Creating cities for all 

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We are a non-profit organization. We bring citizens together to enhance mobility and public space so that together we can create more vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities.

WHAT IS 8 80 CITIES?

We believe that if everything we do in our cities is great for an 8 year old and an 80 year old, then it will be great for all people.

NEWS

8 80 Cities takes part in a new Healthy Communities Initiative!

The Healthy Communities Initiative is a $31 million investment from the Government of Canada to support communities as they create and adapt public spaces to respond to the new realities of COVID-19.  We are proud to be working with Community Foundations of Canada and the Canadian Urban Institute with the support of the Government of Canada to support organizations that are showing creativity and resourcefulness in creating solutions that enable people to connect and access public spaces safely while still respecting public health measures.

The application portal is now closed and Round 2 applicants will receive results by September 16th, 2021. 

Healthy Communities Initiative: Round 1 Results: See the interactive map and dive into the projects taking place in your community.

Visit healthycommunitiesinitiative.ca to find out more about this exciting initiative!

OUR SERVICES

We don’t do boring.
Work with us. Have fun again!

Our team can help your community’s streets and public spaces thrive.

Unconventional Engagement

Everyone has a voice, we provide the megaphone. Our expertise is in creating unconventional engagement strategies that get people informed, involved, and excited about new initiatives in their cities.

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Idea Labs

Changing cities starts by harnessing exceptional new ideas and taking action. That’s what 8 80 Idea Labs are all about. We will share our knowledge of best practices from cities around the world to generate new and exciting ideas and action plans for your community.

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Open Streets Planning

We are international experts in Open Streets design and implementation. ‘Open Streets’ are community-based programs that temporarily open selected streets to people, by closing them to cars. Streets become places where people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can come out and improve their health.

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Special Projects

We love to break the mold. That’s why we take on Special Projects- these are projects that go beyond our other services. Our Special Projects incubate new strategies and ideas to elevate people-centred urbanism. We develop these projects in collaboration with our partners and clients.

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FEATURED PROJECTS

This is 8 80 Cities in action.

The 8 80 concept is universal. From communities of 5,000 to 5 million, our projects always start at the same place; how do we meaningfully engage people in urban transformation.

“Post-COVID People and Cities. People: healthier and happier.
Cities: equitable and sustainable.”

– Gil Penalosa, Founder & Chair of the Board

Stories & Insights

From the world of 8 80 Cities.

Like cities we’re always evolving! Keep up to date with the latest stories and thoughts from 8 80.

  • Insight

    From October 14 to November 4 of this year, 8 80 Cities hosted city leaders from Edmonton, Waterloo and Winnipeg for a four-day virtual workshop series on creating healthy cities called ‘Implementing Healthy Urban Policy Virtual Workshop’. Over the course of the workshop, the multidisciplinary teams, comprising of Healthy Cities researchers, elected officials, and public health, transportation and planning staff heard......

    November 26, 2021
  • News

    The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) is proud to announce its partnership with 8 80 Cities in support of the AIPH World Green City Awards. Enhancing public space for the wellbeing of all urban residents is a common vision shared by both AIPH and......

    November 24, 2021
  • Insight

    Author: Nithursan Elamuhilan, Ontario Community Changemakers 2021 Cohort With the rapid growth Toronto has seen in the past decade, the demand for travel in and around the city has also increased. A higher capacity form of transit will be needed to link places where people......

    November 11, 2021
  • News

    Media Release Toronto, ON – On Friday, 8 80 Cities welcomed members of the public to a Virtual Open House to discuss engagement upgrades that the organization has been working on since receiving a $25,800 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).......

    October 01, 2021
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