Summer Student, Parks Planning and Development

Town of Whitby; Whitby; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A municipal organization located in Canada is seeking a self-motivated student to assist with urban planning initiatives. Responsibilities include conducting research, coordinating GIS data, and preparing reports to support the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. This role offers a competitive hourly rate, a chance to make a positive impact within the community, and the opportunity to work in a hybrid environment. Candidates should be enrolled in relevant programs such as Urban Planning or Landscape Architecture and possess skills in ArcGIS and MS Office.

Qualifications

• Working knowledge of GIS and landscape architecture principles.
• Experience in practical fieldwork related to urban planning.
• Ability to apply evaluation criteria for condition rating of park assets.

Responsibilities

• Conduct background research for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
• Coordinate GIS spatial data collection and ensure data quality.
• Provide drawings and reports based on collected data.

Skills

Strong administrative and organization skills

Clear and concise communication

Ability to work independently and in a team

Education

Full-time student in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, GIS or related program

Tools

ArcGIS

AutoCAD

MS Office

Job description

Our team is highly skilled, passionate about our community, and we care. Let’s grow together.

Who We Are

In Whitby, we are dedicated to our work, our community, and each other. We work hard, we have fun, and we celebrate our successes. The Town of Whitby is a community in transformation that is located in the heart of Durham Region in the eastern Greater Toronto Area. Whitby is the second-largest municipality in the region and one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada. Located on Lake Ontario and only an hour east of Toronto, the population of Whitby is expected to grow from 140,000 to more than 200,000 by 2031. Whitby’s Official Plan has been updated to establish new directions for Whitby’s planned growth and development; the protection of our natural and built environments; urban design intensification; sustainability; community improvement; and, new employment within this time frame. The Town of Whitby combines a small town atmosphere with the sophistication and amenities of a larger urban centre. Whitby boasts two beautiful heritage downtowns, one of the finest recreational harbours with an award-winning marina, year round sports and recreation activities, parks, trails, and a robust arts and culture scene, all of which are part of the extraordinary amenities that Whitby residents enjoy every day. Whitby has an exciting and aspiring future, with a community that is welcoming, growing and transforming. On our team, you can expect to make a difference through your work and have a direct impact on shaping our growing community. Creating an inclusive environment where employees experience job satisfaction and have rewarding careers is important to us. We live our values and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, respect and engagement where people enjoy coming to work. The Town of Whitby is a hybrid organization. This means staff are empowered to do their best work from various locations, as appropriate for the position. We want to be the preferred employer for the most talented people who care about the Town of Whitby, and are excited and proud to serve our vibrant community. Let’s grow together.

What You Will Get To Do

The successful candidate will have a positive impact on our corporate culture by demonstrating the Town’s CARE core values (Collaborative, Accountable, Respectful, Engaged) through daily interactions with individuals at all levels of the organization, external contacts and elected officials. By effectively building positive rapport and relationships both internally and externally, the successful candidate will help us achieve our mission that together we deliver services that make a difference in our community.

Responsibilities

• Conducting background research to support the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and other major strategic planning studies and emerging issues in the department;
• Collecting and coordinating GIS spatial data by completing field work and applying evaluation criteria to determine the condition rating of park assets while ensuring consistency and quality of the data is maintained throughout the collection process;
• Verify existing data for quality assurance and correcting erroneous data as necessary;
• Provide drawings, analysis and reports from the collected and existing data as required;
• Other duties as assigned.

Who You Are

Our Parks Planning team is looking for a self-motivated, solutions-oriented team member. You convey your thoughts clearly and concisely. You listen attentively and ask questions for clarification and understanding. Using strong administrative and organization skills, you demonstrate tact, diplomacy and sound discretion when working with others. You’re always happy to learn new things and to help build a working environment that encourages and cultivates new ideas. You foster a collaborative team environment among co-workers, and work well both independently and as part of a team.

What You Bring To Our Team

• Full-time student in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, GIS and Planning or related program;
• Working knowledge of ArcGIS, AutoCAD, and MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Access);
• A valid Ontario driver’s license maintained in good standing, with access to a personal vehicle.

Eligibility Requirements

Students selected must be available to commence summer employment as early as April 27, 2026, and commit to working through to, and including, September 4, 2026.

Salary Range/Hourly Rate

$21.14 - $23.53

Hybrid Information

Frontline

Hours

—

Closing Date

January 16, 2026

Our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Antiracism

At the Town of Whitby, we view holistic inclusion as the pathway to achieving healthy relationships, inclusive excellence and fostering a culture where everyone can thrive. We acknowledge our history—the good and the bad, promote social justice and address discrimination and inequities. We strive to create a workplace that encourages you to always bring your authentic self to work.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Town of Whitby is an Aff… all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy‑related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Accommodation

The Town of Whitby is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier‑free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code‑protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability‑related accommodation during the application process is available upon request.

We thank all applicants and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted. Personal information provided is collected under the authority of The Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.