Randi Newton

Supervisor

Leela Viswanathan

Co-Supervisor

Graham Whitelaw

Biography

Randi completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental and Conservation Sciences from the University of Alberta, where she graduated with distinction. Before beginning graduate school, she travelled across Alberta as a field assistant working on various aquatic ecology projects. She earned my Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree (M.Pl.) from the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Queen’s University in 2015. After graduation, Randi worked in Calgary as a Planner for O2 Planning + Design. Subsequently, she moved to Whitehorse, YT where she now works as a Conservation Coordinator with CPAWS Yukon Chapter. 

Research with PWIP

As part of the PWIP team, Randi's research explored the factors that influence the emergence of cooperative Indigenous-municipal relationships in the context of land use planning and development. Her work centred on a case study of the City of Calgary and the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and examined how relations between the two neighbours improved substantially over the course of negotiations to construct a provincial ring road through Nation land. Interviews with Nation officials and individuals from City administration informed this research, and were essential in guiding and validating the work. Normatively, her research focused on the practices and policies that foster the institutional capacities that sustain Indigenous-municipal relationships with the interest of ensuring that they are built upon principles of reconciliation.

Other Research Interests

  • Regional and Environmental Planning
  • Rural Issues
  • Healthy Community Planning
  • Public Engagement

Master's Thesis

Exploring the factors that support cooperative and equitable municipal-First Nation relationships: A case study of the City of Calgary and the Tsuut’ina Nation - http://hdl.handle.net/1974/13802