Environmental Master Plan Our Environment, Our Future

Transcription

1 Environmental Master Plan Our Environment, Our Future April 18, 2011

2 2 Environmental master plan

3 To the Citizens of Red Deer: Clean air, fresh water, more natural areas, cleaner transportation options, more renewable energy, less waste. These are life-enhancing qualities that most people want and the residents of Red Deer are no exception. Red Deer s Environmental Master Plan looks at the current state of the health of the city s environment, sets up a benchmark for indicators that will give an overall picture of the environment in Red Deer, and establishes measurable targets to track environmental progress. The Environmental Master Plan will act as the pillar for The City of Red Deer s Municipal Sustainability Framework as directed in The City s Strategic Plan. It outlines a vision for our shared environmental future, as well as targets and tools we can use to achieve that vision. The environmental vision statement and the entire Plan have been created from input by: citizens at community and youth workshops; stakeholder meetings with local businesses and industries; community groups and developers; and online forums. Our thanks go to the hundreds of Red Deerians who shared their ideas and opinions. This Plan is important to us; we all share the same environment. We also recognize that there are limited natural resources available to us, and that we share responsibility for taking care of the community we call home. The Environmental Master Plan can help The City, businesses and industry, community groups and residents move in the same direction towards a more resilient and sustainable community. The Environmental Advisory Committee was given the responsibility by The City to guide the creation of the Environmental Master Plan. This committee is a group of citizens and two city councillors tasked with enhancing citizen engagement and decision making on environmental issues for The City of Red Deer. As such we have been actively involved in the development of the Plan since its inception. The Environmental Advisory Committee will continue to be involved in the implementation of the Plan and to helping Red Deer achieve its environmental goals. Sincerely, Evan Bedford, Chair Wayne Pander, Past Chair Danielle Nederlof, Vice Chair Other past and present members of the Environmental Advisory Committee: Linda Cassidy, Grant Johnson, Wayne Morrow, Councillor Larry Pimm, Rod Schumacher, Kyla Therrien, Ross Towers, Councillor Tara Veer, Don Wales, Councillor Frank Wong and Councillor Dianne Wyntjes Support staff and Steering Committee: Sara Alaric, Ligong Gan, Paul Goranson, Nancy Hackett, Julia Harvie-Shemko, Jerry Hedlund, Haley Horvath, Lynn Iviney, Ken Lehman, Amber Mack, Jennifer Margach, Lauren Maris, Sanja Milinovic, Pam Vust and Tom Warder from The City of Red Deer

4

5 Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 section 1 Why an Environmental Master Plan 7 section 2 The Structure of the EMP 11 section 3 How to Measure Progress 19 section 4 Getting There 53 section 5 Corporate Strategies 55 section 6 Actions and Partnerships 69 Appendices 78 appendix A: Methodology appendix B: Community Consultation Summary appendix C: Environmental Impact Category Descriptors appendix D: Criteria for Selecting Metrics appendix E: Benchmarking Tool appendix F: Example of Impact Assessment Tool appendix G: Prioritization List appendix H: Glossary* *Italicized words throughout the document can be found in the Glossary

6 Executive Summary As part of The City of Red Deer s ongoing commitment to understanding, protecting and improving its environmental performance and public services, The City has developed this Environmental Master Plan (EMP). Reflecting the environmental goals of The City s Strategic Plan, the Environmental Master Plan is a key tool in the implementation of The City s Municipal Sustainability Framework. The EMP is the environmental pillar of The City s five pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, social, cultural and governance. The intent of the Environmental Master Plan is to provide The City and the people of Red Deer with a road map to improved environmental performance. To achieve this, the Plan includes clear goals and measureable environmental targets, as well as recommendations for actions for both The City of Red Deer as a corporation and for the greater community. 1 Environmental master plan

