Growing up in a small town outside of Ottawa, Jocelyn Cadieux (MES ’20) learned the importance of accessibility and mobility. Now, as an urban planner working for the City of Ottawa, he aims to build strong communities by making urban spaces more accessible and developing the surrounding infrastructure.
“Our communities shape who we are and shape the decisions we make,” says Jocelyn. “Living in a small town as a youth, I was forced to get a driver’s license and I was dependent on other people to get around, which inevitably led to limitations on where I was able to go. As an urban planner, by making communities more walkable and cyclable, I hope to give people the option to be mobile and active in their communities, emboldening their agency and fostering a sense of belonging.
In his role, Jocelyn hopes to develop a lasting positive change in Ottawa by improving the lives of those in the community.
“I want to try as much as I can to create a positive impact in somebody’s life, whether that’s creating a wider sidewalk, or a new park, or making physical changes that make a community more comfortable and pleasant,” says Jocelyn. “The opportunity to help shape physical space to make somebody’s day better is something that continues to excite me.”
Jocelyn credits his studies as a York graduate student in the Master in Environmental Studies (MES) program for giving him the critical skills necessary to adapt to his professional setting.
“I chose York because the MES program was theoretical, but you also got a lot of hands-on experience where we were able to leverage partners in the field,” says Jocelyn. “Another reason I chose York was because Keele campus is really beautiful and is a great balance between a cool, urban space but also its own little community.”
Jocelyn attributes many of the hands-on experiences he gained at York as integral learning opportunities that prepared him for the workforce.
“For one of my projects, we got to work on solving a real housing issue in Toronto with the Lower Don Lands,” says Jocelyn. “Our work was read by professionals and we presented to a variety of stakeholders, where we got direct feedback. My master's degree gave me the critical skills necessary to adapt to a professional setting.”
Jocelyn also credits opportunities to learn abroad as highlights of his time as a graduate student.
“My favourite courses were the workshops where we got to work with professionals in the industry,” says Jocelyn. “For one of my classes, we travelled to Germany where we met various planners and architects from the University of Frankfurt to compare the housing crisis in Frankfurt and Berlin to the crisis in Toronto. It was a great experience to bond with your classmates and learn outside of the classroom.”
Now, as a York alumnus, he gives back to York by volunteering his time as chair on the MES York Planning Alumni Committee (MYPAC) where he helps raise money for student initiatives and events to help support and nurture the learning experiences of current graduate students. Jocelyn hopes to impart his own words of wisdom to current students.
“There’s a lot of room to explore and discover in your future, and being a student is not the be all and end all,” says Jocelyn. “Leverage your friendships and treat your classmates as colleagues because you may end up working with them on projects in the future.”
Jocelyn Cadieux is a 2025 recipient of York University’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 which recognizes inspiring and diverse alumni 29 years old and younger who are driven to make a difference locally and globally. View the 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30.