Dean Orr, an MSc (Planning) student, has received the Canadian Institute of Planners Planning Student Trust Fund [1] (CIP-PSTF) Innovation Planning Scholarship. He accepted the national award at the recent Canadian Institute of Planners conference in Montreal, Quebec on July 9, 2026. The scholarship recognizes an outstanding research submission that advances innovation in planning by introducing a new planning concept, solution, refined technique, or a new area of research.

Dean's research explores Ontario's agrifood system by asking an important question: How much land does Ontario need to feed itself, and what does that look like in planning practice? Dean's research highlights the important contributions that emerging planners are making to the  planning profession and public policy.