Urban Planner
Design Canada's cities - housing, transit, sustainability, and community development.
About the Career
Canada's housing crisis has made urban planning critically important - demand for planners is growing significantly.
Salary in Canada
- Entry level: $60,000
- Senior level: $120,000
Municipal government urban planners earn stable salaries. Private sector planners often earn more.
Job Outlook
High Growth demand. Canada's housing crisis has made urban planning critically important - demand for planners is growing significantly.
How to Get There
- 4-yr BA or BSc (Urban Planning, Geography, or related) + often a 2-yr Master of Urban Planning (MUP)
- Time to career: 4-6 years post-Grade 12
Key Skills
- Land Use & Transportation Planning
- GIS & Spatial Analysis
- Community Consultation
- Zoning & Policy Knowledge
- Project Management
Typical Employers
- Municipal planning departments
- Provincial & regional governments
- Planning & engineering consultancies
- Developers & real estate firms
- NGOs & community groups
High School Roadmap
- Explore your local city's official plan on the municipal website. Research transit and housing policy.
- Volunteer with community organisations involved in local development.
- Research TMU's Urban and Regional Planning program - one of Canada's best.
- Apply to planning, geography, or environmental studies programs.
Top Universities for This Path
- Toronto Metropolitan University – Toronto, ON
- McGill University – Montreal, QC
- University of British Columbia – Vancouver, BC
- University of Waterloo – Waterloo, ON
- Queen's University – Kingston, ON
Insider Tips
- TMU (Toronto Metropolitan University) has Canada's most recognised urban planning program.
- Canada's housing crisis has dramatically increased demand for planners.
- The RPP (Registered Professional Planner) designation requires a combination of education and experience.