Sam

Senior Land Use Planner
City of New Westminster (Vancouver, Canada)

What’s your current job?

I’ve recently hopped across the globe, and have taken on a new role as a Senior Land Use Planner at the City of New Westminster in Vancouver Canada. Previously, I was the Manager of Urban Planning at JOC Consulting in Sydney, Australia. 

What do you love the most about your job?

Problem solving. Urban planning has the potential to unpack many of the problems facing our cities, ranging from environmental resilience to social wellbeing. As a planner you have the unique opportunity to problem solve through land use, policy and community engagement. You will often be on the leading edge of research and pioneering new tools to help understand how we can better design and manage our spaces, to the benefit of all its users. 

Why did you choose a career in planning?

While playing video games introduced me to the concept of planning (Shout-out to City Skylines) – I quickly realised it aligned strongly with my values. I am a socially and environmentally conscious person, and urban planning allows me to make sure our cities are designed to be equitable and inclusive places. 

What are some of the most interesting projects that you’ve worked on?

I was incredibly fortunate to lead the development of the Burwood After Dark Strategy. The project laid the foundations for helping embed culture into the urban fabric of the city, address social inequality for late night workers, and, of course, help Burwood continue to be one of the best destinations in Sydney for a night out. Between late-night place audits and pop-ups to detailed research and analysis, it was amazing to work on each step of the way. 

Why should someone choose a career in planning?

It’s a career with incredible project diversity, and each day can be completely different to the last. One week you’ll be working on a solar farm in the regions, and another will be consulting with the community on the 20-year vision for their area (and yes, I’m speaking from experience!). Alternatively, you have the opportunity to narrow down and become a subject matter expert in key areas affecting our urban spaces, like biodiversity or economic development. 

What three words would you use to describe planning?

Rewarding, challenging, diverse.