The Canadian Urban Institute is a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is mandated to pursue both national and international urban issues. The institute operates in several fields related to urban planning and is involved with specific issues such as affordable housing, the competitiveness of city regions, smart growth, energy and water solutions, age-friendly communities and brownfield reclamation.
The institute was established in 1990, led by veteran Toronto city councillor Richard Gilbert. Former Toronto mayor and federal cabinet minister, the Honourable David Crombie served as its president and chief executive officer from 2001 to 2007. Crombie was followed in the position by former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray. Murray stood down following his election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 2010 and was succeeded by former Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger, who formally took office on February 7, 2011.
The institute has an active international program that works in partnership with cities and regions around the world to improve planning, urban management, service delivery, environmental management and local economic development. CUI has been active in a range of countries including Philippines, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, Peru, Paraguay, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and countries within Central and Eastern Europe such as Ukraine, Poland and Latvia. The CUI is helping to advance regional economic development in Ukraine., local economic development in the Philippines, local government reform in Jamaica, and improved urban management in Ethiopia.