About the Speakers
Alina McKay is a housing researcher and the Research Manager for BSH and the Housing Research Collaborative at UBC’s Peter Allard School of Law. She completed her Masters in Sociology and PhD in Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the links between housing security and wellbeing.
Diane Bérard is a business journalist and columnist for Les Affaires, known for her focus on new capitalism, ethics, governance, and entrepreneurship. A former editor-in-chief of Commerce magazine, she regularly appears on Radio-Canada and Télé-Québec and practices solutions journalism—critically exploring responses to today’s social challenges. She has authored four bestsellers, including La chaise rouge devant le fleuve (2015), and co-wrote the 2024 documentary Le dernier flip.
Adam Mongrain is the Housing Policy Director at Vivre en Ville, a nonprofit advocating for sustainable land use. His team researches housing affordability, the gap between median prices and incomes, and ways to improve neighborhoods without driving up costs. Their report PORTES OUVERTES outlines 16 solutions to the housing crisis. Vivre en Ville also runs a pilot for public and rental registries in Québec and Ontario. Adam also contributed to the Blueprint for More and Better Housing as part of the Housing and Climate Task Force.
Ines Zerrouki is a Housing Policy Advisor at Vivre en Ville, where she conducts research and develops content on housing policy and market dynamics. With a background in urban planning, communications, and real estate development, she is committed to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based housing policies that shape resilient communities.
Nik Luka is an Associate Professor based at McGill University, where he is cross-appointed to both the Architecture and Urban Planning professional schools. He is also the Associate Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Montréal. His research and professional practice focus on the reproduction of everyday space, including policy-led remaking of cities and suburbs. He has collaborated closely with civil-society organizations and state agencies on community-based design for almost 25 years. His currently funded projects cover topics such as densification in postwar landscapes, walkability, deep energy retrofit processes, and a Montréal-focused project on ‘commoning’ in the Champs des Possibles.
Leila Ghaffari is an Assistant Professor at Concordia in Geography, Planning and Environment. She holds a joint PhD in urban studies from the Université du Québec à Montréal and urban planning from Université de Tours. She also holds an international research master’s degree (M2) in urban planning and sustainability from the latter university as well as a master’s degree in urban design and a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the National University of Iran. She has researched projects related to social inequalities, focusing on the territorial aspect of these inequalities.
David Wachsmuth is the Canada Research Chair in Urban Governance and Assistant Professor of Urban Planning at McGill University. He directs the Urban Politics and Governance (UPGo) research group, leading work on housing markets, sustainability, and urban economic development. A recognized expert on the impacts of short-term rentals like Airbnb, Dr. Wachsmuth advises cities worldwide on housing regulation. He co-leads the Adapting Urban Environments for the Future initiative at the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative and serves on editorial boards for Territory, Politics, Governance, Urban Geography, and Urban Planning. His research is widely published and frequently cited in major media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
