Map the System Canada 2020
Map the System 2020 was our most exciting year yet. For the first time ever the national and global Map the System Finals were held virtually!
Top 6 Canadian Finalists
Affordable Rental Housing Crisis in Toronto
Our project examines the ongoing crisis in Toronto, and its social and economic impacts as well as the proposed solutions. We have sought to understand the housing crisis from a systems thinking perspective. Our goals are to identify impact gaps and levers of change in the system and create a visual systems map to better understand and articulate this social challenge.
Population growth is also outpacing the supply of new rental units, leading to increases in homelessness and social housing demand. Those who can access rental housing have been forced to deal with high costs, tenure instability, and overcrowded or unsafe living situations.
Is Canadian Charity Designed to Fail?
The charity system in Canada is heavily filled with structures, mental models, and behaviours that take away from our ability to solve problems in the long-term.
Short-term funding models, and managing donor and public expectations make it difficult for non-profits to innovate. These pressures are amplified by a growing distrust in organizations, online giving, current events, and the growth of social enterprises. When charities are set-up to only focus on short-term fixes rather than long-term success, a reinforcing loop of unsustainable behaviour is created.
Menstrual Inequality in Canada
Our team, Free Periods Canada, explored menstrual inequities in Canada, and its impact on marginalized communities.This systematic approach helped us understand that in order to eliminate the impact of menstrual inequity: i) The interventions must address the needs of marginalized populations, and knowledge and capacity building should involve both menstruators and non-menstruators. II) Governing bodies play an imperative role in creating sustainable change as policymakers but community members hold the power to inflfence these decisions.
Flooding Crisis in Canada
The most prominent natural disaster in Canada is flooding with three events impacting Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario in 2019. This led to over 15 000 residences either flooded or isolated, 13 500 disaster victims and over 75 municipalities affected. To lessen the impact of natural disasters, efforts to enhance essential disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities. These process-driven response sites are dynamic environments with a number of high value, critical mobile resources/assets – mobile equipment, responders, mobile vehicles, materials/supplies, and food & shelter.
Transit Induced Gentrification in Kitchener Waterloo
Our research explores the current state of transit-induced gentrification in Kitchener-Waterloo. Looking specifically at the cities' newly installed Light Rail Transit (LRT), we explore how this large scale economic tool has attracted growth and development that is causing community displacement for lower income groups. With proper policy for affordable housing in place, and constant discussion between key stakeholders the issues that the Waterloo Region is currently facing, may be avoided.
Youth Homeless in Vancouver
Our research focuses on youth homelessness in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver, British Columbia. As Vancouver has become one of the most expensive cities in the world over the past 3 decades, we seethe effects of this in our growing population of homeless youth.
Although there are currently organizations and fundings that aim to support this issue, there is still an increase in the amount of youth without homes. This is due to most of the support systems in place focusing only on the short term issue of keeping the youth alive.
We propose a government agency that’s purpose is to have the resources and contacts to set up youth with a plan of action that best fits their individual needs. This will create a higher likelihood that when they enter into adulthood they can break their cycle of poverty.
Map the System Canada 2020: Highlights
Finalist Showcase Booklet
Get a glimpse of what Canadian Students are interested in! The Showcase booklet contains the visual systems maps and project overviews of all 16 Map the System Canada 2020 teams.
Online Showcase
On May 8th, 2020 the Map the System Canada Final Showcase took place. The online showcase was a celebration of all national teams. During the showcase teams were split into two streams based on topic.