We understand that as communities grow, construction can pose disruptions to existing residents and businesses, who must navigate their communities as projects are built. LURA works closely with developers, P3s, and government agencies on large and small construction projects, providing community liaison services that help projects run smoothly and minimize disruption to local communities during construction.
Our community and tenant liaison services enable project sponsors to focus primarily on planning and construction, while LURA attends to community outreach, issues management, and problem-solving.
From initial planning to project completion—whether it’s a new development, infrastructure project, or community initiative—LURA serves as an approachable and accessible liaison, facilitating two-way communication between project teams, stakeholders, and community members.
Canada Square
Client
Year
LURA was retained by Oxford Properties to provide pre-application consultation, outreach, and engagement services in anticipation of Oxford’s rezoning application for its property holdings above Eglinton Station. At the crossroads of Line 1 subway and Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown LRT, and a site of significant residential development over the past decade, the project team understood from the outset that the proposal would spark the interest of many on both sides of the supportive and oppositional spectrum. LURA initiated early contact with local community stakeholders through a series of interviews and small group meetings to introduce Oxford’s proposal, position it within the existing planning framework for Yonge-Eglinton, and identify how the vision of the site has progressed over the past decade.
As the project progressed, LURA increasingly provided strategic engagement and communication advice as the project became the object of political discussions reaching beyond the original scope of what Oxford planned for the site. Recognizing the importance of the site to a broader audience than the immediate neighbouring communities, LURA also advanced discussions reaching out to social services and key demographics typically overshadowed in conversations about redevelopment. Throughout the process, LURA designed, facilitated, and reported on meetings with community members, and online engagement opportunities. LURA procured and managed the maintenance of a project website for the project, hosted on the HiVE engagement platform.
Responsibilities:
Leading all day-to-day communications and corporate/community relations according to established protocols in the including crisis communications
Responding to stakeholder and community member inquiries and complaints by email and telephone and escalating to other departments as needed
Logging all inquiries and responses in an Interaction Tracking Log (ITL) in accordance with established protocol
Project branding, design, online presence, and social media strategy
Liaising between relevant governmental authorities
Designing, facilitating, and reporting on community meetings and meetings with local stakeholder
EQ Bank Tower
Client
Year
EQ Bank Tower, a new 460,000 square-foot office building at Adelaide Street East and Ontario Street with an additional 150,000 square feet of retail. Throughout the process, LURA worked as an intermediary between community members and neighbouring properties, and the site superintendent, managing communications, minimizing disturbances, and resolving conflicts associated with construction activities.
LURA’s role reduced the strain on the site superintendent by allowing them to focus on their contractors, while LURA focused on the community and bringing items to the awareness of the site superintendent only when there were actionable changes required by their team of contractors. Through this relationship, the project was able to progress with minimal delays or disturbances.
Responsibilities:
Leading all day-to-day communications and corporate/community relations according to established protocols in the including crisis communications
Responding to stakeholder and community member inquiries and complaints by email and telephone and escalating to other departments as needed
Logging all inquiries and responses in an Interaction Tracking Log (ITL) in accordance with established protocol
Project branding, design, and online presence
Liaising between relevant governmental authorities
St. Clair Place
Client
Year
LURA provided a full suite of consultation services and a consistent engagement presence for, Capital Developments, which is the development manager for St. Clair Place on behalf of Wittington Properties Limited, the real estate investment arm of George Weston Limited. St. Clair Place is the working name for Wittington’s proposed landmark mixed-use redevelopment for most of the block on the northeast corner of Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue in Midtown Toronto, immediately north of its headquarters.
LURA organized and executed a series of community workshops, open houses, and stakeholder meetings. While working in tandem with a multidisciplinary team of architecture, landscape architecture, transportation, planning, and sustainability consultants, local community members and stakeholders were provided with a comprehensive understanding of the St. Clair Place project using a “one-window” engagement approach, where all inquiries and responses, regardless of the subject matter, are channeled through LURA. These in-person consultation events, as well as website, email, and phone contact options provided the community with reliable and convenient ways to engage with the project at every stage of the multi-year rezoning and approvals process for this complex, large-scale development.
Additionally, LURA formed a Community Advisory Group (CAG) for the project in its early phases, comprising key stakeholders and highly involved community members. LURA facilitated quarterly themed meetings for the CAG to delve deeper and provide input into the project’s planning with the community, client, the architect (Diamond Schmitt), landscape architect (Claude Cormier), transportation specialists (BA Group), and other subject matter expert consultants.
Building a friendly and neighbourly presence in the Yonge and St. Clair community has been important to Capital Developments as well, and LURA has curated, planned, and executed seasonal series of community animation programming to that end, using postcard maildrops and street pop-up engagement techniques with in-house Community Ambassadors to announce the activities while always retaining a neutral stance on the client’s project.
Responsibilities:
Leading all day-to-day communications and corporate/community relations according to established protocols in the including crisis communications
Responding to stakeholder and community member inquiries and complaints by email and telephone and escalating to other departments as needed
Logging all inquiries and responses in an Interaction Tracking Log (ITL) in accordance with established protocol
Staffing on-site at the Engagement Centre
Project branding, design, online presence, and social media strategy
Liaising between relevant governmental authorities
Designing, facilitating, and reporting on community workshops, meetings with local stakeholders and the Community Advisory Group (CAG)
