Steven Webber is the Founder and Principal of Urban Formation. He is a Registered Professional Planner with a wealth of experience as an educator and practitioner in Ontario and Southern California. Steven’s ability to integrate land economics, development feasibility and land use planning into city building initiatives leads to insightful advice on real estate development, housing, and growth policy initiatives.

 

Steven is a well-respected award-winning instructor with the ability to explain complex concepts in an accessible manner. Most recently he was a faculty member in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) for two decades. He previously taught in the University of Toronto Department of Geography and Planning, and the Innis College Urban Studies Program.

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At TMU Steven was involved with their land use planning studio. He also supervised undergraduate and graduate client-based studio projects that successfully integrated practice into the classroom with the support of a diverse collection of planning, real estate, and non-profit partners. Steven was also a faculty advisor for the winners of the 2021 Urban Land Institute’s Hines Student Competition, a first for a Canadian team.

 

Steven created the popular Feasibility Analysis of Development course at TMU that introduced students to pro forma basics while emphasizing the importance of balancing public and private sector objectives. In addition to aspiring planners, this course attracted architecture, business, engineering and geography students. Steven also taught Planning Analysis, a course that focused on demographics, population forecasting, and census data fundamentals.

 

Steven has conducted research, published, and presented on a range of issues including, the long-term viability of high-rise neighbourhoods, housing and homelessness, power centre development planning, the future of employment lands, and planning for the protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

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While in California, Steven worked for the City of Santa Monica, the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, and a boutique planning/real estate consulting firm in Orange County. He also taught courses at the University of Southern California and Whittier College. 

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Education

 

Ph.D., Urban and Regional Planning, University of Southern California

M.A., Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles

B.A. (Honours), Geography and Urban Studies, University of Toronto

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Memberships

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Ontario Professional Planners Institute, Registered Professional Planner

Canadian Institute of Planners, Member

Lambda Alpha International, Simcoe Chapter

Urban Land Institute, Member