Cities and Spatial Justice Lab (CSJ Lab)

cityscape

About the Lab

Welcome to the Cities and Spatial Justice Lab (CSJ Lab) at the ¶®É«µÛ’s School of Urban and Regional Planning! Our lab is dedicated to advancing research on housing and the broader socioeconomic and spatial dynamics that shape urban life. Cities are vibrant and diverse spaces of opportunity, yet they are also sites where inequities, exclusions, and injustices are reproduced through entrenched planning systems, governance structures, and discriminatory practices. These conditions not only perpetuate inequality but also deepen the marginalization of vulnerable and underrepresented populations. At the CSJ Lab, we view research as both an analytical and transformative tool—capable of confronting systemic injustices while envisioning more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable urban futures. Our research agenda is driven by the recognition that urban injustices are not accidental; they are deeply rooted in historical, political, and institutional processes. Planning systems, often designed to serve dominant interests, have too frequently overlooked the needs, voices, and lived realities of marginalized groups. Discriminatory zoning practices, inequitable distribution of resources, exclusionary housing markets, and uneven access to infrastructure are only a few examples of how planning and governance structures have contributed to persistent socio-spatial inequalities.  By interrogating these systems, the CSJ Lab aims to confront and address the damaging conditions and systemic injustices in cities produced by entrenched planning systems, governance structures, and discriminatory practices.

At the core of our work is a commitment to spatial justice—the principle that the benefits and burdens of urban living should be fairly distributed or shared and that all residents should have meaningful access to housing, opportunities, and public goods and services. Spatial justice is not just a normative ideal but also a practical approach for understanding how injustices manifest in space and for developing effective interventions. We view spatial justice as a cornerstone of building cities that are not only economically viable and environmentally sustainable, but also socially inclusive and morally just. The Lab embraces an interdisciplinary and community-engaged approach to research, placing a strong emphasis on collaboration with cities, communities, advocacy groups, policymakers, and other stakeholders affected by inequitable planning practices. Led by Dr. Paul Boniface Akaabre, our team consists of researchers, students, and collaborators who are passionate about confronting deep-rooted urban inequalities. Together, we aim to advance practical strategies that disrupt inequitable patterns of socioeconomic and spatial development, amplifying the voices of marginalized and underrepresented communities and working towards a more inclusive, safe, and healthy future for all.

Vision

The challenges facing contemporary cities are profound, but so too are the opportunities to reimagine and rebuild them in more just and sustainable ways.  Our vision is to develop cities that are just, inclusive, and resilient for all residents, regardless of their social, economic, or cultural background. We firmly believe in the transformative power of urban planning to confront systemic inequalities and to act as a catalyst for fostering equitable development and spatial justice. By prioritizing inclusive, participatory research and meaningful community engagement, we strive to influence policy and planning practices in ways that amplify equity and justice, uplifting the voices of those often overlooked in urban planning and decision-making processes. Together, we can create cities that are equitable and work for everyone.

