UEF8 Sets an Action Agenda for Integrated Urban Transformation and Shared Prosperity

The eighth Urban Economy Forum brought city leaders, international experts, investors, innovators and community voices together in Toronto, advancing a voluntary framework to move urban priorities from dialogue to delivery.

TORONTO, 11 September 2026

— The Urban Economy Forum (UEF) concluded its eighth edition after two days of high-level dialogue, technical exchange and community engagement at the World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park. Co-organized with the City of Richmond Hill, UEF8 generated strong interest and participation from municipal and national leaders, international institutions, academia, finance, the private sector, the built-environment professions, civil society, youth and local communities.

The breadth of attendance was matched by the quality of the programme. Speakers connected global policy priorities with the realities of governing, financing and delivering urban transformation. The Forum featured an official message from the Prime Minister of Canada; contributions from Margareta Cederfelt, Honorary Chair of UEF8 and Swedish parliamentarian, Mayor David West of Richmond Hill, and Minister Marc Mandaba of the Central African Republic; and keynote perspectives from Mitchell Cohen, Wendy Purcell and Martha Delgado, alongside distinguished practitioners and international experts.

“UEF8 confirmed that the future of urban development will not be determined by the number of plans or announcements, but by our capacity to align policy, prepare credible projects and improve daily life.”

— Reza Pourvaziry, Founder and Chair, Urban Economy Forum

“The Forum is becoming a place where cities, communities, institutions and investors can build a common language for implementation and shared prosperity,” Pourvaziry added.

A new urban discourse

With its eighth edition, UEF is consolidating an international space for debating the global urban agenda and shaping new discourse on urban planning, urban economy and shared prosperity. Its message is clear: planning must connect institutions and communities; the urban economy must turn resources into public value; and prosperity must be measured through tangible improvements in people’s lives.

UEF8 concentrated its discussions on four areas with direct relevance to cities:

Frontrunner Cities brought practical experience from Richmond Hill (Canada), Lowell (USA), Madeira (Portugal) and Aqaba (Jordan) into an international exchange on city leadership and implementation.

Housing Innovation positioned affordable, inclusive and energy-efficient housing as essential urban infrastructure.

The Regent Park Global Neighborhood placed community experience at the centre of neighbourhood transformation and SDG delivery, giving a voice and presence to local communities.

Urban Economy Innovation and Solutions focused on converting plans into credible projects, responsible investment and accountable partnerships.

Together, these focus areas connected policy with delivery. Participants emphasized that people do not live inside policy directives; they experience change in neighbourhoods and communities. The pioneering work of Frontrunner Cities therefore offers a practical source of learning: by distilling what accelerates progress, UEF can help other cities adapt and scale promising approaches. UEF8 also announced the Lowell Frontrunner City Profile and Urban Transformation Documentation and recognized industry and infrastructure as essential enablers of resilient urban systems.

UEF8 announced a Frontrunner Real Estate initiative on the Urban SDGs in Africa with Hudders Field Property Agency, Nigeria, linking urban priorities to project development and implementation. The Forum also announced the Global Initiative Transforming Cities for Stewart Village through the Building Brockville Community Development Initiative, creating a project-focused pathway for community-led transformation.

A Roadmap for Action Beyond UEF8

The UEF8 Resolution Framework translates the Forum’s discussions into a voluntary, forward-looking action sequence. Subject to institutional approvals, partner agreement and available resources, the proposed follow-up includes:

§ Publish a concise record of UEF8 conclusions and implementation priorities within 60 days;

§ Advance the Frontrunner Cities Initiative by supporting participating cities as they move from planning to implementation, while welcoming a new generation of cities ready to begin their transformation journeys;

§ Develop an implementation matrix connecting the four thematic areas to outcomes, prospective partners, timelines and evidence requirements;

§ Prepare a proposal for a limited set of voluntary city- and neighbourhood-level demonstrators, with clear selection criteria, local ownership and safeguards;

§ Invite expressions of interest centred on one priority urban challenge, the institutional or policy barrier that sustains it, and a catalytic initiative capable of unlocking change;

§ Identify partnership opportunities for project preparation, institutional capacity, knowledge exchange and responsible resource mobilization; and

§ Undertake an initial progress review at UEF9 and position the lessons within the urban agenda beyond 2030.

Progress will be judged not by the number of events or declarations, but by stronger institutions, better-prepared projects, trusted partnerships and measurable urban outcomes. Participants called for new governance models, informed risk-taking and leaders willing to bring difficult issues into the open—recognizing that discomfort can produce learning and that change moves at the speed of trust.

Global recognition, local grounding

The Forum announced the Regent Park Global Neighbourhood for Urban Transformation and the SDGs Initiative, recognizing the neighborhood as a living platform for learning from community-led change. The UEF Global Awards programme also recognized Dr. Kaveh Madani, Director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), for leadership at the intersection of science, sustainability and public policy.

UEF8 closed on a message of possibility rather than perfection. Leaders were encouraged to be carriers of hope: to face new realities, confront what appears too difficult and build confidence that progress is possible. The stories of Lowell, Mexico City, Regent Park and communities facing humanitarian crises showed how experience can make urban transformation visible and transferable. By connecting these lessons with courageous leadership and practical partnerships, UEF is strengthening its role as a forum where the future of cities is not only debated, but built.

About the Urban Economy Forum

The Urban Economy Forum is an international platform connecting governments, cities, institutions, businesses, academia and communities to advance sustainable urban development, innovative partnerships and practical pathways from knowledge to implementation. Through the World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park and its international network, UEF convenes dialogue and collaboration on the future of cities and urban economies.



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