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As an urban strategist and consultant Glen Murray is best known for his vision to build culturally dynamic urban centres.  He inspires Canadians to look at cities as the economic engines of the country that must be built on a foundation of culture and diversity. He understands from practical and extensive experience in municipal government that Canadian cities must fund and maintain their “pipes, potholes and police”. However he firmly believes it is essential for community leaders to make room in their planning and budgeting to advance the arts, culture, heritage, environment and ecology of a community.

Glen Murray was appointed the CEO and President of the Canadian Urban Institute in January 2008. Previously he led a team of professional consultants under the AuthentiCity group, an urban public policy consulting group in Toronto, Ontario.

As the former Mayor of Winnipeg for six years his vision is anchored in practical and very successful experience on the council floor; working with business and union leaders; and working in partnership with other levels of government. It led him to create a fiscally conservative municipal government that still had the vision to support exciting developments for Winnipeg. In that time Winnipeg realized a new downtown Millennium Library; a new downtown arena and entertainment complex (The MTS Centre); the landmark two-span bridge Esplanade Louis Riel and a special fund for public art.

His civic experience led him to realize Canadian cities, with their multi-billion dollar infrastructure deficits, needed a new financial arrangement. His vision for a New Deal for Cities started with the formation of the C5 - a coalition of mayors from five Canadian cities. It was during that time that he became the first Chair of the Big City Mayors Caucus 2002. His New Deal concepts were first tested with the electorate in Winnipeg in the fall of 2003. That campaign drew international attention, offers to speak across the country and an invitation by Prime Minister Paul Martin to run in the 2004 federal election.

Glen Murray was a Distinguished Visitor at Massey College in the fall of 2004.

He was the Chair of the Canadian National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, where his extensive experience in municipal government helped  shape policy on how cities need to develop environmental policies and respond to climate change.