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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW (SCC)CONFÉRENCE ET SALON PROFESSIONNEL SUR LES COLLECTIVITÉS DURABLES (CCD)

WHAT I LEARNED AT THE SCCFebruary 8-10, 2012

DJ/MM/YA@FCM_online #SCC2012 #CDNmuni OTTAWA 2012

DAY 1Wednesday February 8

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The ContextMunicipalities control:• >50% of public infrastructure• 44% of GHG emissions• 8% of every tax dollar

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Building the Green Economy

Building the Green Economy:

Sustainable Prosperity • The global green economy: $4 trillion • Canada’s green technology market:• X $2.3 billion in 2010• X $3.7 billion by 2014

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Building the Green Economy

National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy • Arctic sea ice loss• Extreme weather events• Rising insurance costs• Pressure on biodiversity• Cost to Canada in 2050: $43 billion

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Urban densities mean:• A global hub for capital and innovation• Fewer development pressures on sensitive

areas• Greater energy efficiency• A need for transportation

infrastructure

Building the Green Economy

Toronto Board of Trade

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Local balance of payments: • Population

400,000• Annual energy bill

$1.7 billion• Percentage that leaves

the region 70%

• Responses to municipal solar program (1 month)1,600

Building the Green Economy

Halifax Regional Municipality

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SeminarSustainable Local Economic Development• Drayton Valley bio-industrial park diversifies local

economy• Development in Toronto combines economic,

environmental gains• Cowichan Valley forms Clean Technology Council

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Workshop: Speed Dating for CapitalGreen Municipal Fund: The story so far…

• Original federal endowment $550 million

• Projects funded 875

• Participating communities 434

• Jobs created32,000

• GDP contribution$3.7 billion

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Advanced Training (Part 1): Partners for Climate Protection • Five-milestone program• Urgent need to reduce

emissions• Feasible targets• Impact of regulation• Recommended 10-year

goals:• 6% of community emissions• 20% of corporate emissions

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Advanced Training (Part 2): Partners for Climate Protection Putting plans into practice:• Integrate with wider community

plans• Link climate to local issues• Start with what cities can control• Provide incentives• Bring third parties together• Focus on education and

awareness

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Industry Exchange: Environmental Technology Verification Program• Environment Canada: Decision support

tools• Enviro-accès: Demand and funding for

anaerobic digestion technology• Walkerton Centre:

Small systems, First Nations, operator training

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Placemaking Soul of the Community and Beyond

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Plenary: Placemaking – Soul of the Community and Beyond• Does a sense of place still matter?• What attaches us to place?• Why does that sense of attachment matter?• GDP grew faster in communities

with more attached residents

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• Opportunities for municipalities to collaborate with First Nations

• 30-40% of Aboriginal communities must boil their water

• Joint infrastructure for neighhbouring communities

Seminar: Water and Wastewater Management in Small Communities

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Workshop: Removing the Barriers to Brownfield Redevelopment

• Brownfield action plans• Site characterization• Remedial plans• Site remediation• Funding for “brightfield” projects

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Industry Exchange: Financing Home Energy Efficiency• Retrofits complete on <10% of the housing

stock• Defining efficiency measures as local

improvements• Vancouver home energy loans• Nelson Hydro energy retrofits

Peer-to-Peer Networking & Information Exchange

2012 Sustainable Community Awards

DAY 2Thursday, February 9

Revitalizing Low Density Communities

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• Primary mechanisms for revitalization: Changes in form and transportation infrastructure

• High-density buildings deliver more municipal revenue• Changes in planning philosophy bring new industries,

new attitudes

Plenary

Revitalizing Low-Density Communities

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• Varennes’ new library: Canada’s first public net-zero energy building

• Integrated design strategy• Grants: $6.8 million• Community fundraising: >$1 million

Workshop: Net-Zero Buildings

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Seminar: Small Communities, Powerful Changes• Dawson Creek: Solar hot water and

electricity, green vehicles, energy-efficient street lights, anti-idling policy

• County of Wellington: >1.3 million trees• Revelstoke: Citizen participation in a 20-

year planning exercise

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Advanced Training (Part 1): Implementing Sustainable Community Plans

