On site in Oakville 🏗️🌿
Our VP, Sarah Knoll, was invited for a construction tour of OVATION at Encore, a purpose-built rental development by @newrise_dev and @livenewhorizon in Glen Abbey. With 356 units across six storeys, this final phase of this project is helping meet the growing demand for rental housing in the Town of Oakville.
GSP provided Site Plan Approval and Minor Variance services, supporting a development that brings together thoughtful design, strong community connections, and sustainable features like geothermal heating and cooling.
Great to connect on site with Le’Ann (@whitehouse_urbandesign ), Elisha and Jon (NHDG) and to see construction well underway. Looking forward to seeing this project come to life later this year!
@westendhba@townofoakville
#Construction #Oakville #UrbanDevelopment #Planning #SustainableDesign
Patrick Casey, a Planner at GSP Group, recently co-authored an article alongside Tara Vinodrai (@uoft_mui ) and Brenton Nader (@eraarch ): “Making Space for Making: Evidence from Canadian Municipalities.” The article grew out of a term paper that Patrick wrote for Dr. Vinodrai’s course during his Master’s in Planning at the University of Waterloo.
The research explores how cities across Canada are planning for makerspaces and how those plans compare to what makerspaces are actually trying to achieve.
While municipalities often position makerspaces as drivers of jobs, entrepreneurship, and economic growth, the reality is a bit different. Makerspaces themselves are more focused on community-building, collaboration, and hands-on learning. Policymakers may need to rethink expectations and instead recognize the value of makerspaces in fostering community, creativity, and “learning by doing.”
🔍 Key Insights:
• Makerspaces are widely celebrated for economic development potential
• Policies from 79 of Canada’s largest municipalities were analyzed
• Compared against 138 makerspace vision statements
• A clear mismatch exists between policy goals and on-the-ground priorities
Congrats to Patrick, Tara, and Brenton on this important contribution! Click the link in our bio to read the full article.
#MustReadArticle #CityBuilding #Planning #Makerspaces #CommunityDevelopment
Wrapping up World Landscape Architecture Month with a look beyond our day-to-day project work 🌿
Our team has been spending time on-site at the @hospicewaterloo , volunteering on a garden project we introduced a few months ago. This past weekend, Rita, Lori, Brian, and Justin were out installing fence posts and moving soil to help shape these future garden spaces.
This is just the beginning. With more volunteer days planned through the spring and summer, we’ll be sharing updates along the way as our Landscape Architecture team helps bring this meaningful project to life. Stay tuned!
#WLAM #LandscapeArchitecture #CommunityDesign #VolunteerWork #HospiceWaterlooRegion #PollinatorGarden
Today we continued to celebrate Earth Day with two simple but meaningful initiatives organized by our Green Team: a waste-free potluck and parking lot cleanup 🌍🌱
These activities reflect the values we bring to our work every day, from promoting sustainability in our projects to making mindful choices in our office culture. A big thank you to our Green Team for coordinating a great day of connection, action, and environmental stewardship!
#EarthDay #Sustainability #GreenTeam #EnvironmentalStewardship #WasteFree #CommunityAction #GSPTeam
Earth Day 🌍 + World Landscape Architecture Month 🌿
This Earth Day, we’re highlighting the hands-on work behind our landscape architecture and arborist services. From tree inventories and tagging in the field to carefully reviewing material selections, our team is always working to understand, protect, and enhance the natural systems within every site.
Whether it’s documenting existing tree conditions or integrating sustainable materials into our designs, these efforts help ensure healthier landscapes and more resilient communities.
Shoutout to our team in action: Emily, Owen, Jack, Rebecca, Mandy, and Rita 🌱
#EarthDay #WLAM #LandscapeArchitecture #Arborist #UrbanForestry #SustainableDesign
A great evening celebrating excellence in our industry at the GHHBA President’s Dinner & Awards of Distinction Gala last Thursday! ✨
As an award sponsor, our VP, Hugh had the honour of presenting the award for Best Sales Brochure to @granite_homes , recognizing the creativity and quality of work across the Guelph, Wellington, and Dufferin communities.
From inspiring projects to valuable conversations with industry peers, it was a fantastic night of networking, celebration, and showcasing the best in our field with a keynote address from the Honourable Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 👏
@grandhighlandshba@robflackeml
#GHHBA #AwardsOfDistinction #IndustryExcellence #CommunityBuilding #GrandHighlands #HomeBuilder
Congratulations to several of our team members on completing their leadership training course with Murray Smith from Blue Canoe Consulting! 👏
We’re proud to support ongoing learning and growth across our team, and this program was a great opportunity to build leadership skills, strengthen collaboration, and continue developing as professionals.
A big thank you to Murray and Blue Canoe Consulting for an engaging and insightful experience!
#LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #GSPTeam #ContinuousLearning #WorkplaceDevelopment
We had double the reason to celebrate today — Pi(e) Day and St. Patrick’s Day! 🥧🍀
Our team enjoyed a sweet afternoon break with a few classic pies and treats, including lemon meringue, strawberry rhubarb, and pecan from @justlovepie . A perfect way to bring the team together and add a little fun (and sugar!) to the workday.
Happy Pi(e) Day and St. Paddy’s Day from all of us at GSP!
#PiDay #PieDay #StPatricksDay
We’re thrilled to share that last night GSP Group won the 2026 Greater KW Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award (11-50 Employees)! 🎉
This recognition means so much to our team, and we’re incredibly proud to be part of such a strong and inspiring business community across Waterloo Region.
A heartfelt thank you to our clients, partners, and dedicated staff whose collaboration and trust make our work possible every day. Together, we’re proud to continue shaping great communities.
@gkwcc
#BusinessExcellence #GreaterKWChamber #WaterlooRegion
Some of our Landscape Architecture team had a great time hitting the slopes at the OALA Winter Family Day last Friday! ⛷️🏂
We lucked out with the weather — the rain held off and we were treated to sunny skies and spring-like skiing conditions. The GSP crew got plenty of runs in while enjoying a fun day on the hill alongside friends, colleagues, and peers from across the profession.
A big thank you to @oala_on for hosting another fantastic event at the beautiful @alpineskiclub . It’s always a highlight of the winter season and a great way to connect with the landscape architecture community. ❄️
#OALAWinterFamilyDay #LandscapeArchitecture #CommunitySupport #GSPTeam #ShapingGreatCommunities
Do you have a high school student in your life who’s curious about city building careers and community design? We’re excited to share that registration for the 1UP Conference, a two‑day, hands‑on experience where youth explore careers in planning, design, architecture and related fields, is open until March 15th!
Hosted by Urban Minds, this annual event connects students with industry professionals, introduces educational and career pathways, and features interactive workshops and pitch competitions that encourage creative thinking around real-world city-building challenges. Last year, our Senior Urban Designer Evelyn also had the opportunity to participate as a Design Jam Facilitator, helping guide students through the experience and share insights from the industry.
GSP Group is proud to once again support the 1UP Youth City Builders Program as a Silver Sponsor, helping empower the next generation to engage with city building in meaningful and practical ways. Visit the link in our bio to register for this year's 1UP Conference!
#BlueprintToBloom #1uptoronto #leadership #urbanplanning #urbanminds #urbandesign #landscapearchitecture #youthengagement
We’re honoured to share that GSP Group has been nominated for a 2026 Greater KW Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award!
To be recognized alongside so many outstanding organizations across Waterloo Region is truly meaningful to our team.
We’re grateful to our clients, partners, and dedicated staff who make our work possible and continue to trust us to help shape great communities.
@gkwcc
#BusinessExcellence #GreaterKWChamber #WaterlooRegion
