Congratulations!
Welcome to the Canadian Institute of Planners
Welcome to the Canadian Institute of Planners, also known as CIP! As a member, you are joining a community of over 10,000 planning professionals. CIP has been the voice of Canada’s planning community since 1919 and is committed to supporting your career in planning. We’re excited to have you on board!
Who We Are
CIP is a member-based organization for planning professionals across Canada and beyond. Our members work in both the public service and the private sector, across fields such as land use planning, environmental resource management, land development, heritage conservation, social planning, transportation planning, and economic development.
What We Do
CIP advocates for planners and the priorities of the planning profession and offers a wide range of member services and career development opportunities. We also work closely with Provincial and Territorial Institutes and Associations (PTIAs), which regulate the planning profession and govern the rights and responsibilities of their members.
Our Planning Priorities
CIP’s current focus is on five key policy priorities: climate change, healthy communities, housing, reconciliation, and equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. These priorities are embedded in our Strategic Plan: 1,835 Days of Impact, which aims to promote inclusive, sustainable communities connected to the natural world. The Strategic Plan is a roadmap, as well as a living document, laying the foundation for 1,835 days of focused impact.
Governance & Transparency
CIP is a not-for-profit organization, governed by a 13-member Board of Directors (including one student member). We provide Board Bulletins summarizing meetings, and you can attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM), typically held virtually at the end of May. Our Annual Reports are available online.
Your Membership Type
Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP®)
An individual who is an RPP, LPP, Urbaniste or equivalent fully certified member residing in Canada.
Candidate Member
An individual who has been admitted as a Candidate member of a PTIA and is pursuing their RPP, LPP, Urbaniste or equivalent designation in Canada.
Pre-Candidate
An individual who intends to become a Candidate member but does not yet qualify.
Retired
A Professional member who has fully retired from planning and left the profession in good standing.
Accredited Student
A post-secondary planning student who is currently enrolled full-time in a university planning program accredited by the Professional Standards Board or by l’Ordre des Urbanistes du Québec.
Student in Non-Accredited Program
A post-secondary student who has an interest in planning and is currently enrolled full-time in a university or college program in Canada, which is not accredited by the Professional Standards Board.
Professional Member International (MCIP-I)
A professional planner who has completed all of the certification requirements and lives and practices outside of Canada belonging to an Institute that has a reciprocity agreement with CIP (APA or PIA).
Public Subscriber
Individuals with an interest in Canadian professional planning, but who do not qualify for one of the above membership categories, are eligible to enroll in the CIP Public Subscriber program.
MCIP® Title
Only individuals who have met all the professional certification requirements of their PTIA and are members in good standing with both their PTIA and CIP are permitted to use MCIP® in their professional title. Show your pride with an official seal and your MCIP digital badge.
Professional Liability Insurance
CIP members can enjoy a variety of benefits and services, including professional liability insurance (PLI), brokered by BMS Canada Risk Services Ltd. (BMS).
Professional liability insurance (PLI), or Errors & Omissions Insurance, protects you against liability or allegations of liability for injury or damages that have resulted from a negligent act, error, omission, or malpractice that has arisen out of your professional capacity as a planner or if a complaint is made against you to a professional body/organization regulating your insured profession.
As a professional member, your membership automatically includes $5 million CAD in PLI coverage. Your PLI certificate is issued in the Member Area. Log in to download your certificate.
Additional Individual & Business Coverage
In addition to PLI, CIP members also have access to:
- Commercial General Liability
- Legal Entity PLI
- Property/Content/Crime Coverage
- Cyber Security and Privacy Liability
- Personal & Family Cyber Coverage
- Employment Practices Liability
- Legal Services Package
- Legal Expense Insurance
- 24 Hour Accident Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
…and more.
For more information about your Insurance Broker, BMS, and Insurance Regulatory Principles of Conduct, click here: Regulation | BMS (bmsgroup.com). If you have any questions, please contact a BMS broker at 1-844-294-2714 or cip.insurance@bmsgroup.com.
Continuous Professional Learning
National Conference
Members receive a discounted rate for CIP’s annual national planning conferences, bringing planners together from across the country — and the world — to learn and network with one another. Attendance at sessions, workshops, learning tours, and keynote speakers can all be applied towards Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) units.
Emerging Leaders Program
Take the next step in your leadership journey through CIP’s Emerging Leaders Program. Designed for aspiring and early-career planning professionals, this cohort-based program combines expert-led leadership development, mentorship, peer networking, specialized national conference programming, and opportunities for professional reflection. Participants who successfully complete the program receive a CIP digital badge and may earn CPL units.