7 Red Deer's Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions Focus Areas and Actions The Environmental Master Plan is built around a 25 year vision for Red Deer s Environmental future that was developed in collaboration with the people of Red Deer: Red Deer actively enhances its rich natural environment and minimizes its ecological footprint through City leadership, community collaboration and active stewardship. Red Deer is a leading example of a resilient and sustainable community in which urban and natural systems are effectively integrated to the benefit of both. To realize this vision a set of six core directions was developed. These core directions provide guidance to the overall development of the EMP and have shaped the specific actions and strategies that appear in the Plan. The core directions are as follows: 1. Encourage, Educate, Engage, Enable, Expect 2. Learn by Doing; Lead by Example 3. Make Decisions Using True Cost Accounting The Environmental Master Plan is designed to be a living document that The City of Red Deer can use to track its environmental progress. To benchmark the city s impact on the environment, and measure how it changes in the future, the Environmental Master Plan includes quantifiable environmental metrics grouped into seven focus areas: water, ecology, transportation, built environment, air, energy and waste. Each focus area includes an overarching goal, and between two and four metrics related to that goal. Each metric is described within the body of the EMP, including a discussion of the related target. To focus The City s implementation efforts, specific actions have been identified to help achieve the goals. Actions are identified that impact The City s own operations or policies, as well as actions that are focused on programs or policies that affect the community. A detailed table of the priority actions is provided in Section 6, identifying a responsible department within The City of Red Deer and potential partners in both City departments and the community. The priority actions were selected from a longer list compiled through precedent research, with feedback from City staff and the community. The following pages provide a snapshot of the recommended priority actions. 4. Prioritize Active and Public Transportation 5. Manage Growth to Create Vital, Well-integrated, Compact Communities 6. Protect and Enhance Green Space Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 2

8 Goals and priority actions for each Focus Area are: develop conservation tools to preserve green space such as a land conservation trust, land purchase, land swaps, tax incentives and reserve dedications. Water Goal: To improve the quality of our water resources and increase water conservation Increase the urban tree canopy City & Community: Prepare and implement an Urban Forest Management Plan. Advance Storm Water Management Strategies City: Prepare an Integrated Storm Water Management Plan. Community: Review water and wastewater rate structures, which will draw attention to the value of water. Encourage Water Conservation City: Develop environmental standards for City buildings including water conservation measures (in accordance with policy 9.13 of the Municipal Development Plan). Community: Replace water meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology in conjunction with replacement for electrical meters. Ecology Goal: To protect and enhance the terrestrial and aquatic health of the natural heritage system Increase the amount of land used for green space in the City City: Enhance the existing set-back policy to include water body and ecological protection related to Environmental Reserve setbacks under the Municipal Government Act. Community: Partner with community and development stakeholders to share ideas, explore opportunities and Transportation Goal: To prioritize active and public transportation Develop active and public transportation infrastructure City: Incorporate high level core directions of the Environmental Master Plan into the Integrated Transportation/Movement Study as appropriate; Integrate sustainability principles such as active transportation, increased modal split and complete streets into all aspects of transportation planning including traffic demand management and the Transit Master Plan. Community: Partner with Red Deer County, surrounding municipalities and local employers to establish regional commuting resources such as transit services, carpooling, shuttle and emergency ride programs. Increase the walkability of neighbourhoods City: Engage the community to participate in walkability audits in their neighbourhoods. Community: Partner with school boards to implement a walking school bus program to encourage students to walk to school in 3 or more schools. 3 Environmental master plan

