Christopher De Sousa

Dr. Christopher De Sousa is a Professor at the School of Urban and Regional Planning, Toronto Metropolitan University, where he has served as school director (2011–2018) and associate director (2022–2024). He previously held roles at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Toronto, where he earned his BA, MScPL, and PhD. His expertise spans brownfields redevelopment, sustainability, environmental management, and park planning.

Education:

• BA in Environment and Resource Management (University of Toronto)
• MSc in Planning (University of Toronto)
• PhD in Geography (University of Toronto)

Research Interests:

Dr. De Sousa's work focuses on brownfields redevelopment, sustainability reporting, parks planning, and green building strategies. His multidisciplinary approach integrates environmental science, policy analysis, and urban design to address challenges in contaminated land reuse and sustainable urban development. Current projects include a SSHRC-funded study on brownfields financing in Canada.

Grants & Awards:

• Recipient of Canada’s Brownfielder of the Year (2018)
• SSHRC Insight Grant for brownfields financing research
• ATSDR Honor Award for public health service (2014)

Labs & Initiatives:

He leads the Brownfields Research Lab (brownfieldsresearchlab.com) and collaborates with organizations like the Canadian Brownfields Network and the ATSDR Brownfields/Land Reuse Health Initiative. His work bridges academia and practice, informing policy and urban planning strategies globally.