Urban Strategies

What Urban Strategies does

Urban Strategies Inc. is an urban design, planning, and engagement consultancy founded in 1986 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The firm operates four studios across Canada and the United States (Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, and Buffalo, NY) and maintains an active practice spanning Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. Its service portfolio spans fourteen defined practice areas, including master planning for complex sites, development advisory and approvals, community and stakeholder engagement, city and regional strategies, downtown strategies, campus planning (academic and healthcare), transit-oriented plans, retail revitalization, Indigenous-led planning, urban design guidelines, waterfront regeneration, sustainability and resilience planning, and physical/digital modeling and visualization.

The firm's client base is diversified across four primary verticals: government and public sector entities (e.g., City of Toronto, New York State Department of State, Town of Oakville, Municipality of Clarington, City of Lake Charles, Canada Lands Company); large institutional real estate developers and asset owners (e.g., Cadillac Fairview, Oxford Properties, OMERS, QuadReal, First Capital Realty, Westbank, Diamond Corp, SHAPE, Primaris, DREAM, Kilmer, TRICON, Daniels Corporation); First Nations and Indigenous development corporations (e.g., MST Development Corporation for the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations; Huu-ay-aht First Nations); and institutional end-users (SickKids, Nanyang Technological University). Notable flagship mandates include the 500-acre Downsview master plan, the 90-acre Jericho Lands (13,000 units) in partnership with MST Nations and Canada Lands Company, the 130-acre Square One District (18,000 units), and the Nanyang Technological University Campus Vibrancy Master Plan in Singapore.

Urban Strategies generates revenue through professional consulting fees negotiated on a project-by-project basis with each client, with no standardized pricing tiers, SaaS product, or technology licensing component. The firm delivers services directly to clients through project teams without intermediaries or resellers. It is privately held, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or institutional ownership. Revenue, employee count beyond a 101–250 band, and detailed financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Urban Strategies

Legal name

Urban Strategies Inc.

Website

https://urbanstrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Urban Strategies is a privately-held urban design, planning, and engagement consultancy founded in 1986, with four studios in Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, and Buffalo. It serves governments, real estate developers, First Nations, and institutions on complex master planning, approvals, and community engagement projects across North America and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Planning and Design Consulting Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD), Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

Keywords

• Urban planning consulting
• Master planning services
• Urban design advisory
• Community engagement planning
• Development approvals consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Planning and Urban Design Consulting: Revenue is generated through professional consulting services for urban planning, master planning, urban design, and community engagement on complex urban development projects. Services include visioning, planning approvals, policy development, and implementation guidance for public and private sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Urban Strategies is a professional consultancy that delivers urban design, planning, and engagement services for complex urban development projects. Its work spans master planning, development advisory and approvals, community engagement, city and regional strategies, downtown strategies, campus planning, transportation-oriented planning, retail revitalization, Indigenous partnership planning, urban design guidelines, healthcare planning, waterfront regeneration, sustainability and resilience planning, and modelling and visualization. Services are delivered to government agencies, private developers, First Nations communities, and institutional clients across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.

