Plans unveiled to make Vancouver the world's greenest city by next decade
VANCOUVER - For nearly three years, Vancouver has been working on a plan to become the “greenest city” in the world by 2020.
It has taken baby steps, such as bringing in separated bike lanes downtown, allowing backyard chickens and setting minimum efficiency standards for all new building construction.
But now the city says it plans to make changes over the next nine years that will radically alter how businesses, homeowners, government and its partners deal with the environment.
From requiring as of 2020 that all new buildings be carbon neutral, to building the infrastructure for the refuelling of electric cars to doubling the number of green jobs in the city, the city’s “Greenest City Action Plan” sets out an aggressive agenda.
However, the report did not say how much the overall plan would cost. City staff said they could not provide a global estimate of its cost, but that as specific projects are brought forward, their costs will have to be approved by council.
“We will come back with a business case for each one,” deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston said.
The basics of the city’s plan were unveiled in January 2010, a year after the new Vision Vancouver council began to act on an election promise to re-green the city. That theoretical plan underwent public consultation last year.
Now the city says it is ready to proceed in 10 key areas, including greening the economy, improving food production, reducing greenhouse gases and improving public transportation and changing how the city is built and operated.
In a presentation to city council on Tuesday, Johnston called Vancouver’s plan one of the most ambitious environmental stewardship programs in the world.
“We are showing ... local and global leadership as a city committed to a bright green future for our citizens.”
He said the overall plan has been broken into three broad areas where the city believes it can make a significant difference: carbon management, waste management and stewardship of ecosystems.
Council held off adopting the report until Thursday, when it will hear public speakers.
The 10 key areas the city will focus on are:
• Green economy: “To secure Vancouver’s international reputation as a mecca of green enterprise.”
• Climate leadership: “Eliminate dependence on fossil fuels.”
• Green buildings: “Lead the world in green building design and construction.”
• Green transportation: “Make walking, cycling and public transit preferred transportation options.”
• Zero waste: “Reduce total solid waste going to landfill or incinerator by 50 per cent from 2008 levels.”
• Access to nature: “Vancouver residents enjoy incomparable access to green spaces, including the world’s most spectacular urban forest.”
• Lighter footprint: “Achieve a one planet ecological footprint.”
• Clean water: “Vancouver will have the best drinking water in the world.”
• Clean air: “Breathe the cleanest air of any major city in the world.”
• Local food: “Increase city and neighbourhood food assets by a minimum of 50 per cent.”
The report estimates more than 10,400 “green” jobs could be created by 2020.
It suggests 300 jobs could be created as the city expands its district energy program. Clean technology trade missions could bring 900 new jobs to Vancouver as companies relocate here, it states. And it suggests another 600 jobs could be created in urban farming, farmers’ markets, food processing and street food vending programs.
Another potential project could involve recovering demolition waste. Johnston said a pilot project earlier this year using at-risk youth to take apart houses slated for demolition showed 93 per cent of materials could be recycled. At present in Vancouver, an average of 800 homes face demolition annually, with little being recovered.
Johnston said improving public transit is one of the most challenging areas of the new plan because it requires a lot of cooperation from other government partners. But he said public opinion has shown this is one of the areas where major gains in greening the city can be made.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson called the plan “an extraordinary world-leading plan.”
“It is great to have an aspirational target like this that can drive the city on its pace,” he said.
But the plan is also drawing criticism from Robertson’s political opponents, who say he’s not paying enough attention to other important city responsibilities, such as job creation and prudent fiscal management.
Non-Partisan Association Coun. Suzanne Anton, who is running for mayor, said the plan didn’t appear to consider Vancouver’s established green businesses such as those serving the forestry sector.
Mike Klassen, a Non-Partisan Association candidate for council, wonders why the plan isn’t being put to voters in November’s election.
“Why has the mayor not costed this out? This 162-page report has been cobbled together behind closed doors,” Klassen said. “This is something that should be taken to voters for approval.
“Don’t you think he should be focusing on job creation in the resources sector, in the film industry and in high-tech? Now they are using terms like ‘Green Mecca’ but the only groups benefiting are the consultants and the environmental groups hired by the city to put this together.”
Vision Coun. Andrea Reimer, a member of the city’s Greenest City Action Team, which developed the guidelines for the plan, disagreed.
“I am not sure if [Klassen] has had time to read the report and have a good sense of the green economy, but green job creation in North America is three times the rate of other economic development,” she said.
She said voters signalled their desire for a new green agenda when they elected the majority Vision Vancouver council in 2008. She said a referendum this fall is unnecessary because all the items that cost the city money still have to be approved by council.
“Each and every action under the Greenest City Action Plan has to be individually approved by council. If we say ‘go off and work on mattress recycling,’ for example, staff come back with a plan for that and we have to approve it.”
The report can be found at www.vancouver.ca
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