UOIT launches major research initiative for sustainable cities

OSHAWA, Ont. - Creating safer and healthier communities for Canadians to live and work is the focus of a major initiative being launched today by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Working with local communities first, the goal of the new UOIT Observatory on Sustainable Cities and Urban Communities initiative is to develop, field test, and apply a robust set of sustainability indicators to help revitalize Canadian urban areas. This innovative approach will assess the sociological, technological, ecological and economic factors associated with sustaining cities and urban communities.

Led by Dr. Walter DeKeseredy, a Faculty of Social Science professor at UOIT and leading criminology expert, a large part of the research will focus on identifying the extent and types of crime in Canadian cities.

"UOIT is home to some of the world's leading experts on crime and law," said DeKeseredy. "Our cities are facing a major shift in economic and demographic needs and this is a critical time for us to be able to conduct the high quality research that will help take crime off of our streets and strengthen everything from infrastructure to health care."

Part of the initiative includes a community based lecture series to promote cities. Jacques Duchesneau, president and CEO of the Canadian Air Transport Safety Authority (created in April 2002 in the wake of 9/11) and one of the world's leading security experts delivered the inaugural lecture, Aviation Security Today for a Sustainable City Tomorrow. Duchesneau is highly skilled in critical areas such as post-9/11 national and global security, terrorism, defense policy and economic safeguards.

Further research done by the observatory will be with full collaboration of government leaders and others with a vested interest in revitalizing Canadian cities.

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Media contact
Allison Rosnak
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.3111 ext. 2513
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