Planners Network 50th Anniversary Conference
May 8-10, 2026
Toronto/Tkaronto, Canada
Planners Network, a network of progressive planners, academics, students and activists based in North America, also known as Turtle Island, and beyond, hosted a conference celebrating its 50th anniversary: Planning in the Face of Fascism from May 8-10, 2026. The theme of this conference engaged the pressing political challenge confronting progressive people around the world, namely, the global resurgence of the phenomenon popularly known as fascism. While there are of course still academic debates on the proper name to grasp the nature of the current conjuncture, it is clear that the various situations in which planners work—in relation to forces of state, economy and people—are being decisively shaped by comparatively varied combinations of authoritarianism and the far right. These contexts are now thoroughly permeated by strands of fascist politics and ideology, notwithstanding the obvious differences between the present state of the world and the conditions that led to classical European fascisms. Under the present circumstances, the progressive principles affirmed by Planners Network have come under unprecedented threats and they are in urgent need of not only vigorous defence but also organized radicalization.
The Planners Network conference sought to address the question: how can progressive planners remain true to their vocation in our time of fascism? More specifically and with reference to Planners Network’s Statement of Principles, we are now compelled to ask: as planners resolved to moving away from extractive (neo)colonialism and toward abolition and decolonization; as planners dedicated to moving away from environmental catastrophe and toward climate justice; as planners committed to moving away from patriarchy and toward feminist liberation; as planners organized to moving away from racial capitalism and toward egalitarian socialism; and as planners aligned with social movements transforming society in order to achieve equity and liberation for all oppressed peoples, what kinds of planning theory and practice do we envision today? What planning is to be done here and now?
In addition to paper sessions, roundtables and workshops, Planning the Face of Fascism featured keynote sessions devoted to the history of Planners Network and the conference theme, tours of Toronto/Tkaronto highlighting progressive planning and urban political activism and a moderated open forum on urban political activism, in which participants were invited to reflect on their own experiences from various cities and collectively brainstorm strategic initiatives for progressive planners and activists today. Time for substantive informal conversation, meals and socialization was also integrated into the conference program.
Co-sponsors include: Department of Geography & Planning, University of Toronto; New Housing Alternatives (NHA) Partnership; Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University; CITY Institute, York University; School of Urban and Regional Planning, Toronto Metropolitan University; School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), University of British Columbia; School of Planning, University of Waterloo; Department of Geography, Planning & Environment, Concordia University; the Spaces of Struggle Collective; and Graduate Geography & Planning Student Society (GGAPSS).
Organizing committee: Martine August, Sarah Gelbard, Kanishka Goonewardena, Efadul Huq, Kuni Kamazaki, Bohmee Kim. Stefan Kipfer, Anna Kramer, Julie Mah, Eryn Maloney, Enrique Szendro Morales, Katharine Rankin, Norma Rantisi, Pamela Robinson and Luisa Sotomayor.
Planning in the Face of Fascism took place over three days, May 8-10, 2026 (Friday morning to Sunday late afternoon), at the University of Toronto in downtown Toronto/Tkaronto, Canada.
Conference program
To view the program (PDF format), please click on this link