What we do

Explore our services
The image displays a stylized graphic of a person riding a bicycle in an urban environment. The rider has a baguette and what looks like leaves of corn in the basket. There are simplistic representations of buildings in the background with trees.

Planning

The image shows a colourful illustration with two adults sitting at a bench—one holding a flower, the other reaching out—while two children play with geometric shapes. It suggests a community or family setting, focused on interaction and play.

Design

The image portrays a cross-section of a house with solar panels on the roof, indicating a focus on sustainability. Inside, we see various individuals engaged in different activities: a family with a child, and a woman tending to plants.

Housing

The image shows two people seated at an outdoor table under a striped awning, engaged in conversation, indicated by speech bubbles. One person is in a wheelchair, suggesting an inclusive setting. The graphic has a simple and clean design.

Engagement

Turning evidence into action

Happy Cities is an urban planning, research, and engagement firm based in Vancouver and Halifax. We work with cities, developers, and non-profits around the world to design public spaces, streets, and housing that nurture wellbeing for all community members.

Featured
Las Vegas 2050 master plan – Charleston area
Las Vegas 2050 master plan – Charleston area

Happy Cities led the Charleston 2050 Area Plan, creating a roadmap for human-centred development in a 5,100-acre area west of Downtown Las Vegas.

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Port Moody social wellbeing design guidelines
Port Moody social wellbeing design guidelines

An innovative policy offers incentives for new housing that supports social connection, health, and inclusion in Port Moody.

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Our Urban Village Cohousing
Our Urban Village Cohousing

An cohousing project offers a promising, missing middle solution to Vancouver’s housing and social isolation crises.

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Power of placemaking: Research and engagement
Power of placemaking: Research and engagement

Exploring the role that placemaking plays in supporting community wellbeing, with the Healthy Communities Initiative and Canadian Urban Institute.

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"Happy Cities was a dream to work with. The quality of research, analysis, written submissions and field work was consistently high. A true partner in our ambitious active transportation pursuits!"

Lisa Leblanc, Director of Engineering, City of New Westminster

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Featured stories

Stories
How Build Canada Homes can go beyond affordability
Housing
How Build Canada Homes can go beyond affordability
Housing

What Canada can learn from non-market housing communities about social connection, health, and belonging.

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Housing
What is placemaking? And more FAQs
Placemaking, Urban design
What is placemaking? And more FAQs
Placemaking, Urban design

How do you start a placemaking project, and why does placemaking matter for healthy communities? Happy Cities answers your questions!

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Placemaking, Urban design
Left behind in an emergency: Addressing the accessibility gap
Research, Accessibility
Left behind in an emergency: Addressing the accessibility gap
Research, Accessibility

How can cities improve accessibility during emergencies and extreme weather?

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Research, Accessibility
New guidelines for age- and dementia-inclusive neighbourhoods 
Street design, Research
New guidelines for age- and dementia-inclusive neighbourhoods 
Street design, Research

Learn the unique planning and design considerations for older adults and people living with dementia through a free online course.

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Street design, Research
The case for social infrastructure
Research
The case for social infrastructure
Research

Social spaces and networks create an essential foundation for healthy, resilient communities. But they’re hard to measure.

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Research
Movie nights, picnics, and art: How Surrey, BC is creating safer public spaces
Placemaking, Community engagement
Movie nights, picnics, and art: How Surrey, BC is creating safer public spaces
Placemaking, Community engagement

To create safer neighbourhoods, offer inviting and vibrant places for community members to gather.

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Placemaking, Community engagement

We’ve built trust with clients around the world

Colour photograph of the Happy Cities book on a table.

Read the book that started it all

Explore the intersection between urban design and the emerging science of happiness, with stops in some of the world’s most dynamic cities.

Check it out