You can also expand your leadership experience by serving on national committees and juries, representing CIP externally, presenting at events, contributing to Plan Canada, or mentoring emerging planners.
Webinars
Our Webinar Program offers free year-round learning opportunities. These webinars cover a wide range of current and emerging planning topics. CIP webinars are eligible for CPL units.
CPL HUB
24/7 access to on-demand courses, webinar and conference recordings, discussion forums, and a Resource Library featuring practical tools, templates, research, and reference materials.
Current on-demand courses explore housing solutions, Indigenous cultural awareness, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in regulatory work.
Career Support & Volunteer Opportunities
Canadian Institute of Planners National Planning Job Board
Welcome to the professional hub for planners at all stages of their journey. Whether you’re launching your career, advancing in your field, or shaping the future of the profession, CIP connects you with resources, opportunities, and networks to succeed. You’ll be able to filter jobs by location, area of expertise, or experience level, making your search more focused and efficient.
Find New Opportunities
Looking for a new opportunity in planning? The National Planning Job Board is designed to help professionals like you find positions that align with your skills and interests.
Upload Your Resume
Our Resume Database gives employers access to a pool of talented planners looking for their next role. Make it easy for potential employers to consider you for roles.
Set Up Job Alerts
Sign up for job alerts and let the perfect roles come to you. Customize your preferences to receive personalized updates about job openings that match your skills and interests.
Scholarships & Bursaries
CIP is a proud partner of the CIP/ICU Planning Student Trust Fund (CIP-PSTF), which offers scholarships and bursaries for full-time students in accredited Canadian planning programs. For more information and details on how to apply or support the program, visit the CIP-PSTF website.
Volunteer
From national committees and juries to events and conferences, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Additionally, representing CIP on external projects and organizations can help broaden your network and enhance your impact within the field.
Specialties, Skills & Preferences
Keep your CIP member profile current throughout the year by reviewing “My Profile” in the Member Area. You can update your contact information, indicate your specialties and skills, and make changes to your preferences for how you appear in the membership directory.
Planning Resources
CIP Newsletters
Released the first Wednesday of every month, the Member Matters Newsletter offers content that focuses on CIP’s policy and advocacy work and draws connections to our broader membership.
Released on the third Wednesday of every month, the Career Central Newsletter focuses on individual professional development, including career, volunteer, and learning opportunities.
Our Student Support Newsletter goes out twice a year, along with additional Scholarship and Bursary reminders for Student Members.
Plan Canada Magazine
Your membership includes access to Plan Canada, Canada’s national planning magazine. Explore current practice, research, policy, and innovation, or contribute a short paper, research review, note on practice, or book or film review. An open-access archive dating back to 1959 is also available here.
Canadian Planning and Policy Journal
Canadian Planning and Policy Journal is a bilingual, open-access, peer-reviewed publication undertaken by the Association of Canadian University Planning Programs (ACUPP). The journal focuses on the diversity of planning theory and practice across Canada.
CIP Blog
Keep up to date with CIP’s latest news and updates on our blog!
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Interested in Canadian Planning? Stay Connected with CIP
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Plan Canada Fall 2026: Intensification – Infill, Redevelopment, and Adaptive Reuse
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Voices from the Future Planners Program: A Conversation with Timurul Hoque Kazi
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Voices from the Future Planners Program: A Conversation with Dylan Teply
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CIP on Parliament Hill 2026: How Planners are Working as Implementation Partners in Communities Across the Country
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Voices from the Future Planners Program: A Conversation with Braden Alexander
Other Member Benefits
Insurance Discounts
CIP has partnered with The Personal to offer exclusive home and auto insurance discounts to our Canadian members.
Switch today for:
- Exclusive rates + additional savings when you bundle home and auto
- Personal support from friendly and knowledgeable advisors
- Convenient Online Services to view and manage your policies 24/7
Visit thepersonal.com/cip to learn more about your exclusive insurance offer.
The Personal refers to The Personal Insurance Company. Certain conditions, limitations and exclusions may apply. Savings are based on each client’s individual profile. Savings and discounts are subject to eligibility conditions. Rates and discounts are subject to change without notice. Auto insurance is not available in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia due to government-run plans. The Personal® and related trademarks are trademarks of The Personal Insurance Company, used under licence.
Access Your Member Area
The Member Area is your one-stop shop to access all member products and services. It’s also where you can ensure your profile and preferences are up to date. Access to our CIP Member Directory, on-demand courses, update your contact information and highlight your specialties and skills!