9 Built Environment Goal: To create vital, well-integrated compact communities that minimize negative environmental impacts Promote more compact development patterns City: Develop city-wide infill guidelines and standards that emphasize minimum densities, compact form and environmental design standards (in accordance with policies 10.9 and of the MDP). Include consideration of parking practices/policies that encourage rather than undermine transit and alternative forms of transportation. City: Undertake studies of both residential and commercial/industrial density in Red Deer to establish informed baselines and goals for future density targets. Community: Partner with a developer to identify an infill pilot project on City land to demonstrate environmental design standards. Community: Work with industries that have the most opportunity to reduce air pollution by identifying large emitters and potential strategies to mitigate their effects. Energy Goal: To reduce energy use and move towards using renewable energy sources. Increase energy conservation of buildings City: Replace electrical meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology for both residential and Industrial/Commercial/Institutional (ICI) customers. City: Expand energy efficient street light program and work towards reducing the effects of light pollution. Community: Explore District Energy potential in highdensity neighbourhoods. Increase and promote use of renewable energy sources Increase opportunities for local food production Community: Work with the community and developers to create a community garden stewardship initiative to facilitate the establishment and stewardship of additional community garden plots. Aim to introduce a new community garden each year for ten years. Air Goal: To improve the air quality and reduce emissions Create a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions City: Conduct a GHG inventory analysis, and develop a corporate GHG emissions reduction plan. Community: Develop a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan. Reduce Air Pollution City: Identify large emitters of air pollution within The City s corporate operations. Identify strategies to mitigate the effects. Community: Partner with renewable energy providers and community stakeholders to provide information about private renewable energy options. Waste Goal: To decrease the amount of waste going to landfill and increase waste diversion opportunities Increase waste diversion from the City landfill City: Update the Waste Management Master Plan. City: Review differential tipping fee structure to identify opportunities to encourage (incent) diversion. Community: Create an education campaign, toolkits and pilot projects around household and community composting. Community: Partner with developers and builders to advance recycling and diversion of construction waste on development sites. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 4

10 Getting Started Implementation and making progress towards the targets described in this Plan will be a major undertaking and will not happen overnight. Success requires that the commitment to implement the EMP is in place. The following are highlighted recommendations for getting started with implementation. These recommendations are detailed in Section 4: Getting There. Endorse the EMP as an opportunity for The City to declare and demonstrate the environment as a priority Recognize that the EMP will take time to implement, but start now Identify key short-term corporate actions needed to get the ball rolling Dedicate appropriate resources to environmental initiatives Incorporate the EMP into City decision making. Keep people aware and in the loop Collaborate and build partnerships Corporate Strategies The Environmental Master Plan identifies many actions for The City to undertake as a corporation. There are many ways The City can affect its environmental performance through changes to its own operations, policy development and how it makes decisions. Section 5 of the EMP details recommendations for how The City can change the way it approaches environmental initiatives. Recommendations are made in the following sections: Corporate structure Education and awareness City-wide policy Corporate operations Partnerships The development of an Environmental Master Plan is a strong step forward by The City of Red Deer to demonstrate its leadership and commitment to improved environmental performance. With support from The City s many existing and emerging partners, the Environmental Master Plan can act as a catalyst to engage, involve and support others in improving Red Deer s environment. The following is a preliminary list of existing and potential partners: Waskasoo Environmental Education Society Red Deer River Naturalists Red Deer Public Library Parkland Airshed Management Zone Red Deer County ReThink Red Deer Red Deer College Chamber of Commerce Red Deer school boards Red Deer River Watershed Alliance Canadian Home Builders' Association - Central Alberta Red Deer Construction Association Urban Development Institute Businesses, industries, seniors, environmental groups, community associations, schools, families, professional organizations, students and all parts of the community have a role to play in helping to achieve Red Deer s environmental goals. The body of the Plan describes the importance of partnerships and collaboration to success and provides examples and ideas of how to involve all of Red Deer in the implementation of the Plan. Budget and decision making framework Performance benchmarking directions and cor 5 Environmental master plan

