Excellence Through Humanity: Planning’s Wobbly Paradigm Shift - Part Two

 
The following is part two of a two-part series featuring an extended transcript of Rob Horne’s presentation, delivered virtually on April 8, 2021, as part of the University of Waterloo’s School of Planning inaugural planner-in-residence public lecture series. In case you missed it, read part one. 

The views presented here are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of the University of Waterloo. Finally, while it is recognized that changes are now being made to the Provincial planning appeal system on Ontario, Rob maintains the same concerns.

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Today, I would like to share some of my reflections about the impacts of the pandemic on the planning profession itself. In short, I believe that the pandemic has precipitated a “wobbly” paradigm shift in planning, and in many other fields. This unbalanced paradigm shift creates opportunities to devise and catalyze good and lasting changes to our profession and to society, as long as we are consistent and persistent.
 
I would like to talk to you about four related themes that I believe inform this wobbly paradigm shift in planning. They are privilege, extreme polarization, professional erosion, and shared renewal.
Professional erosion and shared renewal will be explored here, in part two of this blog series. Privilege and extreme polarization were explored in part one.
 
My third theme is around what I call “professional erosion.”
 
Let me explain using three examples.
 
I have seen many cases where planning practices are no longer centred on the client or the public. I have seen potential investors being sent on their own to three or more offices in separate locations to explore the merits of new community investment. What’s more, it seems like planners have lost touch with their diverse or diversifying community fabric. How much public engagement considers matters of language, cultural traditions and meetings in public spaces where people feel most comfortable? Aside from a few communities that have made significant adjustments, I would suggest we have a long way to go.
 
The second example of professional erosion is the planning appeal process in Ontario. It is my opinion that the legal profession has overtaken the planning appeals process by being permitted to argue their cases over many days and in as many legal contexts as possible. I also bristle when the Tribunal Member, the applicant and the appellants do not or cannot actually visit a site together. That is where we should match proposals to real world conditions. What’s more, not all appellants can afford a lawyer, let alone one with solid planning experience to represent them, which arguably creates inequity from the start. There have been many proposals for reform in recent years, including an extensive report sponsored and released by the Regional Planning Commissioners of Ontario in 2016, and authored by esteemed solicitor Ian Lord and renowned Canadian planner Joe Berridge. Most people will agree that while the solutions are varied, the current process takes much too long, is extremely costly, and the outcomes are very uncertain. There are better ways to enshrine natural justice, and I believe it is time for a systemic overhaul.
 
Finally, I believe our profession is simply being overtaken by the speed of societal change. The speed with which internet-based accommodation and ride sharing (e.g. Airbnb and Uber) overtook local regulatory environments is well documented. We need to be more nimble and to use other tools, such as creating more open data, and using less traditional consultative approaches, like human centred design.
 
My fourth and final theme is shared renewal, and this is what really matters.
 
If you are wondering if my cup is half empty or half full, I can tell you it is brimming to overflowing when I think about the prospects for our profession!
 
Here are some of the things we can do now:

• Talk openly, candidly and frequently about the issues that challenge us as a profession and societally. What is and isn’t the public interest? How are we practically supporting community wellness? What is work? Where is work? It should be rich, honest and productive debate.
• Take the longer view more consistently and practically. Planners need to support our societal decision-makers with initiatives that are more sustainable. This means that capital projects may be more expensive at the front end, and dividends will not always be easily monetized.
• Require apprenticing planners to job shadow in public, private and not-for-profit planning offices. The Ontario Professional Planners Institute is already exploring this option, and I commend them for doing so;
• Forge different working relationships. For example, directly engage economic development officers in the drafting of new official plans. I have recently worked for a municipality that sees its forthcoming new official plan as a road map for shaping and communicating new investment opportunities to potential investors. It is also the guiding document that all staff, including planners and economic developers, will be expected to rally around.
• Overhaul the planning appeals process to ensure focus is better placed on planning merits and equitable participation.
• Ensure academic institutions are also aligned with emerging changes in our profession. For example, university cultures should enshrine priorities of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we do see that happening more intentionally. Greater emphasis should also be placed on cross-disciplinary collaboration, like the current discussions happening at the University of Waterloo to create more interaction between the engineering and planning programs. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of planners to be able to practice verbal presentations and to orally debate issues as part of the academic curriculum. Professional planners must verbalize their positions, concerns and opportunities every day.
• Invest in our up-and-coming planners, for they are our future. I asked my fourth year planning class why they want to be planners. Here are some of the answers I received: ”I want to be a planner so I can design and create something that is tangible, useable and impactful to others;” “I want to be a planner to build meaningful relationships with the public and demonstrate what good civic engagement means;” and “I want to be a planner because I want to give back to the cities and communities in my life that have given me so much in return.” Our emerging planners are energetic, ambitious, and focused, and they want to be influencers and agents of change. We should do everything we can to support them.

 
In Closing
 
Our past President at the University of Waterloo and former Governor General, David Johnston, most recently released a book called The Idea of Canada. For me, his simple self reflection on “Who am I, anyway?” should be the starting point for all of us, as we work to better ourselves, our profession and our communities. I encourage you to reflect on those words.
 
The planning community needs to step up and solidify our wobbly paradigm shift. Systemic change can create great and lasting societal gains, and that is something that planners are well suited, qualified and experienced to support.
 
Above all, let’s strive for humanity, and not the abstract of perfection.

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References, Web Sources and Contributions
 
Berridge, Joe and Lord, Ian. Reforming the Ontario Municipal Board: Five Actions for Change. A report sponsored by the Regional Planning Commissioners of Ontario, 2016.
 
Drucker, Peter F. Numerous quotes from Dr. Drucker are available on many web sites.
 
Macron, Emmanuel. Numerous internet articles regarding social media regulation in France, in which President Macron is quoted. An interim report was tabled by France in May of 2019.
 
World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future (New York: Oxford University Press), 1987.
 
Special thanks to Ontario Professional Planners Institute President, Justine Giancola, for our brief discussion about potential changes to future planning accreditation.

Special thanks as well to the students in my Plan 403 class who responded to the question “Why do you want to be a planner?”