Product overview

Urban Strategies is an urban design, planning, and engagement consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of professional services rather than a software product. The firm operates through studio offices in Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, and Buffalo, providing master planning, development advisory, community engagement, and specialized planning services across Canada, the US, Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. The service portfolio includes Master Planning for Complex Sites, Development Advisory and Approvals, Engagement, City and Regional Strategies, Downtown Strategies, Campus Planning, Transportation Oriented Plans, Retail Revitalization, Working with Indigenous Partners, Urban Design Guidelines, Health Care Planning, Waterfront Regeneration, Planning for Sustainability and Resilience, and Modelling and Visualization. These services are delivered through collaborative project teams working with government agencies, developers, institutional clients, and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master Planning for Complex Sites Comprehensive master planning services for large-scale, complex development sites requiring integrated urban design solutions. Used by government clients, developers, and institutional customers on transformative urban regeneration projects.
• Development Advisory and Approvals Strategic guidance through development approval processes, including planning applications, rezoning, and regulatory compliance for private developers and public-sector clients.
• Engagement Services Community and stakeholder engagement processes for planning projects, facilitating dialogue between developers, governments, and local communities to support project approvals and community buy-in.
• City and Regional Strategies Long-range planning and policy development for municipalities and regions addressing growth, land use, and development frameworks.
• Downtown Strategies Planning services focused on downtown revitalization, urban centers, and mixed-use development for municipalities and developers.
• Campus Planning Master planning for institutional campuses including universities, hospitals, and research facilities. Used by institutional clients such as SickKids and Nanyang Technological University.
• Transportation Oriented Plans Transit-oriented development planning connecting land use with transportation infrastructure for municipalities and developers.
• Retail Revitalization Planning and design services for retail area revitalization, including mall redevelopments and main street improvements for mall owners and developers.
• Working with Indigenous Partners Planning services that incorporate Indigenous knowledge, consultation, and partnership approaches for development on traditional territories. Delivered to First Nations communities and their development corporations.
• Urban Design Guidelines Development of urban design guidelines and standards shaping building form, public spaces, and streetscapes for municipalities and developers.
• Health Care Planning Planning services for healthcare facilities including hospital master plans and healthcare campus development. Used by healthcare institutions such as SickKids and Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare.
• Waterfront Regeneration Planning and design for waterfront transformation, revitalization, and mixed-use waterfront developments.
• Planning for Sustainability and Resilience Sustainable planning services incorporating climate resilience, environmental protection, and green infrastructure for municipal and developer clients.
• Modelling and Visualization Advanced modelling and visualization tools (including BIM) for presenting planning concepts and scenarios to clients, communities, and approval authorities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Two projects honored by American Planning Association International Division for Urban Design excellence and Community Planning Award (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MST Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMST Development Corporation is jointly owned by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Urban Strategies has been leading the preparation of the Comprehensive Development Concept Plan for the 90-acre Jericho Lands in Vancouver, a culturally and spiritually significant site for the MST Nations.
• Canada Lands CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Crown corporation partnering with MST Development Corporation on the Jericho Lands redevelopment. Urban Strategies is preparing the comprehensive development concept plan for this partnership.
• WestbankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper client for the Honest Ed's/Mirvish Village redevelopment in Toronto. Urban Strategies provided planning and urban design consulting for the approvals process.
• Diamond CorpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner with Cadillac Fairview on the CF Sherway Gardens Mall intensification project. Urban Strategies providing master planning and development approvals services.
• Cadillac Fairview CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMall owner and development partner for Sherway Gardens and CF Fairview Mall intensification projects. Urban Strategies providing planning and urban design consulting.
• SHAPEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner on CF Fairview Mall intensification master plan project in Toronto.
• SickKidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare institution client for Patient Support Centre project and Project Horizon campus-wide master planning exercise.
• DREAMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner in West Don Lands affordable housing project alongside Kilmer and TRICON Capital Group.
• KilmercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner in West Don Lands affordable housing project alongside DREAM and TRICON Capital Group.
• TRICON Capital GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner in West Don Lands affordable housing project alongside DREAM and Kilmer, holding 99-year land leases with Infrastructure Ontario.
• Primaris Management Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of Dufferin Mall in Toronto. Urban Strategies retained for master planning and development approvals for mall intensification.
• Oxford Properties GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Square One District project in Mississauga alongside Daniels Corporation and OMERS.
• The Daniels CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Square One District project in Mississauga alongside Oxford Properties and OMERS.
• OMERS Realty Management CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of Square One mall and partner in Square One District development project with Oxford Properties and Daniels Corporation.
• QuadReal Property GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty group owner of Cloverdale Mall. Urban Strategies retained for master planning, community visioning, engagement, and development approvals.
• First Capital RealtycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for 2150 Lake Shore - Christie Cookies Site master planning and development approvals in Toronto.
• Municipality of ClaringtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment client for Courtice Secondary Plans including Southwest Courtice, Courtice Transit-Oriented Community, and Courtice Waterfront Secondary Plans.
• Town of OakvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal client for Midtown Oakville Implementation Program including Official Plan Amendment and urban design guidelines.
• New York State Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government client implementing the Downtown Revitalization Initiative program in Western New York and Finger Lakes Regions.
• City of Lake CharlescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for Mid-City Transformation project hosting Mid-City Motion Day community engagement event. Project secured $40M HUD grant for neighborhood development including 500-800 mixed-income homes.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with urban planning and community development practices. Competes on municipal and developer RFPs but at much larger scale and with broader multi-disciplinary delivery.
• WSP: Global professional services consultancy with planning, landscape architecture, and urban design practices. Competes for similar public-sector and developer engagements and offers multi-disciplinary scale advantages.
• Arup: Global engineering and design consultancy with a substantial urban planning and city strategy practice. Competes on integrated planning but offers deeper engineering, transportation, and resilience capabilities.
• Perkins&Will: Large global architecture and design firm with an active urban design and planning practice. Competes on mixed-use, healthcare, and campus master planning but offers broader architectural services.

Direct peers

• Sasaki Associates: Integrated planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm with global practice on complex mixed-use, campus, and waterfront projects. Comparable in design-led master planning services for institutions, developers, and governments.
• DTAH: Toronto-based urban design, landscape architecture, and planning firm with comparable practice across the GTA and broader Canada. Directly comparable in scale, service mix (master planning, urban design, community engagement), and public-sector client base.
• SWA Group: Landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with a strong portfolio of waterfront, downtown, and large-scale master plans. Comparable in service mix and public/private sector client base.
• Snøhetta: Architecture, landscape, and urban design studio working on cultural, civic, and master planning projects globally. Comparable in design-led urban planning for campuses, downtowns, and waterfronts.
• Field Operations: Landscape architecture and urban design practice known for large-scale waterfront, park, and master planning projects. Comparable in offering design-led planning for complex public realm and mixed-use developments.
• McGregor Coxall: Landscape architecture and urban design firm with significant practice in master planning and waterfront regeneration. Comparable in design philosophy, scale, and government/developer client mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-strategies-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbstrat
• Xx.com/UrbStrat
• Facebookfacebook.com/urbstrat

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Strategies