At the State of Canada’s Cities Summit, Principal Pino DiMascio joined an inspiring panel titled "Building Better Lives: How Infrastructure Shapes Our Wellbeing."

This discussion explored how infrastructure is not just concrete and steel—but the foundation of our health, wellbeing, and the communities we call home.

Summit 10 Key Takeaways:

1. Canada’s Edge Lies in Its Places: To attract talent, spark innovation, and tackle big challenges, Canada must level up the quality of its spaces.

2. Fight Polarization Locally: The erosion of trust in institutions starts and ends in our communities—local action can heal the divides.

3. Build for Beauty and Impact: Infrastructure isn’t just functional—it’s equity, climate resilience, culture, and meaning, all rolled into one. And it’s not inflationary.

4. Act Now by Starting Somewhere: Canada’s housing and mental health crises are everywhere, but proven solutions exist. We need to scale what works—urgently—by learning from the best.

5. Think Local, Act Local: Big changes start small. Empower communities with tools and resources to adapt and scale their solutions.

6. Diversify How We Invest: Canada needs flexible investment tools for every scale and every investor—public, private, and institutional.

7. Data Over Divisions: Drop the politics and act on the facts. Good data drives real change.

8. Digitize for Civic Power: Prioritize digital tools, AI, and accessible data to supercharge decision-making and civic innovation.

9. Own the Public Realm: Progress rests on leveraging the three P’s: procurement, public land, and the public realm.

10. Take Accountability: Canada’s future hinges on a resolution of longstanding jurisdictional problems. Devolve power and resources to communities to realize their full potential.