Earlier this month, Mobycon attended and participated in the ITE Canada 2025 Annual Conference, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from June 1 to 4. With the theme “Complete Communities: Integrating Transportation and Land Use Planning,” the conference brought together planners, engineers, and advocates from across the country to explore how thoughtful design can foster more livable, accessible, and sustainable places. Arianne Robillard, Matt Pinder, and Narayan Donaldson attended from our Ottawa office and contributed to the conference. Read more to find out how the conference went, as well as our team’s takeaways!
Mobycon participated in the conference through both training sessions and panel discussions, including the fourth edition of our ITE training on Car-Lite Communities and Transportation Affordability. After hosting the first three sessions virtually, we were excited to deliver this one in person as part of the conference, sparking lively and hands-on conversations. These trainings, led by Arianne Robillard, Matt Pinder, and Narayan Donaldson, focused on rethinking network planning to support better multimodal mobility, an increasingly vital topic as communities seek to reduce car dependency. According to Matt, “It was rewarding taking our participants through some ‘aha’ moments as they noticed opportunities to approach network planning differently.”
In addition to our training, Narayan Donaldson delivered a well-received presentation on Implementing Dutch Signals in North America, highlighting how proven international best practices can be adapted to local contexts to improve safety and efficiency.
After the conference, we caught up with our team to hear about their most memorable experiences and biggest takeaways:
“I’m really amazed at how much Halifax is growing and the momentum they’ve achieved. The central part of the city is very walkable, and this has been enhanced by new mixed-use developments everywhere you look. The city also proudly showcased two major projects: Spring Garden Road, where they narrowed the road to create a beautiful public realm, and the Cogswell District, where they’ve leveled an old freeway to create a new urban neighborhood.”
“I have enjoyed the School Zone Jamborree session, where some Canadian municipalities presented their projects on School Streets, an initiative that, in my opinion, should become the norm for safe, active travel to school and improve child-independent mobility.”
Additionally, as Matt mentioned, participating in a walking tour that showcased the city’s major project sites was inspiring. Arianne is excited to keep up with the city’s improvements, as well as adapt what she learned and experienced to create personalized solutions for the unique problems Mobycon clients’ communities face.
While Matt participated in ITE Canada’s annual conference with Mobycon last year, for Arianne, attending ITE Canada 2025 marked a milestone in her professional journey:
“It was my first conference I joined as a consultant for Mobycon. I have only attended conferences as a researcher and student before that. My perspective on things has drastically changed since then, based on my actual role. It was valuable for me to see a variety of presentations showcasing innovative approaches from both the municipal and consultant perspectives. I deepened my understanding of the challenges municipalities face in planning their multimodal transportation networks and gained useful insights into various ways to find appropriate solutions and how to leverage opportunities.”
Thank you, Halifax and ITE Canada, for an innovative and energizing event. We’re proud to continue learning and collaborating with professionals across the country to help shape healthier, more inclusive communities! Interested in learning more about Arianne, Matt, or Narayan’s insights and experiences from the conference? Reach out; they would love to discuss how we can help make your community less dependent on cars!
