We specialize in advising business, governments and organizations on building healthy and prosperous communities. We believe that effective community engagement in local decisions leads to innovation, and makes a lasting positive impact.
Our expertise is in managing complex policy and decision making environments to deliver lasting results. In particular, our work focusses on supporting communities in navigating the energy transition to lower emissions and stronger local economies.
We draw on our experience and leadership to help you plan and execute business strategies, keeping them on time and on budget. We can help you navigate the tricky waters of government relations, stakeholder and community engagement, and development approval.
We believe strong collaboration brings the best to our clients. We work to make the most out of the resources you have. And we complement our projects with an extensive network of collaborators as wide as the field we consult in.
We are all about connecting people and ideas. We just can't help ourselves. As a result, we are involved in a substantial way with several organizations who also work for healthy and prosperous communities. We are urban connectors!
Karen Farbridge is a proven change agent who knows how to effectively provoke new conversations and inspire innovation.
She has been recognised by local, provincial and national organizations for her leadership and commitment to building more liveable and sustainable communities. Her strength lies in her ability to manage complex policy and decision making environments to deliver results. This experience includes eleven years as the mayor of Guelph.
Drawing from her extensive experience, she can help you get out of the weeds and think about big picture opportunities and how to implement them.
Connecting people and ideas is best done in person. Karen Farbridge is a skilled communicator with a wide range of successes and experiences to draw on. If your event needs a keynote, panelist or guest facilitator, Karen will build an immediate connection with your audience. Book a talk here.
Informed and engaged citizens make our communities great. Urban connectors are innovators, change makers, and city builders. They are people who get involved to make their community a better place. With two-thirds of the world population estimated to be urban dwellers by 2050, we need to get cities right – for people, governments and budgets. More than 8 of 10 Canadian already live in urban environments where there are endless opportunities to grow healthy and prosperous communities. This blog explores some of these possibilities with a focus on energy and climate change.
March 8, 2022 — Linda was a rare bird. Not only was she the only other female candidate at my first-all candidates meeting, but she was also the rarest of creatures, a female incumbent. In 164 years, only six women had ever served on city council in the community, and she was one of them. In 1917, social activist and suffragette Hannah “Annie” Gale...
May 30, 2021 — Essex County approved their Regional Energy Plan on May 19, 2021. The region is a shining example of what happens when a community becomes “energy conscious”. They take action to reduce energy consumption, emissions, and costs. Essex County was highly motivated to embark on this journey. In 2019 and 2020, the region was under flood watches and warnings for...
May 17, 2021 — Fossil fuel consumption accounts for approximately 70 to 75% of a community’s greenhouse gas emissions. So, if you want to make an impact on climate change, building a more efficient and clean energy system must by a priority. Energy related emissions arise from the heating and cooling of our homes and buildings, the powering of industries and the movement...