Letter From Our President, Dan Huang RPP, MCIP

As I reflect and write these words from my home in Victoria, BC, located on the traditional lands of the Lekwungen people, my soul is aching for the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation and for all who lost their lives in the residential school system. This is no longer just a page from our history books, but something we must confront as individuals and influencers in our communities in order to learn, heal, and chart a path forward together with Indigenous people and all Canadians across the nation. We owe it to the departed, the survivors, and to all future generations to face our truth, educate ourselves with open minds and hearts, and take meaningful steps towards true reconciliation and community building.

Following a quick pivot to a virtual AGM format in June 2020, we have all had to adjust our personal and professional lives throughout this entire full year of the pandemic. Meetings continued to be held (too many!), plans were developed, the public was consulted using new engagement tools, and projects were designed and constructed. In many ways, our work as planners continued to be “business as usual” and the pandemic actually became the catalyst for innovative pilot projects by promoting active transportation, outdoor gathering spaces, and enhanced enjoyment of natural areas. That said, while many of us believe virtual public hearings should become a permanent fixture in the planning process, I think that we can all agree that this past year has seen an increased level of anxiety and a diminished sense of connectivity and social cohesion, due to the lack of personal interactions that make communities what they are. I hope that you have all been able to take some time in each day to “find your centre” in order to stay grounded during these turbulent times.

I would like to take this time to especially thank all of our amazing CIP staff, led by our Chief Executive Officer, Beth McMahon. The team not only continues to keep the lights on (virtually), but works closely with the Board of Directors and our members with professionalism and tenacity, in order to keep our many CIP initiatives moving forward. Thank you to a great team!

I would also like to thank all of my colleagues on the CIP Board of Directors for your contributions this past year, especially to the four directors whose terms have expired – Doug Daniels, Josée Dion, Eleanor Mohammed, and Cindy Welsh. Special acknowledgment goes out to Eleanor, who served on the Board for six years, including as CIP President from 2016 to 2020. Eleanor’s leadership during these rebuilding years was instrumental in CIP’s renewal and revitalization, and she continues to grow our presence on the national and international stage. A warm welcome goes out to the incoming Directors; I look forward to meeting you in person soon, and to working with the refreshed Board on a number of important strategic initiatives.

As a final word of thanks, I would like to acknowledge all of the volunteers across the country who served in a variety of capacities, including, but not limited to: Committees (for CIP and allied professions), Professional Standards Board (PSC), Standards Committee (SC), College of Fellows (CoF), External Representatives, and the CIP/ICU Planning Student Trust Fund (CIP-PSTF). Without our many volunteers, we would not be able to achieve a fraction of our goals and objectives in raising the profile of our profession by providing our expertise on so many important topics impacting cities and regions across the country.

Although we were not able to gather together last summer in Whistler for the 2020 National Conference, CIP and PIBC jointly hosted the Elevation Webinar Series in November 2020. I was pleased to open the virtual event alongside PIBC President, Lesley Cabott, and welcome our keynote speaker, Chief Dana Tizya-Tramm, who provided an inspiring message from his home in Old Crow, YK, on the real and devastating impacts of climate change in his community and throughout the North. He closed his keynote with the following call to action: “If we can’t come together over this; if climate change can’t bring us together to fulfill the dreams of our ancestors, then we have no business being on this planet anymore.” CIP will continue to provide the leadership, tools, and resources to support our members in responding to the United Nation’s Decade of Action to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

At the 2020 AGM, we introduced CIP’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Roadmap, which identified the current state of EDI within the organization and its membership; defined the goals and desired target state for advancing the EDI agenda; and developed a 5-year plan to ensure a coordinated and effective approach. The Board of Directors is fully committed to implementing the EDI Roadmap, and during 2020, CIP undertook the following initiatives:

• EDI training sessions were organized for the CIP Board of Directors and staff of CIP and the Provincial and Territorial Institutes and Associations, with additional training scheduled for 2021;
• CIP staff all completed their Gender-Based Analysis (GBA+) training;
• Public (and free) webinar on EDI was delivered, with more public webinars planned;
• Policy and procedures review commenced to incorporate and strengthen EDI language;
• The EDI Insight Survey was planned and budgeted for 2021;
• EDI training sessions were organized for the CIP Board of Directors and staff of CIP and the Provincial and Territorial Institutes and Associations, with additional training scheduled for 2021;
• Institutional endorsement of the federal 50-30 Challenge to voluntarily commit to achieving meaningful and substantive improvements in supporting diversity and inclusion through gender parity (“50%”) and significant representation (“30%”) of other under-represented groups on the Board and in senior management.

Implementation of our EDI Roadmap is an intentional, methodical, but often an uneasy journey. Like our pathway towards Indigenous reconciliation, we will be confronting the past practices of our century-old planning traditions in Canada, and exploring our conscious and unconscious biases with the goal of providing tools and resources to help us all plan for more equitable, inclusive communities. Thank you to CIP staff, volunteer members, subject matter experts and knowledge-keepers who are helping us along this important journey.

Looking ahead, the Board will review and update CIP’s Strategic Plan, including our Vision, Mission, and Value Statements. The time is right to undertake this holistic review in light of the important discussions facing our profession highlighted above, namely Indigenous reconciliation, the climate emergency, and the EDI Roadmap. I look forward to completing the Strategic Plan by the end of 2021.

Thank you again to CIP staff, volunteers, and all members for your support of the Board and our Institute. As we turn the corner on this pandemic, to quote BC’s Provincial Health Officer, please continue to, “Be Kind, Be Calm, and Be Safe”. Take care, and we hope to see you in Whistler next July for the 2022 National Conference!

Respectfully Submitted,

Dan Huang RPP, MCIP President

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