COVID Signpost

Since COVID-19 hit Canada, life in our cities has fundamentally changed. People have physically distanced themselves from one another, staying home from work, school and play. Families and colleagues have stopped gathering, connecting instead by video and phone. Businesses have closed or dramatically shifted operations. Public services have been altered or discontinued, and demand for new forms of public support has exploded. The way we move through our cities has experienced the most significant change since the introduction of the automobile.

Indeed, COVID-19 is the global crisis of our generation and has introduced great uncertainty in Canada’s cities. It is like a particle accelerator, sparking innovation at an uncharted pace while also deepening existing fault lines and inequities.

COVID Signpost is a research series that looks at how life in Canadian cities has changed and what must come next. The Canadian Urban Institute is conducting cross-Canada research and convening conversations about what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next. These signposts offer important directions for urban Canada about the lingering challenges we must face as a nation.