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UrbanToronto and The Buildings Show return with a new online session on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET. Entitled 'Highest and Best Use: Transforming Underutilized Sites Into Vibrant Communities,' this discussion will examine how aging suburban plazas and industrial lands that once worked well are being transformed into mixed-use neighbourhoods that serve Toronto's new needs. As housing demand accelerates and city policies change, developers are working to reconfigure outmoded sites with combinations of residential, retail, employment space, and public amenities. The event will highlight lessons learned, policy considerations, and design strategies shaping Toronto’s next generation of communities. Attendance is free, and registration is now open.
UrbanToronto’s Co-Owner, Edward Skira, and Managing Editor, Craig White, will be joined by Charles Arbez of Hullmark, Aaron Knight of QuadReal Property Group, and James Cox of Canada Lands Company (CLC) for this discussion.
Speakers
Charles Arbez • Senior Director, Development, Hullmark
Arbez guides planning and design for Hullmark’s diverse development portfolio, encompassing a range of projects from adaptive reuse projects to large-scale master plans. His current focus, Beltline Yards, proposes over 1.9 million ft² of new housing, employment space, and parkland on a brownfield site along the midtown rail corridor. With more than a decade of experience, he is recognized for advancing design-forward projects that feature public realm improvements. Beyond project delivery, Arbez engages in public policy advocacy, affordability frameworks, and strategic partnerships to support more inclusive development across Toronto.
James Cox • Vice President, Real Estate (Central Region), Canada Lands Company
Cox oversees CLC's real estate operations across Ontario and Manitoba, managing a portfolio of projects that span redevelopment, community planning, and land disposition. With more than 25 years in the field, he has held roles in both the public and private sectors, including experience as a community planner in New York State and as a consultant advising on land use strategy. Cox is a graduate of the University of Waterloo’s Honours Urban and Regional Planning program and holds professional accreditation as a Registered Professional Planner and a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners.
Aaron Knight • Senior Vice-President, Development, QuadReal
Knight leads QuadReal’s Eastern Canada development activities, overseeing complex redevelopments such as Bayview Village and Cloverdale Mall, where outdated retail landscapes are being transformed into walkable mixed-use centres. Before joining QuadReal, he was Vice President of Hi-Rise at Great Gulf, managing high-density condominium projects across Canada and the United States. A certified planner and graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Urban and Regional Planning program, Knight brings extensive expertise in coordinating multidisciplinary teams on large-scale urban infill and intensification projects.
To register for this free event, please click here!
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UTPro, that provides comprehensive data on development projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe — from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
