Natalie Lawrence is a fourth year student pursuing a Bachelor of Environmental Planning who is inspired to improve people’s lives as a planner.

“I have always been interested in how communities’ function and the influence the built environment has on everyday people’s lives. I always knew I wanted a role that allowed me to contribute something meaningful to communities and society, and the planning sector seemed like a great fit! The intersections between housing, geography, policy and healthcare/public health initially caught my attention; coming from a background in healthcare, I have seen firsthand how people’s health is affected by the quality and availability of housing, accessibility, and the unique challenges or opportunities present in different communities and parts of the province. I see planning as a way to improve people’s lives in a meaningful and tangible way and hope this is something I will be able to work towards and achieve in my future career as a Planner.

At MDS I am looking forward to gaining real world experience in the planning and development sector and learning from individuals who are experts in this field and who care deeply about their values and impact. I am excited to use my education in a real-world setting, where planning and development becomes real!”

We’re excited to have Natalie with us this summer and to support her passion for improving communities!

Quincy Johnson is in the final year of her Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Cities, Regions and Planning at York University. As she nears the end of her program, she is excited to begin working at the intersections of justice and housing.

“I grew up surrounded by people who do social justice work, which encouraged me to pursue a career in development and urban planning. Overall, I wanted to make a difference, and I found that the interdisciplinary nature of urban planning allowed me to analyze the socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and political factors that influence people’s access to stable housing.

Growing up in Vancouver and living in Toronto, I noticed how the financialization of housing has caused it to become unaffordable and inaccessible for many people, especially diverse and marginalized communities. The more I learned throughout my degree, the more it reaffirmed my belief that people should have the right to stable housing and be empowered to participate in decisions about what that housing looks like for them.

I am excited to be joining MDS because the firm’s values, along with its past and current projects, demonstrate a clear commitment to putting pro-social values into practice, which is important to me.”

We’re excited to have Quincy with us, and to have her contribute to the meaningful work of building more inclusive and affordable communities.