It is with great pleasure that I speak to you as ULI Toronto’s newly hired Executive Director, and my arrival comes at a time of even broader leadership renewal for our organization, including the appointment of Rob Spanier as District Council Chair, Derek Goring to the role of Vice-chair, and Nadia King as Treasurer. On the international front, last month Pater Ballon was appointed to the ULI (Global) Board of Trustees.

My tenure at ULI coincides with a number of other renewal moments for our region, including two critical elections this year (one past and one ahead) and changes in the leadership of other high profile regional organization such as the Toronto Region Board of Trade (my alma mater) and Civic Action.

It is a time when bold and inspired regional leadership is both needed and possible.

The certainty of no provincial or municipal elections until 2018 affords our region a unique opportunity to dial down politics and dial up inspired thought leadership – the perfect moment for ULI Toronto to advance the ULI mission by bringing smart people together to shape the future our city region.

This summer, ULI Toronto’s committees and Advisory Board are reflecting on what renewal looks like for our future — building on a strategic decision to expand our organizational capacity and, along with it, the financial side of our organization as a not-for-profit institution. We are growing.

But growth for growth sake is not in itself an inspiring goal.

We are growing so that we can increase our ability to offer the Toronto region the unique leadership that is the ULI brand. This leadership includes the breadth of professional expertise embodied in the DNA of our multi-disciplinary membership, and the unparalleled access to international best practice experience embodied in our global ULI network.

More specifically, this leadership will seek to contribute to the understanding and outcomes of the many emerging land use-related opportunities to make our region a community of healthy places. This includes examining how massive new transit infrastructure investments maximize their ability to deliver urban vitality and economic value throughout the region. It includes examining how to enhance parklands, trail connections, libraries and other public amenity spaces that are vital to the health of neighbourhoods.

It is time to flex our leadership muscles.

Over the coming months and years my hope is that ULI Toronto will become the “go to” real estate organization that offers universally respected land use perspectives. That we earn the trust of land use professionals, governments, the public and media by offering global best practice ideas and solutions — including the many made-in-Toronto ones — and demonstrate how the alignment of market and public interests can build better neighbourhoods.

I must acknowledge the tremendous leadership of those who have built ULI Toronto and positioned it for future success as it enters its tenth year in the region. Most recently this leadership has been provided by Mark Noskiewicz as District Council Chair. Mark is the embodiment of ULI’s mission and values, qualities that extend deep into his professional practice. He is truly one of our region’s great champions. Thank you, Mark!