Canadian Urban Institute facts for kids

The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) is a group in Canada that helps make cities better places to live. They work to make cities fair, lively, and good for the environment. CUI started in 1990. It brings together city experts, leaders, and people from communities. They do research, speak up for cities, and hold events. This helps them solve problems and find new chances for Canadian cities.

How CUI Started

The Canadian Urban Institute began in 1990. It was created by the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto and the City of Toronto. A city leader named Richard Gilbert was its first head.

Later, from 2001 to 2007, David Crombie was the president and CEO. He was a former mayor of Toronto. After him, Glen Murray, a former mayor of Winnipeg, took over.

In 2010, Glen Murray left the role after being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Fred Eisenberger, who used to be the mayor of Hamilton, became the new president and CEO on February 7, 2011. Today, Mary W. Rowe is the president and CEO of CUI.

What CUI Aims to Do

The Canadian Urban Institute wants to improve how we understand and build cities in Canada. CUI dreams of Canadian cities where everyone can do well. They want cities to have strong buildings and roads. They also want everyone to have fair access to resources and welcoming public spaces.

CUI works on several important areas. These include:

• Main streets and downtown areas
• Homes for everyone and helping people without homes
• Roads, bridges, and public transportation
• Dealing with climate change and making cities strong
• Local businesses and jobs
• Leadership and how regions are managed
• Fairness for all people and working with Indigenous communities

CUI's Programs and Activities

CUI holds meetings and workshops. They also do research and publish reports. These reports cover social and economic topics that affect cities. This includes things like community growth, city structures, and homes that are good for the environment.

The organization gives out annual Brownie Awards. These awards recognize groups that show great leadership. They also honor those who work for environmental sustainability and new ideas.

In 2020, CUI launched three online tools. These tools shared information about the COVID-19 pandemic. They were called CityWatch Canada, CityShare Canada, and Bring Back Main Street.

In 2021, the institute started a program called My Main Street. This two-year program aimed to help local economies. It gave small businesses market research and $10,000 to help them grow.

Working with Other Countries

Over the years, CUI has had many international projects. They worked with cities and regions around the world. Their goal was to improve city planning and management. They also helped with public services, environmental care, and local business growth.

CUI has worked in many countries. These include the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Jamaica. They also worked in Cuba, Honduras, Peru, and Paraguay. In Europe, they helped countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Poland, and Latvia.

For example, CUI helped with economic growth in Ukraine. They supported local businesses in the Philippines. They also helped improve local government in Jamaica. In Ethiopia, they worked to make city management better.