Meet Brent Toderian

Brent Toderian is a nationally and internationally respected practitioner and leader with over 20 years of experience in advanced urbanism, city planning and urban design.

His establishment of TODERIAN UrbanWORKS (TUW) in early 2012 followed 6 years of significant achievement as Vancouver BC’s Chief Planner (2006-2012), with accomplishments that included 2010 Winter Olympics-related planning and design; EcoDensity; the Greenest City Initiative; new waterfront and skyline-shaping strategies; new visions for the city’s viaducts, mobility and active transportation; place-making, public place design and street activation strategies; next generation transit-oriented development (TOD) initiatives; the Laneway Housing program and other affordability/housing strategies; and inventive strategies at the city and regional level emphasizing a “complete city”, not just a livable one. Brent also oversaw all development, design and architecture in Vancouver, known internationally as a “city by design.” He earned his reputation as a hands-on visionary and city-changer, and brought in new approaches for place-making, green design and architectural diversity.

Brent has been an advisor and collaborator with many global cities, from Copenhagen, Oslo and Rotterdam, to Singapore, Shanghai and New York.

Brent was Manager of Centre City Planning + Design, and Chief Subdivision + Neighbourhood Planner in Calgary, Canada (2001-2006), where he pioneered innovative approaches in the downtown, inner city and suburbs. His Calgary work included the creation and leading of the award-winning Centre City Plan, and real progress toward more integrated, connected new neighbourhood models. Before that he was an award-winning and respected Ontario-based planning, design and development consultant (1992-2001), with projects from Toronto to Yellowknife.

Brent’s current consulting work with TUW includes diverse advice and services to cities and towns; planning and design advice for innovative, responsible land development; and “out-of-the-box” work toward a better urbanism that includes speaking, teaching, mentoring, writing, and media.

A passionate practitioner and advocate for creative, vibrant city-building, Brent is the founding President of the Council for Canadian Urbanism (CanU), a regular radio columnist on “City-Making” with CBC Radio, a member of ULI BC’s Advisory Board and many other bodies related to cities, and a regular
writer with the Huffington Post, Atlantic Cities, Planetizen and SPACING. He is a highly sought-after international speaker, teacher and collaborator on issues of advanced urbanism.