Our leadership team is growing in Toronto and Vancouver. We are delighted to announce three new Principals:
Inger Squires is an urban planner in our Toronto studio who excels at complex planning approvals. She regularly manages multi-disciplinary project teams to deliver master plans and development approvals for institutions and public and private sector clients. Inger is a sought-after expert in Ontario planning policy, leading the planning policy review within the firm. Inger is working on the planning approvals for Quayside along Toronto’s eastern waterfront, the award-winning CIBC Square, Liberty Yards, planning approvals for Choice REIT, including 2280 Dundas Street West and 742 Broadview Avenue, and several downtown mixed-useprojects for Dream. Her past works include Sidewalk Labs Toronto, the award-winning uOttawa Campus Master Plan, and the GM Mobility Campus. To her work, Inger brings a strong understanding of planning policy, municipal approval processes, and urban design, and combines those with a passion for sustainability and building liveable and complete communities.
Sirous Ghanbarzadeh is an Urban Designer working from our Toronto and Vancouver studios. He is developing complex master plans for campuses, waterfronts, downtowns and new communities across North America, the UK, and Asia and working with many First Nations clients. He has recently been playing a key role on master planning projects in British Columbia, including for the future of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Surrey’s new City Centre, and for the Jericho lands, a 90-acre site within the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh (MST) Nations. He is currently part of the Tewin project in Ottawa, a development in partnership with the Algonquins of Ontario. He has led projects for the University of Ottawa, Brock University and Cardiff University (Cathays Park) in Wales. He teaches at the University of Toronto and Vancouver Island University, and is a guest speaker and review critic at TMU and UBC.
Tessa Forrest recently joined Urban Strategies as our Vancouver studio lead. Tessa is a Registered Professional Planner who was previously a Manager at TransLink, working with municipal stakeholders on the coordination of land use and transportation investment, advancing the accessibility of TransLink’s infrastructure and services, and transit network planning. With over 15 years of experience, Tessa’s work encompasses community and transportation planning, policy development, engagement, and project management. Tessa’s has experience in land use, development planning and municipal processes and has extensive experience designing and leading engagement processes, supporting municipalities in the development of land use plans, and working with complex, multi-disciplinary teams.