Graphic with purple background and diagonal light purple banner on the bottom with a YWCA Metro Vancouver and YWCA City Shift logo. Text reads: "We’re asking local governments to be bold in their pursuit of equity". Image of young people sitting on steps on the right hand side.

City Shift

Not everyone has had an equal voice in how we build and grow our cities.  

YWCA City Shift aims to make our region more equitable, prosperous and just by supporting Metro Vancouver cities to challenge assumptions, incorporate diverse perspectives and support actions that serve the entire community.

I am an elected official or policy maker
  • The YWCA City Shift team can support your city to go beyond general commitments to equity and inclusion and move to tangible action
  • Our project team and Advisory Council members are available to meet with Councillors and city staff to talk about options that meet your community’s needs
  • Read our Municipal Equity Kickstart Guide that includes sample motions and policies from other jurisdictions, helpful examples, and other tools to support the process. All we need from you is leadership and commitment
  • Reach out to cityshift@ywcabc.org to learn more
I am a member of the general public
Our Equity Kickstart guide for cities

We are so excited to announce the launch of our Equity Kickstart Guide for Cities. 

We encourage you to read the guide and share it with your municipality’s mayor, council and leadership team to ensure equitable city building is a priority in your community.   

 

Read the guide

YWCA City Shift Municipal Equity Kickstart Guide

 

Case Study: Building Equitable Communities

See how the City of Burnaby applied Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) to city planning to help shape neighbourhoods that work better for everyone. Read the full case study to see how Burnaby is leading in equity-driven planning.

With support from YWCA City Shift, SFU REACH-Cities and the Civic Innovation Lab, this pilot tested ways to bring a fresh, more inclusive perspective to local decision-making. 

  

Read the case study

Case Study: Building Equitable Communities | GBA+ Community Planning in Burnaby, BC
The quick guide to engage with local government

Local governments play a pivotal role in addressing issues of equity and creating inclusive spaces for all. Learn how you can engage and take an active role in shaping the community you live in.

 

View the one-pager  Download the pocket guide

CITY SHIFT - guide to engage with local government
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WHY CITY SHIFT?

Women from all backgrounds and identities have not had an equal voice in how we build and grow our cities. YWCA City Shift is committed to changing that – building cities where all women and gender diverse people are seen, heard and cared for. To create cities that are safe, innovative and prosperous, we must support and empower everyone to thrive.   

When we look at things from a variety of perspectives, we begin to understand that our identities impact how we experience city life. Because some people might just see a crack in the sidewalk as a crack. But for someone with a stroller, or limited mobility, a crack can be a major obstacle. Dark streets feel a whole lot different depending on your gender.   

Placemaking through the lens of different perspectives means taking into account the full scope of identities, realities, challenges and experiences of the people who make a city a city.   

We have the tools to make our cities fairer and more equitable, we just need to use them. It’s about positive representation. It’s about belonging. It’s about making cities work for all. It’s about creating a place where everyone feels at home.  

Events and Workshops

City councils don’t always reflect the communities they serve. For policies that serve everyone, diverse input is needed.

YWCA City Shift will be hosting events, workshops and candidate meetings. Stay tuned to learn more and have your voice heard! 

 

Reimagining our Cities: Advancing Equity in a Polarized Time

Reimagining our Cities: Advancing Equity in a Polarized Time

Watch the livestream

Do not miss this inspiring event. Watch the livestream of Reimagining our Cities: Advancing Equity in a Polarized Time! 
 
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2024, YWCA City Shift brought together a diverse panel of women to discuss how our communities can work towards becoming more equitable and inclusive in an increasingly polarized world. 
 
Featuring: 

  • Keynote: Shachi Kurl  
  • Opening: Dennis Thomas-Whonoak  
  • Poem: Fiona Tinwei Lam  
  • Panelists: Aftab Erfan, Andrea Reimer, Ginger Gosnell-Myers, Rachael Segal 
Graphic Recording

Reimagining Our Cities - On building equitable cities

To create cities that are safe, innovative and prosperous, we must support and empower everyone to thrive.  

In 2022, YWCA City Shift hosted a series of events and workshops where community, business and political leaders imagined what our cities could be if equity and inclusion were at the heart of decision-making. Watch videos and check out the content from our past events and workshops.

Learn more

 

 

Zine

Collective Zine

On October 26, 2022, artist and facilitator Luna Axin led 18 participants through a creative and heartfelt zine making workshop to boldly imagine new futures and possibilities for our cities.  

To learn more about the zine, as well as inclusive community engagement, tune into this recording by facilitator Luna Axin and graphic recorder Tiaré Lani.

We invite you to explore the ideas shared in the collective zine and use them as inspiration for creating kind, equitable and inclusive cities. 

Explore Zine
Learn more about City Shift

Contact Leah Rambally, YWCA City Shift Project Lead at cityshift@ywcavan.org.

Contact us

What's next

City Shift 2.0 and Peer-centered Advocacy Councils

We are excited to announce that YWCA City Shift has been extended! In this new iteration of City Shift we will be launching a peer-centered advocacy council, while continuing to build important relationships with municipalities across Metro Vancouver. 

Links and Resources

Learn about equity frameworks like Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

 

City Shift is funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada

Women and Gender Equality Canada Logo