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Local Projects

Through a community-based fieldnotes program, local story collection, and arts and culture, the Dept supported a comprehensive...

id8 Downsview

The Dept helped this essential agency for at-risk women to discern and understand their present and future programming commitments and...

Sistering Space Assessment

This moderated session tackled tasks and challenges facing co-op real estate purchasers. In 2019, Jane Farrow moderated the afternoon...

Cooperative Real Estate Conference

In 2018, the Dept co-designed and facilitated a day-long consultation event to discuss more equitable distribution of resources in...

Why Not Theatre – ThisGen

From 2016-2019, Jane was the public consultation lead and engagement process co-designer on a transportation plan for the Greater Golden...

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

Jane led WalkShops and chaired the naming committee for this public space under the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto. The Bentway is a...

The Bentway

The local community and stakeholders were engaged through workshops, WalkShops and an open house to explore the redevelopment of 5...

Grand Avenue Park Master Plan

This roundtable of housing experts was designed and facilitated as a new federal housing strategy was launched. In 2017, Jane moderated...

National Housing Day

This groundbreaking edition, which was shortlisted for the 2017 Toronto Book Award, was co-edited by Jane. Toronto is home to multiple...

Any Other Way: How Toronto Got Queer

The Dept devised and led an ethnographic research approach to explore the perspective of children and families with children in vertical...

Growing UP – CondoHack

An industry roundtable helped the Dept determine priorities and possibilities for supporting the growth of Toronto's fashion sector. The...

Fashion Industry Roundtable

The Dept supported the Church to explore options for development planning through facilitated conversation. The United Church of...

Mississauga Futures – United Church

In collaboration with the United Church's real estate development area, the Dept is working to determine priorities and plans to guide...

Binkley United Church

The Dept has collaborated with Park People since 2012 in an advisory capacity and to facilitate and moderate events. Park People supports...

Park People

North America's first study of the walkability of inner-suburban high rise neighbourhoods with co-written by Jane and a project of the...

Inner-Suburban Walkability Studies

Workshops and a provincial symposium brought the public and private sector together to explore how to advance mid-rise development in...

Making Mid-rise Work in Ontario

The Dept has helped local people get involved in integrating this new shelter through the development of a Community Liaison Committee, a...

Fatima House Women’s Shelter

Engagement and outreach was provided to local residents, business, organizations and communities who depend heavily on this strip of...

Yonge Street Linear Parks

Mouse City initiatives aim to engage kids on urban planning and design issues. The Dept has worked on several Mouse City initiatives,...

Mouse City

WalkShops were used to help Artscape explore processes of neighbourhood change in Toronto's West Queen West. In 2018, the Dept of Words &...

Artscape – Creative Placemaking Symposium

Through a one-day workshop, sector leaders, artists, cultural workers, experts and policy makers explored barriers and opportunities for...

Beyond Culture Shock

WalkShops have featured prominently in the Dept's work to draw people together and discuss ideas. The Dept regularly uses participatory...

WalkShops

Through public workshops and roundtables, the Dept helped explore the impact of automation and innovation on the workplace. The Dept of...

Robot Talks

The Dept organized and facilitated workshops and panel discussions focusing on housing resilience and rehabilitation, neighbourhood...

Tower Renewal Action Forum

Mia’s research and writing has focused on making space for difference in the city – be it space for at-risk women, marginalized...

Writing on Space for Difference in the City

The Dept contributed to the Toronto's Heritage Planning Services' Strategic Roadmap through interviews, planning recommendations and an...

City of Toronto Heritage Roadmap

WalkShops helped Westbank engage the community on design, priorities and heritage for the Honest Ed's site. Jane co-designed and...

Mirvish Village – Westbank

The Dept led public consultation and process design on the revitalization of this central Toronto park. Centrally located in the heart of...

Ramsden Park Master Plan

The Dept supported Akin Studios – a vital Toronto non-profit – through a strategic planning and renewal process. Akin Collective is a...

Akin Studios Strategic Planning

The Toronto Arts Council 10 Year Strategy was supported through targeted stakeholder engagement. The Dept of Words & Deeds conducted 30...

Toronto Arts Council

Over an eight year period, Mia collaborated on research on the how culture, place and economy intersect and has co-written book chapters,...

Creative City Writing & Research

Metrolinx's Community Advisory Committee for the UP Express was supported by the Dept over eight meetings. The Dept of Words & Deeds...

Metrolinx

Three phases of public engagement included Design Jams with kids and community meetings to redesign and renew this well-loved waterpark....

Kidstown Water Park

The Dept collaborated with the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Persons Investigations in 2019-2020 to review how the Toronto...

Missing Person Investigations

With KPMG, the Dept engaged the Toronto public on changes to the City's parks and recreation online registration system. In 2018 and...

New Registration System – PFR Toronto

A two-phase engagement process was designed and facilitated to develop a Master Plan for the Park. Located adjacent to Toronto’s oldest...

St James Park Master Plan

Jane moderated a panel discussion to kick off the revitalization of David Crombie Park in 2018. To kick off the City of Toronto park...

David Crombie Park Panel

The public and stakeholders were brought together to reimagine the Malls of Mississauga through a day-long symposium. People are changing...

The Future of Malls

WalkShops with Mall staff, local residents and stakeholders helped guide a new design for the Yorkdale Mall. In 2017, the Dept designed...

Yorkdale WalkShop

The Dept facilitated a planning-session to consider the Housing Action Lab's areas of programming. The Housing Action Lab is a...

Housing Action Lab – Evergreen Brickworks

Engagement activities were designed for two conferences to showcase agriculture innovations and entrepreneurs. Jane facilitated break-out...

Grey County – Agriculture 4.0

Public walks have drawn people to learn about their city, neighbourhoods and neighbours. Jane has hosted many public walks associated...

Walking Tours

The strategic planning sessions designed and facilitated by the Dept helped this vital non-profit get organized and plan for the future....

Not Far From The Tree – Strategic Planning

This series of public roundtables – designed, facilitated, managed and reported on by the Dept – influenced Ontario's 2016 Culture...

Culture Talks – Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport

In 2015, The Dept supported the Town of Whitby to consider food and street vending. On behalf of MASS LBP, the Dept of Words & Deeds...

Whitby Food Truck Policy Review

In collaboration with UofT's Professor Paul Hess, the Dept investigated how people navigate transit and their local walking environments....

Walk Portraits & LRT Connectivity

Planning sessions supported the Board's approach to managing building changes, communications and governance. The Dept designed, planned...

Beaver Hall Housing Coop

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