11 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 6

12 section 1 Why an Environmental Master Plan Like many cities across Canada, Red Deer s establishment and success as a settlement began with its environment. From the Red Deer River that provided fresh water and habitats rich with wildlife that supported the area s earliest settlers, to the expansive and fertile land that drew early farmers and ranchers, Red Deer s history and its success as a municipality have been closely tied to its environment. Today, Red Deer s environment still defines the city s identity. The former agricultural areas at the fringes of the city have continued to transform into new communities supporting Red Deer s growing population; the natural resources that have long supported the city s economy continue to provide jobs to many community members; and the Waskasoo Parks system, trails and open spaces provide year-round recreation and a sense of civic pride for the people of Red Deer. The city and its citizens have benefited from the environment, but have also taken advantage of its resources. For instance, much of the existing built form, including the new low density residentially-focused greenfield communities on the periphery of the city and commercial areas along Gaetz Avenue, reinforces autodominated development patterns with high environmental impacts. While sustainability has become a strategic City priority, focused environmental principles have not yet been deeply embedded into the decision making frameworks or operations of The City, impacting the ability of The City of Red Deer to comprehensively address environmental issues or goals. So what about Red Deer s environmental future? How can we preserve, manage or enhance aspects of the environment to ensure that Red Deer s future growth and development as a city is balanced and sustainable? How can we maintain the high quality of life that the people of Red Deer have come to expect in their city for generations to come? How can we embed environmental principles within The City s decision making process, to help focus and direct policy and programs to best protect the health of the environment? To answer these questions, The City of Red Deer has developed Our Environment, Our Future: Red Deer s Environmental Master Plan. The development of this Plan included extensive research and public engagement to identify the core environmental issues in Red Deer and determine what can be done to ensure Red Deer s environmental future is a bright one. To this end, the intent of the Environmental Master Plan is to: Establish measurable targets to track environmental progress Identify actions that will help us achieve our environmental vision Establish a decision making framework for The City to align its day-to-day operations, policy making and programs with environmental goals 7 Environmental master plan

13 About the Plan The Environmental Master Plan is connected to The City s Strategic Plan, a high level document that provides guidance for what The City of Red Deer does as an organization and provides as programs and services to its citizens (described in the diagram below). The Strategic Plan directs The City to develop a Municipal Sustainability Framework that addresses the five pillars of sustainabilty: cultural, social, environmental, economic and governance. The City has implemented the culture pillar through the development of its Community Culture Vision Plan. The Environmental Master Plan will be a key tool in the implementation of the environmental pillar of the Municipal Sustainability Framework and the sustainability objectives of the Strategic Plan. Corporate Strategic Plan Describes the vision, mission, goals, objectives and strategies for The City. It provides the framework and direction for all other City plans. Growth Management Plans These plans relate to land and how it is used in Red Deer in support of growth and redevelopment. Examples include the Inter-municipal Development Plan, Municipal Development Plan, Major Area Structure Plans, and annexation studies. Development Master Plans These plans support infrastructure development and maintenance. Examples include transportation, environment, parks, and transit. Community Character Plans These plans identify the feel of the community. Examples include culture, recreation, and social plans. Special Initiative Master Plans These plans support new directions for The City. An example is the Greater Downtown Action Plan. Corporate Planning These plans ensure the organization has the systems needed to provide services to the community. Examples include Enterprise Asset Management, Human Resources Master Plan, financial forecasting and planning. Departmental Service Plans These plans detail departmental and corporate actions arising from the Strategic Plan. These plans put the Strategic Plan into action by identifying operational activities and the use of resources. Individual Work Plans Yearly planning of an employee s work in support of their department s service plan. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 8

