Media Release: Tackling the Biggest Challenges to Planning and the Profession

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 13, 2011) - As the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) celebrates its 25^th anniversary, the Institute will announce today the 2011 winners of the Excellence in Planning awards, the recipient of the Healthy Communities Award, the winner of the Leonard Gertler Award of Distinction and name their newest Honorary Member. In addition, OPPI will recognize two outstanding students. These awards will be given out at an event starting at 7 pm on Thursday, October 13^th at the Ottawa Convention Centre.

The Excellence in Planning Awards recognize innovation, creativity, professionalism, problem-solving, and communications in four categories: urban and community design, planning studies or reports, research/new directions, and public education. These are the best of the best in planning. This year's winners were chosen from more than 40 entries. In addition, the OPPI and Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario will be giving out a Healthy Communities Award.

The Leonard Gertler Award of Distinction is named in honour of Professor Gertler who is credited with being one of the founding fathers of town planning in Canada and instrumental in planning in the Province of Ontario. The award will be given this year to the Niagara Escarpment Plan. The Plan is Canada's first, large scale environmental land use plan. It is balances protection, conservation and sustainable development to ensure that the Escarpment will remain substantially as a natural environment for future generations.

OPPI is not the only organization celebrating an important milestone. Parks Canada is also marking its 100^th anniversary. It is appropriate, given the role played by parks, historic sites and open spaces – much of which are a key part of community planning and contribute to the health and sustainability of the Province of Ontario - to recognize the person credited with being the founder of what we now know as Parks Canada, Mr. James Bernard Harkin. Mr. Harkin will be made an Honorary Member of the Institute (posthumously).

The awards event will feature Wendy Mesley, a Gemini Award winner, accomplished reporter, and regular contributor to CBC News: The National and Marketplace who will announce this year's winners.

We have come a long way over the past 25 years and today OPPI continues to ensure that professional planners have the strong foundation they need for the future. At the Gala Dinner and Awards event we will celebrate our winners, OPPI's vision and leadership, and the great communities across Ontario that our members have together helped create and sustain. says Sue Cumming, MCIP, RPP, President of OPPI.

This year's Awards go to:

2011 OPPI Award Winners

EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING - COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES/REPORTS

• Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study – City of Toronto / Brook McIlroy

EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING - RESEARCH / NEW DIRECTIONS

• Farm Sustainability in Niagara – Niagara Region

EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING - URBAN / COMMUNITY DESIGN

• Lower Donlands Framework Plan & Keating Channel Precinct Plan

– Waterfront Toronto

EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING - MUNICIPAL / STATUTORY PLANNING STUDIES

• Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan – City of Toronto
• York Region Official Plan 2010 – York Region

EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING - COMMUNICATIONS / PUBLIC EDUCTIONS

• Natural Heritage Reference Manual for Natural Heritage Policies of the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 Second Edition – Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

ONTARIO PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS INSTITUTE AND HEART & STROKE FOUNDATION OF ONTARIO HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AWARD

• York Region Official Plan 2010 – York Region

LEONARD GERTLER AWARD OF DISTINCTION

• Niagara Escarpment Plan

HONORARY MEMBER (posthumously)

• James Bernard Harkin

SCHOLARSHIPS

• Gerald Carrothers Graduate Scholarship - Brad Bradford
• Undergraduate Scholarship – Dilys Huang

For further information: www.ontarioplanners.on.ca

OPPI is the recognized voice of the Province's planning profession. Its more than 3,500 members work in government, private practice, universities, and non-profit agencies in the fields of urban and rural development, urban design, environmental planning, transportation, health and social services, heritage conservation, housing, and economic development.