We know our communities need better public places—places where neighbours meet, children play, and nature thrives.
At the Evergreen Conference, we will explore how public places can work harder for both people and the planet.
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.
Jen Angel, CEO of Evergreen
We can’t do this alone. Together, we can make the case for place.
Will you join us?
Making the Case for Place
The Evergreen Conference is the latest evolution of our annual national conference.
It 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.
Key topics include:
- Public places at the centre of regenerative and resilient cities
- Sustainable and innovative approaches to housing urban populations
- Supporting Indigenous experiences in urban places
The conference will be hosted at Evergreen Brick Works in the heart of Toronto’s Don Valley. While there are a limited number of in-person tickets, many of the sessions will be held virtually to accommodate our attendees from far and wide. All tickets are free of charge, but we kindly accept donations here.
Tickets to our in-person conference are now sold out, but you can still attend many sessions virtually. Learn more and register for our virtual program here.
Keynote Speaker: Zita Cobb – Founder and CEO of Shorefast
Zita Cobb is an eighth-generation Fogo Islander, Founder and CEO of the registered charity Shorefast, and Innkeeper of the award-winning Fogo Island Inn. Zita graduated high school on Fogo Island before studying business in Ottawa. Following a subsequent successful career in high-tech, Zita returned to Fogo Island and established Shorefast to put another leg on the Island’s struggling economy to complement its ever-important fishery. With an enduring commitment to Fogo Island, Shorefast is expanding its mission through its pan-Canadian Community Economies initiative to strengthen place-based economic development within the global economy.
Zita has been a Member of the Order of Canada since 2016 and was a 2020 inductee to Canada’s Business Hall of Fame. She holds honorary doctorates from McGill University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the University of Ottawa, and Carleton University. She volunteers her full time and energy for Shorefast’s charitable initiatives and community businesses.