14 About the Plan The Plan is a long term planning document that will guide The City's administration in its work. However, administration's actions are always subject to direction from Council, available budget, and current priorities and opportunities. The Environmental Master Plan establishes a 25-year vision for Red Deer s environmental future, core directions and focus areas. These three components provide the foundation for the Environmental Master Plan and were crafted through consultation with the community, youth and stakeholders groups. Achieving the environmental future envisioned by The City and the community through this process will require action - action from The City, the people of Red Deer, and its various business, educational and industrial communities. This Environmental Master Plan frames the actions needed to work towards The City s environmental vision. For each focus area, measurable targets along with specific City and community actions are set out to ensure that Red Deer as a whole is working together to achieve the vision. Actions referred to as "City" are those that impact The City s own operations or policies, while those referred to as "Community" are focused on programs or policies that affect the greater community and involve action by both The City and community members. The following describes the sections of the Plan: Section 2: The Structure of The EMP Outlines the elements that give the Plan its grounding framework including the environmental vision statement, core directions, focus areas, environmental impact categories, metrics, benchmarking tool, and actions and partnerships. Section 3: How to Measure Progress Includes identification of and rationale behind the metrics and targets that will be used to measure Red Deer s environmental progress. Identifies priority actions and describes the individual metrics for each focus area. A range of additional actions are also provided for each metric. The monitoring and measurement of progress towards targets and reporting is also discussed in this section. Section 4: Getting There Describes a set of recommendations to set the basis for the Plan s implementation. Section 5: Corporate Strategies Includes recommendations for how The City of Red Deer can modify its own internal approach to environmental initiatives and suggests areas for corporate changes to advance Red Deer s environmental goals. Section 6: Actions and Partnerships Provides detailed information about the priority actions identified in each focus area including The City of Red Deer's department responsible for implementation and potential partners within The City and the community. 9 Environmental master plan

15 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 10

16 section 2 The Structure of the EMP The Environmental Master Plan is built on an understanding of Red Deer's environmental needs and priorities as summarized in the background review entitled the Situation Assessment. Through discussion with City Councillors, City staff, civic leaders and the wider community the environmental vision statement and core directions were developed, creating the foundation of the Plan. All targets and recommendations contained within this Plan respond to the environmental vision statement and core directions. 11 Environmental master plan

17 The environmental vision statement defines what is important to the community; the core directions provide the guiding principles that will be followed to achieve their vision. The environmental impact categories classify the environmental issues facing Red Deer and work in conjunction with the core directions, guiding the decision making process. The focus areas provide a way to organize the environmental issues into compelling categories that resonate with the community. Within these focus areas, metrics have been selected and defined to measure and monitor the environmental issues identified; target values for each metric have been established and compiled in a benchmarking tool; and, lastly, actions and partnerships are suggested as the beginning of the road map for progress. EMP Environmental Vision Statement Core Directions Environmental Impact Categories Focus Areas Metrics Benchmarking Tool Actions & Partnerships Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 12

18 EMP Environmental Vision Statement Red Deer s environmental vision statement is: Red Deer actively enhances its rich natural environment and minimizes its ecological footprint through City leadership, community collaboration and active stewardship. Red Deer is a leading example of a resilient and sustainable community in which urban and natural systems are effectively integrated to the benefit of both. 13 Environmental master plan

19 Core Directions Prioritize Active and Public Transportation The following core directions are the guiding principles that will be used to pursue The City s environmental vision: Encourage, Educate, Engage, Enable, Expect With support from community organizations and champions, The City of Red Deer can deliver an effective engagement, awareness and constituent building process. This process will highlight the importance of environmental stewardship, and foster ongoing dialogue, information and resources that both enable and empower The City and individuals to improve their ecological footprints. Learn by Doing; Lead by Example The City of Red Deer will lead with innovation, including creating low-impact developments, and implementing operational approaches that reduce The City s environmental impact. Through these initiatives, the knowledge, skills and expertise of local citizens, businesses and City staff will be advanced. The City s energy use, waste processing, transportation, and operational decisions will emphasize renewable and healthy concepts that minimize adverse environmental impacts. Make Decisions Using True Cost Accounting When evaluating decisions (fiscal, policy, and procurement), The City of Red Deer will consider the impacts respecting the Municipal Sustainability Framework s five pillars of environment, society, culture, economy, and governance. New initiatives selected will optimize all five. This will maximize the long-term health of Red Deer s community, environment and economy. The City of Red Deer will create a walkable, bike-friendly and transit first community, allowing its citizens a full range of mobility options for neighbourhood and city-wide destinations. Manage Growth to Create Vital, Well-integrated, Compact Communities The City of Red Deer will ensure sensitive intensification that respects the existing community and built form. The intent of this intensification is the creation of complete, age friendly and pedestrian friendly communities in all areas of the city. Future growth will focus on the integration of land use with transit planning, and the creation of meaningful connections to green or open spaces, and daily amenities. Revitalization and sensitive intensification in the downtown core would serve to connect residents with their community and its history, strengthening the economic and social heart of the city. Protect and Enhance Green Space The City of Red Deer s green spaces include the network of natural areas, watersheds, parks and trails, and in some cases, street landscapes. These areas serve a variety of functions including preservation of ecosystems, water quality protection, wildlife habitat, carbon capture, alternative transportation, health and recreation, natural heritage and pollution filtration. The City of Red Deer will grow the Waskasoo and neighbourhood parks system by creating green links between existing and new park spaces, and enhancing habitat for valuable and endangered species. The main spine and new branches of the park network will connect residents with places of work, schools, commercial areas and essential services, and will be well used for transportation, recreation, and surface storm water management. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 14