Research Lead

Lab Location: Tory 3-95

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Research Themes

1. Housing Development, Finance, and Justice
Our work investigates the complexities of housing development and finance, along with the regulatory frameworks and equity issues surrounding delivery. It particularly focuses on the financialization of housing, access to adequate housing for vulnerable populations, and the housing rights of Indigenous peoples, as well as housing inclusion and exclusion issues such as discrimination, displacement, encampments, ghettoization, and homelessness. Our research work with local organizations to analyze how existing housing development and finance mechanisms perpetuate injustice and to develop models that promote fair access to housing for everyone.
2. Municipal Finance and Governance
This theme explores the intersections of municipal finance, governance structures, and equity, focusing on identifying and addressing inequities in municipal funding, resource allocation, and decision-making processes. It involves evaluating the equity dimensions of city financial decisions, taxation policies, and governance practices, particularly how municipal budgets are allocated and their implications for marginalized communities and vulnerable groups. The aim is to develop a more equitable mechanism for funding municipal goods and services that effectively serves all residents.
3 Decolonization and Redevelopment
Our work in this area focuses on decolonizing urban spaces and revitalizing aging, underserved, and racially marginalized communities. This involves investigating how colonial legacies, systemic racism, and historical injustices have shaped present-day urban landscapes and contributed to enduring patterns of exclusion and inequality. Central to this effort is the creation of equitable redevelopment mechanisms, ensuring that revitalization efforts do not displace or erase, but rather uplift and honour the people, identities, and heritage that define these communities.
4. Distribution of Resources and Access to Opportunities
This theme focuses on promoting fair and equitable access to socially and economically valued resources and opportunities across diverse urban groups, neighborhoods, and spaces, addressing both procedural injustices—the exclusion of certain voices from decision-making processes—and distributive injustices, which arise from the unequal allocation of resources and opportunities. A central aspect of this research involves developing innovative mapping and analytical tools that highlight spatial disparities in resource distribution and access to housing, infrastructure, public services, and economic opportunities, and advocating for policies that prioritize resource allocation to structurally underserved areas or historically marginalized communities.
5. Smart Urban Transformation and Futures
Our research in this area focuses on the equitable integration of smart city innovations and digital systems into urban planning, ensuring that technological advancements address—rather than reinforce—existing socioeconomic and spatial inequalities. While smart technologies have the capacity to improve efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity in cities, they may also deepen disparities if access, affordability, and inclusivity are not prioritized. Thus, the CSJ Lab seeks to explore the equity dimensions of smart city innovations and evaluate how emerging technologies—such as data-driven planning tools, digital infrastructure, and AI-enabled systems—impact diverse socioeconomic groups and urban spaces. We are particularly concerned with how these innovations shape access to resources, services, and opportunities, as well as the risks they may pose in exacerbating digital divides. To advance this agenda, we aim to collaborate with tech companies, municipalities and community organizations to pilot smart city initiatives and evaluate the social, economic, and spatial impacts while advocating for policies and practices that embed equity, accessibility, and safety into the design and governance of digital urban futures.
6. Climate Change, Migration and Urban Vulnerabilities
Our research investigates the multifaceted impacts of climate change and migration on key socioeconomic fabrics of the city, focusing on housing, livelihoods, poverty, and food security. These interconnected dimensions of urban life are increasingly under pressure from climate disruptions and population movements, which often worsen existing inequities and create new forms of vulnerabilities. The CSJ Lab thus seeks to explore how climate change and migration intersect to reshape urban systems and daily life, paying attention to the disproportionate burdens borne by newcomers, marginalized groups, and low-income communities. Through impact assessments, we evaluate the social, economic, and spatial outcomes of these dynamics, including displacement, precarious housing, employment insecurity, and unequal resource access. In addition to creating vital knowledge, we seek to work with cities, policymakers, and community groups to develop strategies and policies that support vulnerable populations and promote sustainable, resilient practices.
7. Land Governance and Property Rights
Our research in this area is centered on the intersections of land governance, property rights, and spatial justice, with particular attention to the recognition and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).  Land remains one of the most contested and politically charged dimensions of urban and regional development, shaping access to housing, resources, and opportunities, while also carrying deep historical, cultural, and spiritual significance. The CSJ Lab thus explores diverse landholding models and systems of property rights, critically analyzing how they reinforce or challenge patterns of inequality, exclusion, and dispossession, along with their implications for spatial justice. We are especially concerned with the implications of land policies and governance structures for Indigenous peoples, whose rights and self-determination have long been undermined by colonial and settler governance and planning frameworks. Our work emphasizes collaboration and dialogue with governments, municipalities, and Indigenous communities to better understand their priorities, lived realities, and visions for the future. Through these partnerships, we aim to contribute to the development of equitable, culturally respectful, and rights-based approaches to land governance that honour Indigenous sovereignty, safeguard collective interests, and promote more just and inclusive urban and regional landscapes.
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2025 Select Publications

Akaabre P.B., Hackworth, J. and Keckesova, N., 2025. Anti-black rental housing discrimination in the multicultural city? A field experiment in Toronto, Canada. Journal of Urban Affairs. DOI: Available at

Hackworth, J., Keckesova, N. and Akaabre, P.B., 2025. Racial discrimination in Toronto’s rental market? School of Cities Report. Available at: .

Akaabre, P. B., 2025. Ontological Locationalities and the Pluriversal Turn in Urban Planning: A Call to See Cities Through Their Own Eyes. Dialogues in Urban Research. DOI: Available at

Akaabre, P. B., Chapple, K., and O’Connor, S., 2025. Equitable Development in Theory and Practice: Evolution, Definitions, Frameworks, and Tools. Journal of Planning Literature. DOI: Available at

Akaabre, P. B., 2025. Transparency of tenure institutions as a factor in ensuring equity in practice: The case of stool lands privatization and formalization as traditional leasehold properties in Ghana. Cities, 158, 105687. DOI: Available at

Akaabre, P. B., 2025. Broken City: Land Speculation, Inequality, and Urban Crisis, by Patrick Condon: The University of British Columbia Press, 2024. Journal of Urban Affairs, 1–3. Available at

Akaabre, P. B., 2025. The African Urban Planner: Identity, Roles and Challenges. In Ahmed, A., Akaateba, M. A., and Akanbang, B. A. (Eds.). 2025. Urban Planning Challenges and Innovations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Taylor & Francis. DOI: Available at