12) which focused on increasing green and blue spaces in cities.
One year after COP15, this webinar brings together academics, NGOs, and other change-makers to address how their work contributes to biodiversity targets and discuss why biodiversity is so critical to a sustainable future.
In this moderated discussion, experts explore how different sectors are currently working to meet shared urban biodiversity goals and how we can all work differently –or more collaboratively– in the future. By exploring on-the-ground work across Canadian cities, experts demonstrate the multiple tools and ways we can all contribute to this urgent call to action.
In this webinar, we expand our understanding of biodiversity and re-imagine cities as critical spaces for collaboratively enhancing it.
Clint is an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper at University of Windsor. Through his appointment with the University, Clint leads field courses where students engage in ecological monitoring and restoration projects on Bkejwanong Territory (Walpole Island First Nation).
Autumn Jordan (she/they) organizes Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City and Town Certification Program, which provides municipalities of all sizes with…
Rachel Buxton (she/her) is a conservation scientist with a focus on protecting wildlife in the city. She has worked on…
Dr. Febria (she/her/siya) is a Pinay/Filipina immigrant settler to Turtle Island and an assistant professor at the Great Lakes Institute…
Janet Sumner is a seasoned environmentalist with over 30 years of experience. Since 2003, she has served as the Executive…
The diverse communities served by parks and public spaces hold incredible knowledge about their own lived experiences, wants, and needs. However, it can be complicated for outside placemakers – including governing bodies and NGOs – to access that knowledge in a way that feels equitable, respectful, and beneficial for all.
When working with communities, it’s critical that we hold ourselves accountable to them at every stage of placemaking: from consultation to impact measurement. How can we better empower communities to set their own terms, and how can we stick to them? What information do we gather, how, and to what ends? How can we be more accountable to, and better advocates for, community partners?
Watch this webinar recording to learn from community leaders and advocates, creatives, placemakers, and educators from across North America as they address the real challenges and exceptional opportunities within community consultation and impact measurement.
An award-winning strategist and creative producer, Bridget has held senior municipal management positions with portfolios spanning arts, cultural policy, public…
In her seven years as the Better Block’s Executive Director, Krista has worked with neighbors in more than 75 cities…
Michelle holds a PhD in Research Methods and Statistics (University of Denver), and a Postdoc on digitizing elder wisdom (Department…
Sasha is the Training and Capacity Building Coordinator with the Community Data Program. In this position, Sasha works to increase…
Michael has worked as Program Coordinator and Analyst for the Community Data Program for the past 8 years. Over the…
Park People launched the 2023 Canadian City Parks Report, the fifth annual report highlighting the most significant trends, issues, and practices shaping Canada’s city parks.
Watch the webinar recording to meet the report’s researchers and writers and get the inside scoop on:
The report launch webinar features a lively discussion on the report’s key findings and future directions for city parks.
This hour-long webinar features Adri Stark and Jake Tobin Garett, co-author of the report. It is moderated by Selina Young, member of Park People’s Board of Directors and Director, Indigenous Affairs Office at the City of Toronto.
Selina is Métis from northern Saskatchewan. She has been a guest on Anishnawbe and Haudenosaunee territory in and around Toronto…