20 Focus Areas Air Goal: To improve the air quality and reduce emissions Waste Goal: To decrease the amount of waste going to landfill and increase waste diversion opportunities Water Goal: To improve the quality of our water resources and decrease water consumption Energy Goal: To reduce energy use and move towards using renewable energy sources Ecology Goal: To protect and enhance the terrestrial and aquatic health of the natural heritage system Built Environment Goal: To create vital compact communities that minimize negative environmental impacts Transportation Goal: To prioritize active and public transportation 15 Environmental master plan

21 al ment ng Environmental Impact Categories Cities and communities are facing a broad range of known environmental issues, impacts and trends, many of which Metrics are well beyond their direct control but nonetheless are impacting their environmental health. Understanding and categorizing the range of these issues is important because it provides some structure for understanding the ways in which cities contribute to environmental impacts and what kinds of measurements can track those impacts. The environmental impact categories listed below are drawn from research done by Environment Canada, the US EPA and other environmental agencies. Climate Change Land Pollution Air Pollution Water Pollution Water Consumption Persistent Bioaccumulative Pollution Biodiversity Health Productive Land Area Loss This categorization has been adapted and used to develop environmental metrics, quantifiable measurements to track environmental progress. Further detail on environmental impact categories can be found in Appendix C. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 16

22 Metrics Actions & Partnerships Metrics track environmental progress and are identified within each focus area. These metrics define how the city s environmental performance will be measured and reported. Each focus area includes between two and four metrics. Each metric has a corresponding target that was developed for Red Deer based on precedent information from other communities and Red Deer s place-specific characteristics. They leverage, where possible, data already being collected or that can be collected by The City. Actions and partnerships are ways to implement the Environmental Master Plan. In Section 3, priority actions are identified for each focus area, correlating to a goal. A longer list of additional actions have been identified to relate to each metric. Priority actions have been identified at both The City and community levels. Benchmarking Tool The benchmarking tool is a comprehensive list of all the focus areas, metrics and corresponding targets. The tool also includes a rationale for why metrics were chosen as well as detailed precedent information on each of the metrics describing other community targets. The benchmarking tool is presented in a table format in Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool. Furthermore, Section 3: How to Measure Progress takes key information from the benchmarking tool and provides details for each focus area. 17 Environmental master plan

23 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 18

24 section 3 How to Measure Progress This section defines and describes how the metrics and their targets were developed to support the environmental vision statement and core directions. It provides a list of priority actions for each focus area, and additional actions that can be implemented to help Red Deer achieve its environmental targets. This section also provides guidelines for monitoring and measuring the progress towards these targets. Establishing Metrics The metrics selected for the EMP shape how The City s environmental progress will be measured and reported. Metrics provide a quantifiable measurement of progress towards a target. The metrics included in the EMP were selected to be effective, clear, relevant and appropriate in scale. They have also been selected with consideration for what The City of Red Deer is already measuring. Metrics reflect a measurement of the overall quality or condition of one aspect of the environment or they measure the success of a City initiative to improve the environment. Within each focus area two to four metrics have been identified. Setting Targets Targets and timelines are presented for each of the metrics. The targets are based on a City of Red Deer baseline (i.e. where you are now), if known. They have been carefully selected based on: research of industry standards and other municipality experiences; expert advice from many City departments and the province of Alberta; and, most importantly, on the wants and needs indicated by The City and community members. Targets are defined for the years 2015, 2020, and 2035 where possible (5, 10, and 25 year timeline). Where a baseline is unknown, targets will be set once the baseline is known. More challenging targets are those associated with many metrics, or that are of significant importance to Red Deer or to greater environmental issues. 19 Environmental master plan

