2007 Green City Awards finalists
The finalists for the 2007 Green City Awards demonstrate a wide range of leading edge green action, and represent a wide range of communities. The awards are divided into eight categories, although, this year, there were no nominations in the Under 1,500 population category.
To view videos of the finalists, go to the Community Gallery.
Regional District (Regional) $50,000 award
Nanaimo Regional District - WINNER
The district, as a leader in building smart growth policies and in executing the difficult turn from sprawl to sustainability, is noted for its development pattern including urban containment and emphasis on regional transit, solid and liquid waste management.
Greater Vancouver Regional District
The regional district is stepping up to deal with the ecological pressures that come with such a massive urban population through its Sustainable Region Initiative, good track record on greenways and regional parks, through producing their Sustainable Region TV show to educate residents, and through incorporating sustainable design principles into their approach to providing clean, safe drinking water.
Regional District (Electoral Areas) $25,000 award
Capital Regional District – Area F Saltspring Island -WINNER
Saltspring Island in the CRD is noted for action on its official community plan which promotes compact, pedestrian friendly development.
The Capital Regional District is responding to growth pressures on Saltspring through construction of affordable seniors housing, working with other agencies to protect vital green space (including a drinking water watershed), and by assuming operation, management and upgrading of numerous community water systems. They will also be establishing a community bus system. The new bus transit system soon which will allow the community to be less dependant on their vehicles…a first for the Gulf Islands.
Regional District of Central Kootenay – Area D
Regional District of Central Kootenay is working with local residents in the rural areas outside of the Village of Kaslo to retrofit community buildings for geothermal, restoring habitat and building trails, and working with local business to implement symbiotic recycling programs.
Population of 1,500 – 5,000 $25,000 award
Town of Oliver -WINNER
Oliver is dealing effectively with the challenges of water management, including reclaiming 100 per cent of wastewater and using it for agricultural purposes.
Oliver is dealing with water pressures in the desert by reclaiming all of the wastewater for irrigation purposes, they are dealing with growth through such things as participating in a Smart Growth on the Ground program and hosting of affordable housing workshops, and Oliver is demanding that sustainability be incorporated into the their tourism industry by integrating triple bottom line principles into the Request For Proposal for the upcoming Wine Village agri-tourism endeavour.
Town of Gibsons
Gibsons, gold medal winner at the recent Berkely Springs International Water Tasting Contest, is finding simple solutions to protecting this valuable resource through use of native, drought resistant plants in their gardens, to employment of students in their "Green Team" to educate residents on water and environmental issues. Gibsons also has implemented a sustainability checklist to ensure development occurs in line with the triple bottom line principles contained in their new Smart Plan Official Community Plan.
District of Houston
Houston, a remote and northern community, is showing provincial leadership in energy conservation through utilization of geothermal heating in the pool, arena, and curling facilities, through use of solar powered park lighting and through partnering on the exciting Energy Centre of the North project which they are helping to develop. Houston also has an innovative purchasing policy which favours local suppliers.
Population of 5,000 – 10,000 $25,000 award
Resort Municipality of Whistler -WINNER
Whistler is recognized for its exemplary planning and development, which balances protection of the natural environment and tourism economy promotion.
Whistler is a leader of the resort communities through its diversification into year-round tourism, its overarching Whistler 2020 sustainability program, construction of LEED buildings, and work on affordable housing through formation of the Whistler Housing Authority and development of employee housing that uses green technologies.
Whistler also is noted for its pedestrian friendly network of neighbourhood linking trails and provides convenient bus service throughout the community.
Whistler is also commended for providing the land and buildings used by the Whistler Community Services Society to operate the Reuse it Centre.
Town of Ladysmith
Ladysmith is dealing with waste management by being the first in B.C. to implement a curbside organics collection program. Their council is always seeking to become more sustainable as evidence by their training in the Natural Step framework and incorporation of triple bottom line principles in their strategic plan.
Population of 10,000 – 25,000 $50,000 award
City of Dawson Creek -WINNER
Dawson Creek is noted for its community energy planning and actions, including conservation and developing alternative sources.
Dawson Creek, is a leader in the province with respect to energy conservation and alternative energy as seen in their use of solar energy for heating water and powering traffic lights. Their mayor co-chairs the 100,000 Solar Roofs project and they are working with local wind IPPs to develop their own wind energy utility. The city also has a green purchasing policy and an excellent educational website for residents to learn about sustainability issues.
District of Squamish
Squamish is dealing with growth pressures. This can be seen through their involvement in the Smart Growth on the Ground program leading to a development plan for downtown. They have also led in other ways, including diversifying into a year-round recreation destination. The community is also supporting Quest University that will showcase green innovation.
City of Fort St. John
Fort St. John, like its neighbour Dawson Creek, has embraced energy conservation through use of geothermal at their City Hall, LED traffic signals and street lights, and their piloting of hybrid transit buses for use in northern communities. They have also developed the exciting "Walk To Whistler" program to encourage physical activity by offering rewards such as tickets to the 2010 Olympics. The city should also be commended for their implementation of universal water metering and innovative radio meter reading technology which will help them manage their community's water use and save money on lifecycle infrastructure costs.
Population of 25,000 – 100,000 $100,000 award
City of North Vancouver -WINNER
North Vancouver was chosen for implementing its official community plan, which is based on smart growth principles.
The City of North Vancouver has an excellent relationship with other north shore municipalities on a variety of issues such as social issues, recycling and innovative bylaw dispute mechanisms. They also utilize smart growth principles in their OCP and have Sustainable Development Guidelines that resulted in the first LEED residential tower in Canada. They have also established the Lonsdale Energy Corporation and are a leader in the province in district energy utilities.
City of Kamloops
Kamloops has diversified their economy by striving to become the Tournament Capital of Canada…and in the process have ensured that sports buildings have been constructed to LEED standards. They have also focused on food sustainability through edible landscaping, farmers markets, and community gardens. Their new community wide recycling collection program will use innovative low emission co-collection vehicles to collect garbage and recyclables in one pass, a first in B.C., thus saving money and reducing GHGs.
City of Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge was the first to take part in Smart Growth on the Ground and is now implementing many sustainability initiatives such as their green fleet program where they have purchased 12 hybrid vehicles (one-third of fleet). They also do work on protecting their waterways and environment through mapping and involving the public and by demanding a deposit from developers to ensure ecosystem works are performed in sensitive areas.
Population of 100,000+ $200,000 award
City of Vancouver -WINNER
Noted for the overall quality of its planning and urban design, resulting in high liveability and investment.
Vancouver, world renowned for livability, is stepping up in its role to reduce the ecological footprint of the community. This is seen in their promotion of the 2010 New Community Shared Garden Plots by 2010 program, the OneDay social marketing program to encourage sustainable behaviour, their work on green streets and lanes, and their requirement that all new city buildings be LEED Gold.
City of Kelowna
Kelowna is emerging as a leader in sustainability, as seen in their purchase of 18 smart cars and two hybrids for their fleet, their increases in transit ridership and other transportation planning, and their use of sustainability checklists for development. The city also utilizes waste gas at the landfill to create energy and have a biosolid composting program and markets OgoGrow as a resource rather than a waste.