© Copyright Civicplan. All Rights Reserved.

About Us

Civicplan helps people shape communities through award-winning participatory planning, public engagement and strategies.

 

Civicplan specializes in tailored public engagement and community planning solutions to help our clients better understand and plan for future opportunities. Our work includes award-winning and innovative community planning, public engagement, and strategy development services for a wide variety of clients. We work with civic leaders including municipalities, institutions, community organizations, citizens and the private sector.

Team

Led by our Principals, the Civicplan team brings a diversity of backgrounds to our projects, including urban planning, community engagement and facilitation, strategic planning, communication, and research. The breadth of our experience gives us a strong understanding of the mechanics of government, community outreach, the planning process, and political decision-making.

Sonja Macdonald, M.A.

Principal

Sonja Macdonald is co-founder and a Principal with Civicplan. She has over 15 years of experience in community-based research and engagement, project management, and strategic communication. Sonja designs and implements complex mixed method research projects blending quantitative and qualitative data. She has proven expertise in the design and coordination of various types of public engagement. Sonja’s work focuses on a diversity of sectors, including alternative transportation, community and social services, creative industries, municipal infrastructure, as well as women’s health, innovation and training.

Paul Shaker, MCIP, RPP

Principal

Paul Shaker is a Principal and co-founder of Civicplan. He has over 15 years of experience in the realm of progressive placemaking. His work blends strategic thinking, planning policy, research, and public engagement into concrete plans that help citizens shape their communities. Paul’s project experience includes the design and management of award-winning participatory planning campaigns, district development plans, economic development policy and planning, neighbourhood renewal strategies, and alternative transportation planning. The breadth of his experience spans the private, non-profit and public sectors at both the federal and municipal levels, which gives him an understanding of community planning in a variety of environments.

Publications

Student Streets Create Healthier Neighbourhoods

Y Magazine, Ontario Professional Planners Institute, 2023

 

Inclusion by design: Understanding inclusive infrastructure investment in Canada

The Monitor, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2022

 

Building a community hub: From concept plan to implementation

Y Magazine, Ontario Professional Planners Institute, 2022

 

Using technology to boost participatory planning

Y Magazine, Ontario Professional Planners Insitute, 2021

 

COVID-19 is inspiring healthier street design in Canadian cities

Think Upstream, 2020

 

Using Technology to Change How We Talk About Museums

MuseumNext, 2020

 

School Walk: Family-friendly neighbourhood planning

Our Schools/Our Selves, 2019

The right to play in our public spaces

CCPA Monitor, 2019

 

Safer Streets with Participatory Plannning

OPPI Journal, 2018

 

Helping Neighbourhoods Walk to School

Our Schools/Our Selves, 2018

 

Data-Driven Participatory Planning

Plan Canada, 2017

 

How PB Analytics Helps Build Neighbourhood Engagement

Public Agenda, 2017

 

Engaging communities with participatory planning

CCPA Monitor, 2017

 

New vision in the wings for King William

The Spectator, 2015

 

Walkability and Economic Development: How Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Environments Attract Creative Jobs

Plan Canada, 2012