25 Implementing Actions and Strategies Action is required to achieve the core directions and vision of the Environmental Master Plan. Priority actions are provided for each focus area that correspond to a goal. In each focus area priority actions related to The City s own operations and polices are identified, along with actions and policies that affect the greater community. The goals and corresponding actions were chosen because they are: areas where performance most needs to be improved; an action that would achieve significant impact; easy to implement in terms of effort and time; cost effective; or build on existing strengths or current environmental initiatives. These priority actions have been selected from a longer list compiled through precedent research, City staff and community input. A longer list of actions for The City to implement over time is provided according to each metric. Corporate strategies, which are recommended changes to the way The City internally approaches environmental initiatives, are also detailed in Section 5: Corporate Strategies. In some cases actions will overlap; some will serve as a platform for others, or contribute to more than one target. The effectiveness and progress for each of the actions should be evaluated on a regular, potentially annual basis. In selecting actions to implement, The City must balance financial and non-financial measures, consider the five pillars of sustainability, and look at community and operational objectives. To assist in this challenging decision making process, an example Impact Assessment Tool is provided in Appendix F which illustrates how various actions, or projects, could be compared to reach a decision that makes sense for Red Deer. This tool will also help to evaluate ideas as they emerge. For example, the question of the value of action on light and noise pollution arose towards the end of this process. Starting the Measurement Process Setting environmental targets and measuring progress is still a new process for many municipalities. Often there is not enough data to definitively say that a specific strategy aimed at achieving a target will be successful. Monitoring and measuring performance provides feedback on the progress made towards achieving the targets. It gives an indication of the effectiveness of the actions implemented to date and what future actions should be planned for. In some cases, more detailed analysis and measuring may be required to answer these questions. It is important to maintain perspective with respect to the targets and timelines. Some metrics will be affected by events out of The City s control. For example, forest fires occurring many kilometres from Red Deer can affect the air quality. Reporting should include feedback on actions or conditions within The City s control, conditions over which The City has influence but no control, and conditions over which The City has no control. Reporting on what is measured and monitored creates a dialogue between Council, municipal departments, and the public. Providing information that the community can easily access increases engagement, generates new ideas and instills ownership for Red Deer s environmental future. Reports should be made on an annual basis externally and perhaps as frequently as once a quarter internally. The Environmental Master Plan itself will require periodic updating (about every 5 years) to reflect how the community is changing and update the information learned from the measuring and monitoring process. The following pages detail the metrics, targets, desired outcomes and actions for each focus area. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 20

26

27 Water Goal: To improve the quality of our water resources and increase water conservation What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City Prepare an Integrated Storm Water Management Plan Develop environmental standards for City buildings including water conservation measures (in accordance with policy 9.13 of the Municipal Development Plan) Community Review water, wastewater and storm water rate structures, which will draw attention to the value of water Replace water meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology in conjunction with replacement for electrical meters Why should we do this? The Red Deer River is an important resource for the city. It provides a natural heritage system, drinking water for residents, water for commercial and industrial use, and supports a rich ecosystem. New integrated water management approaches that encompass the economic, social and environmental benefits of water conservation are the cornerstone to ensuring adequate quantities of high quality water for the future. The community needs to shift its perspectives in water consumption from supply to conservation. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? Storm water wetland detention facilities in all new developments Water Conservation Strategy Naturescaping Contest Rain Barrel sales Toilet Rebate Program Red Deer River Watershed Alliance State of the Watershed Report Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 22

