“What’s New and Exciting in Edmonton!!!”
AFP Edmonton is pleased to present Simon O’Byrne, Vice President of Stantec’s Urban Planning Group and Past Chair Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. Edmonton is in the midst of a metamorphosis and it is transforming quickly as Canada’s fastest growing city. There are currently 24 construction cranes in the core, which will soon grow to over 30 and by 2020, Edmonton will go from having a single LRT line to a proper system with three lines. Simon O’Byrne will tell the story of where Edmonton is at, and more important, where the city is going.
Simon (@Simon_OByrne) is an award winning urban planner and designer and is Vice President, Community Development, at Stantec. As a planning expert he is both frequently quoted in North American media and is a sought after public speaker. Simon has led multi-disciplinary design teams in the planning and successful delivery of large, complex and politically charged projects. His experience ranges from intensive urban revitalization redevelopments, to the Downtown Arena and Entertainment District, to redevelopment of the Alberta Legislature Grounds, to the Saskatoon City Centre Plan, the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, the Alberta and Manitoba Capital Region Land Use Plans and the Hunts Point Plan, Bronx, New York. Simon has also been the principal planner on the creation of many master planned communities and transit-oriented developments throughout the Edmonton Region.
In 2015, Simon was selected to become the Allard Chair in Business for MacEwan University. The Edmonton Journal named Simon as one of Edmonton’s Power 30. Alberta Venture magazine named Simon as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Alberta for 2012. In 2009, Avenue magazine named Simon as one of the Top 40 Under 40.
Simon is a community leader who currently volunteers with the following: Edmonton Chamber of Commerce (Past Chair), Downtown Vibrancy Task Force (Past Chair), Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation (CEASE)’s Men of Honour (Chair), City of Edmonton’s Winter City (Co-Chair), Canadian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and the University of Alberta Planning Program Advisory Committee. Simon has also volunteered with the Habitat for Humanity National Leadership Council, City of Edmonton Renewable Energy Task Force, Greater Edmonton Regional Chambers of Commerce (Past-Chair), Community Sustainability Task Force, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Hope Mission, Urban Development Institute and the Alberta Professional Planning Association.
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