Raj Dhaliwal​

Raj Dhaliwal is a management consultant and innovation designer with over seven years of experience in urban sustainability, community development, and social impact projects. His expertise lies in leading strategy development, urban data research, and creating innovative solutions for complex social and economic challenges, especially for underserved communities. At DDP, Raj leverages his deep knowledge of digital infrastructure, human-centered design, and urban sustainability to drive impactful projects within STI ecosystems. 

Raj has managed and led numerous local and national initiatives for public and private sector clients, including the Government of Canada, Tamarack Institute, RBC Future Launch, and the Canadian Urban Institute. With extensive experience working across 20 municipalities, Raj has directly contributed to designing and implementing government-funded programs, data architecture, KPI systems, and community-based research for evaluating urban indexes.  

Raj’s experience includes designing and leading urban data indexes, such as those evaluating Canadian cities on topics including economy, public health, and equity, using data-driven insights to support government decision-making to improve service delivery outcomes. Raj often applies human-centered design to the initiatives he leads include those that improve community resilience and service accessibility, such as the SettleIn App for refugee integration. His ability to align digital tools with user needs helps enhance digital service delivery and improves the user experience of digital platforms. 

He also has significant experience in designing and implementing capacity building programs including those targeted at increasing data literacy among non-profit organizations, teaching data storytelling and visualization for advocacy. Raj’s work on community-led research and engagement initiatives for vulnerable populations in Canada, including refugees and Indigenous communities, equips him with experience to design equitable solutions for marginalized groups that are inclusive and contextually relevant.  

With a Master’s in Sustainable Development and practical experience in urban climate justice, Raj is skilled in crafting policies that support resilient urban systems and sustainable growth. He will contribute to addressing environmental stewardship within the STI framework, leveraging insights from his work on agricultural and energy sector transformation strategies for sustainable prosperity.