TD Future Cities Speaker Series presents the Future of Mobility

(TORONTO, ON – April 4, 2019) – While the shift from human- to computer-driven vehicles is expected to bring opportunities for innovation and impact, the benefits on communities, however, have yet to be determined. Internationally-renowned author and expert on urbanization and digital technology, Dr. Anthony Townsend looks at the weird and wonderful ways these advancements could shape the future as part of the TD Future Cities Speaker Series. The free public talk – Future of Mobility: The impact of driverless vehicles on our cities – takes place on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the TD Future Cities Centre, the site of the recently redeveloped kiln building at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto.

Automated vehicles are one of the ‘smart’ innovations that is expected to lead to the radical transformation of our freight industry, increased innovation in the types of vehicles created, and the development of new regulatory policies. At the same time, many anticipate benefits such as improved safety, reduced traffic, and increased mobility. But it is crucial to understand and manage the impacts driverless cars will have on communities – specifically on jobs, energy consumption and land use.

For The Future of Mobility, Dr. Townsend, author of Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia, will break down the modern day myths of driverless vehicles. The presentation will be moderated by Petrina Gentile, writer and award-winning automotive journalist at The Globe and Mail.

“As Canada advances in the smart cities landscape, the range of innovations that are being developed will need careful analysis,” said Geoff Cape, CEO of Evergreen, a founding partner and lead organization of Future Cities Canada. “We look forward to hearing from one of the world’s leading thinkers on the implications of technology in cities in the new TD Future Cities Centre.”

The TD Future Cities Speaker Series presents ideas from some of the world’s leading minds in urban systems, from housing to technology to mobility. The series brings together innovators and city builders from across sectors to reimagine urban futures that are equitable, regenerative and prosperous for all.

“Cities are increasingly where most of us choose to live, work and play. But as cities strive to create sustainable communities for all, they face a myriad of challenges,” said Andrea Barrack, Global Head of Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship at TD. “TD is pleased to support dialogue on these challenges through the TD Future Cities Speakers Series. Building liveable and resilient urban spaces where innovation can thrive is integral to our global corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment.”

The TD Future Cities Speaker Series was launched in November 2018 with Alicia Glen, former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, New York City, who spoke on Mega Trends for Mega Cities. Three more public talks are scheduled for 2019. For the latest information on this series, sign up to the Future Cities Canada newsletter and follow @FutureCitiesCA.

About the speaker

Dr. Anthony Townsend is an internationally-recognized expert on urbanization and digital technology. He is the founder of Bits and Atoms, a smart cities strategy consultancy and planning studio that works with industry, government and philanthropy on economic development, digital placemaking, and strategic technology forecasting. He is the author of Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers and the Quest for A New Utopia (W.W. Norton & Co., 2013).

About the TD Future Cities Centre

The site of the recently redeveloped historic kiln building, the revived space at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto has been transformed into a dynamic year-round innovation and training centre where urban thought leaders and resident city builders from across sectors can gather to co-create, test and prototype solutions for building inclusive low carbon cities.

For media information, please contact:

Renee Tratch | Sr. Manager, Public Relations| Evergreen | 416-596-1495 X 273

Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3X8

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Future Cities Canada is a national cross-sector initiative with the mission to accelerate innovation to transform cities for the benefit of all. Drawing on the expertise of its founding organizations – The McConnell Foundation, TD Bank Group, Evergreen, Maison de l’innovation sociale and Community Foundations of Canada – and together with a diverse and growing network of partners, Future Cities Canada collectively strives to address the challenges facing cities and city-dwellers to reimagine cities that are equitable, regenerative and prosperous.

Evergreen is dedicated to making cities flourish. Since 1991, the national not-for-profit has been hard at work transforming spaces into great places so that communities can thrive. We believe that by connecting people, natural and built worlds, we can enable Canadians to do great things that will shape our cities for the better.

About TD Global Corporate Citizenship 

TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through The Ready Commitment TD aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit td.com/thereadycommitment.