Five key elements:• Partner engagement• Community-wide action• Oversight• Monitoring• Communications

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Ingredients of a successful community partnership:• Bringing stakeholders together• Painting a picture of new possibilities• Fostering deeper relationships built on

communication, trust

Advanced Training (Part 2): Implementing Sustainable Community Plans

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Municipal tools to protect biodiversity:• Land use/urban planning• Licencing and regulation• Facilitation• Advocacy and leadership• Community service delivery

Industry Exchange: Nature’s Place in Sustainable Communities

Kicking the Fossil Fuel Habit

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• More economic activity with less energy• More energy with less carbon• Municipal role in smart grid development• New transportation systems• More efficient buildings

Plenary: Kicking the Fossil Fuel Habit

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Barriers to local food sustainability:• Perceived lack of supply• Limited focus on fruits and vegetables• Strong dependence on larger food

companies• Lack of interest from health care

institutions

Workshop: Building the Business Case for Regional Food Systems

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• Increased risk of severe weather hazards• Limitations on insurance payouts• Ecosystem integrity• Citizen awareness and participation• Protecting resources, local economic

development

Industry Exchange: Climate Change Adaptation

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• Improved energy efficiency• Increased home comfort• Hundreds of dollars in energy savings per

housing unit• Jobs for disadvantaged youth

Seminar: Energy Poverty, Housing Retrofits and Youth

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• Public infrastructure operated by municipalities: >50%

• Infrastructure deficit, 2006: $123 billion• Canadian municipalities’ reliance on

property tax: Excessive• Infrastructure programming: Short-term

and unpredictable

Workshop: Infrastructure Financing

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Aspects of resilience through 2060:• How should we grow?• How will we get around?• How efficient will our buildings be?• How will energy be supplied?• How will we manage water and waste?• How will we feed ourselves?

Industry Exchange: Integrating Land Use, Landscape, Climate, and Infrastructure

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Study ToursHosted by the City of Ottawa• Wastewater treatment

facility (ROPEC)• Great Canadian Theatre

Company• Beaver BarracksAdditional Tours• Ottawa Convention Centre• FCM "Walking the Talk”

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Trade Show• 52 booths • Sustainability professionals from all

sectors discuss and share best practices

DAY 3Friday, February 10

Nordic Leaders’ Panel

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• High level of self-government• Independent taxation powers• Focus on equality, poverty, social exclusion• Political support, homebuilder training for

energy-efficient construction• Climate change is accepted and addressed;

little debate on whether action is necessary

Plenary: Nordic Leaders’ Panel

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• Local energy systems, local renewables• Amenable to higher densities, mixed uses• Better energy performance• Reduced carbon footprints• Lower energy costs• District energy the “game-changer”

Seminar: Implementing Integrated Community Energy Solutions

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Benefits of sustainable procurement:• Eco-efficiency• Brand enhancement• Financial ROI• Reduced risk• Employee engagement• Strategic supplier relationships

Advanced Training (Part 1): Sustainable Municipal Procurement

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Procurement and corporate social responsibility:• What market intelligence do you gather?• What resources do you consume that

could be conserved?• What are your risks over the next three to

five years?

Advanced Training (Part 2): Sustainable Municipal Procurement

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• ICLEI-FCM joint initiative since the mid-1990s

• Municipalities vulnerable to rising temperature, extreme weather, sea level rise

• Changing Climate, Changing Communities guide: www.iclei.org/canada

Industry Exchange: Adaptation Initiative ― Cities Working Together

Sustainable Communities and the GPT Transition

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• Homer-Dixon: With rapid change, “we shouldn’t be surprised by surprise”

• “Extraordinary opportunities” in economic transition

• Liveable, resilient communities• General purpose technology

Plenary: Sustainable Communities and the GPT Transition

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• Built environment and healthy living• From research to tools, policies, and

processes• Healthy, walkable streets• Reclaiming a community’s energy future

Seminar: Public Health Opportunities in the Green Economy

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• Derived demand: Users don’t think of transportation when deciding where to live, work, go to school, or shop

• 50% of public transit services have some form of public-private partnership

Seminar: Public-Private Partnerships: Making it Work in the Transportation Sector