Dr. Sarah Cooper

Biography

Sarah Cooper's research interests focus on the social policy implications of privatization and commodification in housing. She approaches her work with a social justice lens, aiming to identify and address inequities in policy development and implementation. Currently, her research examines housing for low-income households in Canada, particularly emphasizing the impacts of expiring social housing funding agreements—a significant issue that has transformed the landscape of housing policy in Canada over recent decades. Sarah grew up in Toronto, where she completed her Bachelor of Environmental Studies at York University. She later earned her Master of City Planning from the University of Manitoba and her Ph.D. in Urban Planning Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before completing her Ph.D., she worked as a Research Associate Planner at the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources in Winnipeg and as a researcher for the Manitoba office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Sarah has extensive experience with a variety of research planning projects, including neighborhood housing plans and watershed community plans, alongside housing and social policy analysis.

Research Interests