00:00Thank you to the Icons of Change for this award. I'm honoured and humbled by this recognition.
00:05It is inspiring to see the impacts the award recipients have made. Thank you for sharing our stories.
00:12Throughout my career and volunteer journey, I've had the privilege of working on a number of hard, complex issues that
00:18Canada and often the rest of the world is grappling with.
00:22Throughout this journey, one thing became very clear. No meaningful change happens alone or by one person.
00:31I've been very fortunate to work with amazing, dedicated, smart people who share a commitment to making a difference in
00:38the lives of others.
00:40I'm also a wife and a mother of three amazing young adults who have supported and encouraged me to pursue
00:48a very rewarding career.
00:49This recognition belongs as much to them as it does to me.
00:55Moments like this give us pause, time to reflect and think about what shaped us.
01:01I had the privilege of leading the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada for over seven years.
01:08And throughout that experience, what I realised is that communities matter. Place-based policy matters.
01:16The choices we make today have lasting effects and shape communities that we live in for decades to come.
01:24And that responsibility is one we all share.
01:28The quality of our communities influences almost every aspect of our lives, our health, our opportunities, our sense of belonging
01:36and our ability to thrive.
01:38This belief is reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, which calls on all
01:47of us to create communities that are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
01:54Strong communities do not happen by accident.
01:57They are intentionally built through leadership, collaboration, investment and a commitment to the people who call them home.
02:07As the Deputy Minister, my job was to oversee and provide advice on public policy and investments in areas that
02:14supported public infrastructure, housing and the reduction of homelessness in communities across Canada.
02:22Often people speak about the dollar value of projects, which is important because it provides opportunity.
02:29But the real value is the impact the investment has on the people who live in those communities.
02:35A small dollar value can make a big difference, such as providing safe drinking water, a recreation centre or access
02:44to public transit.
02:45Increasingly, as we make these investments, we must adapt our communities to a change in climate.
02:52Climate change is not a future challenge, but a present day reality.
02:56Across Canada and around the world, communities are facing more floods, wildfires, storms and extreme weather events.
03:04And all too often, these events disproportionately impact those most vulnerable.
03:10Over the past decade, sustainability and resilience have become central priorities globally.
03:16In 2022, Germany hosted the first ever dedicated meeting of G7 ministers of sustainable urban development.
03:24I had the honour of representing Canada at that summit, where it was recognized that we need global partnerships to
03:32focus on resilience, climate neutral planning and public welfare.
03:39These dialogues continued at G7 in Japan and Italy and are now built directly into the core priorities of the
03:47G7 across multiple tracks, given the importance and their interconnectedness.
03:52What these reinforced for me is that no single country, government or organisation can address these issues alone.
04:01Progress depends on collaboration and partnership.
04:05Some of the most impactful and meaningful outcomes I've witnessed is when we work hand in hand with diverse partners.
04:12Together, we're able to build more sustainable communities for today and for future generations.
04:19One such example involved collaborative efforts between governments, the private sector and academia in sharing research and practices leading to
04:28the development of codes and standards to make our infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather.
04:33This resulted in the Canadian Board on construction standards being overhauled in 2025 to make forward-looking climate data directly
04:43into structural regulations, shifting away from historical records.
04:47A gap I saw firsthand, though, is the limited capacity and expertise of our communities to understand and adapt to
04:54a changing environment and use of new technologies.
04:57This is, again, where partnerships and collaboration are needed.
05:02Through initiatives such as the Climate Ready Infrastructure Service led by the Canadian Urban Institute, municipalities can access free expert
05:10advice and practical support to help ensure the infrastructure decisions they make today will better prepare their communities for future
05:19climate realities.
05:21But resilience is about more than engineering.
05:24It's about people.
05:26The most successful projects are not those simply about technical requirements.
05:32They are the ones that improve lives.
05:35It's about creating communities where families can find affordable housing, where seniors can age with dignity, where young people can
05:42access opportunity, and where people feel connected and included.
05:46It's also about ensuring that we support those who face the greatest barriers.
05:52One issue that has become particularly important to me is mental health.
05:56Across Canadian communities, many people struggle with isolation, anxiety, addiction, homelessness, and mental illness.
06:04Unfortunately, this is not unique to Canada.
06:07Organizations such as the Ottawa branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association provide critical support to some of the most
06:14vulnerable members of my community.
06:17Every day they help individuals find stability, dignity, hope, and connection.
06:23Their work reminds us that building communities is not only about physical spaces, it's about ensuring that people feel supported,
06:31valued, and included.
06:33As I reflect on this award, a few concluding thoughts.
06:37Investments in our communities today need to be built for tomorrow.
06:42Collaboration and partnership are key to making progress.
06:46Not because we always agree, but because progress happens when people listen, learn, and work towards a common purpose.
06:53When people come together, they discover shared aspirations, shared challenges, and shared solutions.
07:00And that's where change begins.
07:02I remain convinced that our greatest strengths lie in one another.
07:06To the organizers of the Icons of Change International Award, thank you for this recognition.
07:11Thank you to our discussion.
07:12We appreciate your inclusion in the chat with us.
Comments