The report describes the results of an initial study to advance policies and practices in British Columbia, and elsewhere, with regard to the use of “soft” shore armouring alternatives within the context of climate change, sea level rise practices and guidelines and flood protection.
The City of Coquitlam Green Development Guide provides an explanation of five key green development topics; highlights green development practices applicable to development conditions within Coquitlam; can be used to facilitate discussions regarding sustainable development; and is a potential resource for development projects:
The key to addressing the affordable housing shortage is for local governments to take leadership in developing and implementing housing strategies that include a package of practices tailored to each community’s market and affordable housing needs. Local governments are now the ongoing facilitators responsible for ensuring that an adequate range of housing types addresses market and non-market demand.
The purpose of this Toolkit is to give local government staff and decision-makers more detailed knowledge about eight tools that deliver market and non-market affordable housing so they are better equipped to decide which approaches suit their community and to develop an affordable housing program. Local governments have the legislative authority to work with developers to use all of these tools to create affordable housing. This Toolkit provides the support and suggestions on how to craft an effective affordable housing program.
This report illustrates the continued progress by local governments to reduce carbon emissions through highlighting examples of the achievements and experiences of small, medium, and large communities in 2018. It includes:
The LCR Planning Handbook compiles the results of the Integrated Climate Action for BC Communities Initiative (ICABCCI), drawing on best practices and key learnings. ICABCCI ran from 2018 until 2021 and involved 10 partner communities of all shapes and sizes, and at all stages of climate action. This handbook beings together the learnings and findings from the initiative. It outlines an integrated climate action planning process that is systemic and cross-cutting, identifying opportunities between risk and emissions, while advancing climate action co-benefits.
The Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program is a network of more than 160 Canadian municipal governments that have committed to reducing greenhouse gases and acting on climate change.
PCP is a partnership between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. It is the Canadian component of the international Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) program. PCP receives financial support from FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF), which is managed by the FCM Centre for Sustainable Community Development.
PCP offers:
Eligibility/Deadline:
A regional growth strategy (RGS) is a voluntary consensus-based regional land use planning policy document coordinated by a regional district for its member municipalities. It is developed collaboratively between local governments, with engagement of the province, First Nations, other public bodies, the public, business and community stakeholders, and addresses regional issues such as transportation, economic development, housing needs and settlement patterns. A regional growth strategy is initiated, developed, adopted, and implemented by the regional district in partnership and with the acceptance of all the municipalities and adjacent regional districts.
An RGS provides long-range sustainability planning direction for regional districts and municipal official community plans (OCPs) within regional districts and provides a platform for discussion related to the integration of provincial programs.
The regional growth strategies legislation identifies provincial goals which encourage an integrated sustainability perspective. A main objective is to avoid urban sprawl which is consistent with local government action on climate change.
Section 428(2) of the Local Government Act sets out a comprehensive list of goal to which an RGS should work toward:
Looking at regional growth planning with a holistic sustainability lens enables a region to more clearly identify and address the links between land use and other regional development influences such as jobs and the economy. Engaging the business community including the Chambers of Commerce and the Urban Development Institute as well as other stakeholder groups such as Tourism Associations in addition to consulting with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training can help with identifying economic opportunities in different regions.
Provincial agencies provide the provincial perspective on regional issues during strategy development through participation on an intergovernmental advisory committee. The process for developing regional growth strategies is outlined in Part 13 of the Local Government Act. The intent of the legislation is to create an enabling local government framework for collaborative regional planning and growth management.
The process requires early and on-going consultation with member municipalities, First Nations, adjacent local governments and other local authorities, community members and interest groups, and senior government agencies. Public participation is key, as the impacts of growth affect all residents’ quality of life and business success.
A RGS must also address housing, transportation, regional services, parks and natural areas, economic development and greenhouse gas emissions reduction and it can also deal with other interests. Some regions will undertake an RGS to focus on urban containment. Others may choose to focus on how critical regional issues, such as the water supply, air quality, and/or transportation management link to growth management more broadly.
Regions with Regional Growth Strategies:
An effective regional growth strategy guides growth in a way that minimizes emissions through efficient use of land and water resources, infrastructure and transportation systems. In addition, maintaining greenspace serves to maximize CO2 sequestration alongside providing other environmental, social and economic benefits.
While unplanned regional growth can set a permanent pattern of land development and emissions performance that can be difficult to change, a well-developed RGS and well-planned growth can bring benefits such as:
An RGS can guide land use across a region to: