The Evergreen Conference is a gathering of urban thought leaders, community members, private and public sector innovators, and city builders that centres public places as cornerstones of inclusive and sustainable communities in Canada.
We know our communities need better public places—places where neighbours meet, children play, and nature thrives. At the Evergreen Conference, we explore how public places can work harder for both people and the planet.
May 6-7, 2026
“Public places make our cities. Amid growing social isolation, disparity, and climate change, public places are an essential service. At their best, they are magnetic, green and inclusive spaces and neighborhood hubs that connect people to nature and each other, creating a sense of belonging and a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life. We need to nurture these spaces and steward new ones that work hard for communities. The Evergreen Conference is a space for us to dream big, to imagine what our cities can be and to make the case for place across Canada.”
Evergreen, Future Cities Canada and partners across sectors from coast to coast to coast came together to shape our cities for the better at the annual Future Cities Canada Summit. Over the years, we explored such themes as smart cities, housing and placemaking. The aim of the Summit was to accelerate innovation and collaboration for action across the city-builder ecosystem, with an intention to identify gaps and emerging areas of focus to advance a vision and strategy towards inclusive and regenerative cities in Canada.
In 2020, we quickly pivoted to a virtual forum in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also gave us a lens through which to examine our communities’ growing problems.
In 2022, [Place+Space], Evergreen’s national housing forum, brought together over 500 residents with companies and public sector innovators to engage on the latest solutions that create more resilient and affordable housing.
In 2023, we hosted a cross-sector gathering that explored how we as a collective can make the case for place.
In 2024, we experienced two days of dreaming, scheming, and breathing life into ourselves and the future we need.
Our next annual conference will expand on the potential of public space and invite new partners from far and wide to contribute to the conversation.
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