Northern Futures' Planning Team
Michelle Armstrong, M.Plan., MCIP RPP - Partner & Community Planner
Michelle is a Partner and Senior Planner at Northern Futures and has 25 years of work experience. She has a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from Concordia University. She is also a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. Michelle has over 20 years of experience in project management, community engagement, and planning policy which has led her to work in many jurisdictions across Canada, including Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, the Northwest Territories, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.
Michelle has delivered online and in-person courses on policy planning and land administration for each academic year between 2016 and 2022, through the Nunavut Municipal Training Organization (NMTO). She completed a comprehensive review and re-write of the NMTO course manuals in 2018. Michelle has also worked for a range of GN departments, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, and numerous municipal governments, forming a broad understanding of government and decision-making bodies in Nunavut.
Michelle has travelled extensively throughout Nunavut, working in roughly half of all Nunavut communities. Over the last 8 years, she has worked almost exclusively with clients in Nunavut. Her most recent planning projects involved working with the communities of Iqaluit, Kinngait, and Cambridge Bay. She is passionate about sharing her expertise in policy planning, land administration, and project management in Nunavut.
Jesse Ajayi, M.Sc., MCIP RPP - Partner & Community Planner
Jesse has 15 years of professional planning experience in Northern Canada, including 4 years spent living and working as a Manager of Community Planning in Nunavut. He focuses on policy clarity and believes that all members of a community need to be equipped to play a role in planning for growth and change. He uses plain language and clean visual designs to consult with the public and assist councils and stakeholders in decision making.
Having managed planning departments in Nunavut and Alberta, Jesse understands the municipal approvals process from the inside out. He has provided professional advice to councils on numerous development and subdivision applications for both large and small projects. Jesse has also directly managed long range planning projects including Community Plan Updates and Zoning Bylaw Reviews for communities throughout northern Canada.
Jesse has served as a member of OPPI’s Indigenous Planning Perspectives Task Force. He contributed to to the Task Force’s report on including indigenous perspectives in the planning profession and responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Samantha Toffolo, BURPI - Community Planner
Sam is a Community Planner with Northern Futures Planning with 5 years of experience providing professional planning and land administration services to Northern and First Nations Communities. Sam leads the land use planning advisory services team to municipalities and developers across Nunavut. Sam has developed her expertise Nunavut housing policy, including by leading the Housing Accelerator Fund Collective Team for the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM). Since joining Northern Futures in 2021, Sam has worked with several Nunavut-based clients including the Municipal Training Organization (MTO), Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), City of Iqaluit, and the Hamlets of Kinngait, Taloyoak and Resolute Bay.
Alex Pysklywec, MA, MPL - Community Planner
Alex Pysklywec, MA, MPL, is a community planner with interests in land use, health, and social planning for rural and remote communities. He has supported municipal, provincial, and Indigenous governments through collaborative planning, policy development, program evaluation, and development review. Alex brings a focus on integrating health and social considerations into land use decision-making, helping communities build practical and lasting solutions. His experience spans independent consulting as well as work within First Nation and municipal government settings. He is committed to planning approaches that are thoughtful, relationship-driven, and grounded in local realities. Alex is a Candidate Member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and is working toward his Registered Professional Planner (RPP) designation.
Elise Durie, MUP, MCIP Candidate RPP - Community Planner
Elise is a community planner with experience that spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Through her education and professional experience, she has contributed to planning and policy initiatives in Ontario, Quebec, and Nunavut. Her work has addressed a wide range of planning challenges, including affordable housing, public space design, gentle densification, and environmental policy.
This diverse background shapes Elise’s interdisciplinary approach to planning, centred on community-driven and equity-focused solutions. She is passionate about tackling planning challenges related to capacity-building, climate resilience, and fostering inclusive communities. Elise values understanding and incorporating community needs and aspirations through a collaborative approach. She believes that collective problem-solving – bridging planning expertise and community insights – is essential to good planning practice.
Sadie Faulkner, M.Pl, MCIP RPP Candidate - Community Planner
Sadie is a community planner with experience as a consultant planner in both municipal and private‑sector settings. Throughout her professional career, and during her education at Queen’s University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning, she has contributed to a wide range of planning and policy initiatives. Her work has included policy review, transit system efficacy analysis, and strategic community planning. These experiences have shaped Sadie’s abilities and planning approach, with community needs at the forefront.
Stacy Bardeskar, M.Eng - Business Operations Coordinator
Stacy Bardeskar holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management and works in Business Operations at Northern Futures Planning, where she contributes to organizational efficiency through operational strategy, financial coordination, process optimization, and systems management. With a strong analytical mindset and a systems-oriented approach, she supports business operations by improving workflows, enhancing cross-functional coordination, and driving efficient project delivery through structured, data-informed practices. Passionate about innovation and emerging technologies, Stacy also explores the integration of AI-enabled solutions into operational processes to improve productivity, accuracy, and overall organizational effectiveness.
Who We Partner With
Northern Futures collaborates with an extended network of firms specializing in northern community development. We build custom teams to take on complex project using the best available resources. More information about our partners can be found below.
Odonaterra -- Indigenous Environmental Planning & Assessments -Community consultation plans & frameworks | Environmental stewardship plans | Environmental assessments
Lichen Consulting -- Northern Community Engagement & Community Development Planning -- Community engagement & outreach Local business & strategic plans | Community development plans | Sustainability plans
Veritas Designs & Inspections -- Mapping & Design Services -- Community plan mapping & posters | Subdivision design & plans
Honeyside GIS Services -- GIS Mapping & Spatial Analysis -- Community plan mapping & posters | Spatial analysis | Geodatabase management
Nunami Stantec Limited -- Gap Analysis and Project Management --
Environmental consulting | Infrastructure planning & design | Project management & technical services
Structi - Planning Technology & Land Administration Solutions
Development permit workflows | Land application management | Planning report generation | Digital permitting & bylaw integration
Visit the Our Services page for more information about our Team's experience and expertise.