Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Canada

The Canada Pavilion at WUF13 offers a strategic opportunity to consolidate and elevate Canada’s engagement in global urban dialogue at a moment of heightened international focus on sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities. Building momentum towards the Habitat I Commemoration, which took place in Vancouver, Canada 50 years ago, it will serve as a focal point for all Canadian institutions participating at WUF13, creating a common space for alignment, visibility, and collaboration across federal, provincial, municipal, Indigenous, academic, and civil-society actors. Reflecting Canada’s bilingual identity, the Pavilion will be delivered in both English and French.

Aligned with WUF’s daily Dialogue themes, the Pavilion programme will adapt each day’s focus to reflect urban realities experienced in Canada. Burgeoning issues - such as homelessness - will be integrated into and convened on relevant thematic days, including on Day Two: Transforming informal settlements and slums.

Day 1: Canada’s Housing Crisis: What’s the Plan?
Day 2: Homelessness, Encampments, Supportive and Transitional Housing
Day 3: Housing and Urban Resilience: Reconstruction and Construction Innovation
Day 4: The Climate–Housing Nexus
Day 5: The Social and Economic Power of Housing
Day 6: A New Deal for Housing Finance

This collaborative initiative of over 10 different partners will thus showcase innovations, facilitate dialogue, and gather policy insights related to housing, homelessness, climate-smart urban development, innovation, investment, urban resilience, inclusive cities, and Indigenous-led approaches.