News
The SCRD has received a grant of $55,000 from the Green Municipal Fund (a partnership of the Federal Government and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities). According to the GMF press release “the fund supports the development of the communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable”.
The grant money will be used to help develop the Sustainability Plan for the regional district. In an email from Brian Shoji, general manager of Infrastructure Services, he states that “the Sustainability Plan will utilize a 'backcasting' approach to characterize the current situation, identify focus areas where gaps exist between current conditions and the vision, and develop strategies and action for each focus area along with indicators to monitor overall progress. “It is intended that this plan will serve as a model for other communities to “provide a single, cost effective regional planning process'.
In a staff report presented to the Infrasturcture Services Committee on September 9, a draft proposal was presented to hold a four-day charrette-style workshop in October to produce a draft plan. The workshop participants will be selected based on the following criteria: personal integrity, self awareness and curiosity; commitment to the social, cultural, economic, environmental, spiritual/psychological wellness of the community; interest and ability to 'see the big picture' as well as the details; interest and value in multiple perspectives; content expertise to share in one or more areas of sustainable community development.
The report states that the staff believes that "this work is best done with intensive focus, in a collaborative way, with a small, talented group who can cover estensive ground quickly. The team will also be comprised of people who are well positioned to extend the white paper to their networks for feedback".
Once the draft document is completed it will be brought to the Board before being presented to the public for feedback.
According to Shoji, the grant funds will be utilized to secure services to carry out literature searches, facilitate workshops, prepare reports, disseminate communication material and production of the final report.
Other districts that received funds from GMF were:
- The Township of King, Ontario - $165,000 in funding toward an integrated community sustainability plan (ICSP). The ICSP will include several key components: a strategic environmental plan; policies, mechanisms and strategies to sustainably manage growth; plans for natural heritage protection projects; and policies on a number of priorities including community engagement, renewable energy, water conservation, public transportation links, and increasing its waste diversion beyond 65%.
- The Corporation of Delta, BC - Two grants of $14,750 and $30,855 to conduct two feasibility studies —one that evaluated the use of renewable energy technology in the Ladner Municipal Precinct Area and the other which considered how to expand and retrofit the Sungod Recreation Centre in order to reduce energy use and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification.
The Government of Canada endowed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) with $550 million to establish the Green Municipal Fund. The Fund provides below-market loans and grants, as well as education and training services to support municipal initiatives that improve air, water and soil quality, and protect the climate.
What is a sustainable community plan?
"A sustainable community plan is a plan developed through public consultation that identifies a vision and includes environmental, social, and economic goals and targets for the community. The plan also describes the short-, medium-, and long-term strategies for reaching its goals and targets, and integrates all areas of municipal concern, such as energy use, neighbourhood and transportation planning, and waste and water management (e.g. an integrated community sustainability plan [ICSP] is one type of sustainable community plan)." -- GMP website.
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