Greetings from ULI Toronto. I hope that as you read this spring has finally arrived!

The big and exciting news since our last newsletter has been the naming of Bob Millward as our first Executive Director (ED). For those of you who missed it, the announcement of Bob taking on the ED role is found here.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) recently celebrated its 75^th anniversary, and it is well known for its community and educational outreach on land use issues. ULI Toronto has been in existence for less than a decade, but it has already made great strides in advancing locally the ULI mission of providing leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. We have accomplished this through our substantive and informative programs, and an increasing array of outreach activities (including the Weston TAPS initiative, our mentoring program, community outreach by our Young Leaders Group, and our Pro Bono Plus program that provides mentoring and grant assistance to non-profit community groups).

Bob brings to us great knowledge and experience with development and land use matters affecting the Toronto region. As he grows into the ED role, working closely with our excellent staff (Alexandra Rybak and Erin Carroll), our engaged Advisory Board and Committees, and our members, we are  well positioned and eager to continue to advance the ULI mission. There are a variety of important issues currently facing our region (advancing transit and infrastructure solutions, and embracing and implementing new forms of mixed-use development, to name just a couple). I am confident that ULI Toronto can and will provide a thoughtful and leadership voice on these issues, not just through Bob’s efforts, but through the efforts and contributions of all of our members.

In Bob’s post, you will get a sense of his initial thoughts on next steps for ULI Toronto. You will be hearing more from him and us in the coming months!