SMILE Canada

Asma Khan is dedicated to developing innovative research to inform policies and designs that foster healthy, equitable, inclusive, and resilient cities. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where she pursued a double major in Health Science and City Studies. Her research interests lie at the intersection of health and geography, with a focus on addressing determinants of health and exclusionary practices through urban social policy, urban displacement, and inclusive urban design.

Asma currently serves as the Director of Research and Development at SMILE Canada - Support Services, where she leads research-informed initiatives to advance culturally safe practices for supporting newcomer children and youth with disabilities and their families, with the goal of enhancing service delivery and promoting equity within healthcare, education, and social service sectors.

Previously, Asma served as a Community and Stakeholder Relations Assistant at the City of Toronto, where she facilitated collaboration between stakeholders and constituents to inform policy solutions addressing housing insecurity, spatial immobility, and the displacement of low-income communities. She also contributed to research with the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, analyzing Toronto’s regulatory framework to explore innovative approaches to the City’s housing affordability crisis.

Across her work in multiple sectors, Asma advocates for the meaningful inclusion of equity-deserving, underrepresented groups in the context of rapid urbanization and growing social exclusion.