With ancestral roots in post-colonial Punjab and Kashmir, Somia Sadiq is a leading Planner who has developed a pioneering practice in engagement, conflict transformation, and negotiating space for those whose voices are often unheard or ignored. Rooted in the work of impact assessment, Somia founded Narratives Inc., a planning firm that emphasizes human-centric, trauma-informed story work, lived experience, and creating space for celebration of ancestral identity. Somia is also the founder of Kahanee, a non-profit organization that works nationally and internationally amplifying storytelling and facilitated dialogue for peacebuilding.  

Somia began her professional planning career undertaking impact assessment with a focus on resource, energy, and infrastructure projects. Her Master’s Thesis focused on Free, Informed, and Prior Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous communities in mining projects in Canada, and led to a series of recommendations for reforms in impact assessment process and legislation. Her Doctorate focuses on understanding the role of Identity, Othering, and Trauma in conflict transformation. She is a published author and a keynote speaker, offering insights on trauma-informed leadership, and fostering resilience in a rapidly changing environment. Recognized for her contributions to the Planning practice in Canada and internationally, Somia was recently inducted into the Canadian Institute of Planners’ esteemed College of Fellows, the highest honor for a planner in Canada.