28 Water Water Consumption Potable water consumption provided through municipal water supply, per capita (L/cap/day) Why use this Metric? To monitor the amount of potable water being consumed. Given that potable water in Red Deer is provided by the municipality, this metric provides a readily available measurement of the amount of water consumed by the Red Deer community. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Create a program to educate and assist ICI customers on how to do water audits and reduce their consumption. 2. Create a rain water capture program to promote the use of rain water for irrigation, building on the success of the existing rain barrel sales program. 3. Work with public sector partners to encourage on-site rain water collection for irrigation and other uses. Where is the data from? The formula used is: quantity of water (in cubic metres)/population (from census) x 1000 (to convert to litres)/365 days. Quantity for Residential is the total use from Residential and Multi-family; quantity for ICI is the total of Commercial and Municipal users. 4. Continue to provide incentives for low flow fixtures and appliances. 5. Promote the Naturescaping contest as a means to educate and encourage water conservation measures for residential irrigation; aim to increase participation by 100% in 2011 and by 50% each of the following years for three years. 6. Explore using waste water effluent for irrigation at Riverbend Golf Course. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline For all categories reduce from baseline by: 2009: Residential: 242 L/cap/day ICI: 135 L/cap/day 2015 TARGET 2020 TARGET 8% 15% 2035 TARGET 25% 23 Environmental master plan

29 Water Water Quality of Receiving Waterbodies Measurement will be defined by results from the Urban Impact Risk Assessment for Alberta Environment Why use this Metric? To monitor the key elements that affect water quality in order to assess and reduce urban development impact on the environment, particularly rivers and creeks. Utilizing the provincial and federal standards, this metric introduces a level of assessment in upstream and downstream locations to better understand the range of impacts of the city on Red Deer s rivers, creeks and waterbodies. A risk assessment evaluation, undertaken by The City for Alberta Environment, will evaluate the urban impact on Red Deer's rivers, creeks, and waterbodies. Where is the data from? An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown* What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Measure and monitor quality, peak flow, and quantity of storm water (entering creeks) and use this information to inform strategies related to this metric. 2. Establish a water quality monitoring program at key points along the Red Deer River and creek tributaries to determine the city's impact, analyse the river's capacity to handle pollutants, and develop methods to mitigate impacts. 3. Partner overland storm drainage and constructed wetlands with linear parks/green spaces/open spaces/ pedestrian connections through use of bioswales or reconstructed waterways. 4. Review the salt management plan for road maintenance with a focus on minimizing salt used. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline TBD* 2015 TARGET TBD** * River monitoring will start in 2011 and targets will be established in 2015 in conjunction with the Urban Impact Risk Assessment for Alberta Environment **Recommended targets based on comparative situations can be found in Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 24

30 25 Environmental master plan

31 Ecology Goal: To protect and enhance the terrestrial and aquatic health of the natural heritage system What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City Enhance the existing set-back policy to include water body and ecological protection related to Environmental Reserve setbacks under the Municipal Government Act Prepare and implement an Urban Forest Management Plan Community Prepare and implement an Urban Forest Management Plan Partner with community and development stakeholders to share ideas, explore opportunities and develop conservation tools to preserve green space such as a land conservation trust, land purchase, land swaps, tax incentives and reserve dedications Why should we do this? Natural heritage lands and urban forest coverage provide a range of ecological functions that sustain our quality of life, and the broader health of the natural environment. Ensuring biodiversity health in Red Deer means addressing three related imperatives: (1) protect, restore and enhance the health and connections in and between natural areas; (2) reduce the encroachment on natural heritage lands and other greenfield areas by adopting best-practice approaches to higher density development; and 3) reduce the amount of contaminants being introduced into the natural heritage and ecological systems in Red Deer. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? Ecological Profile System Red Deer River Naturalists leaders in habitat stewardship River and Tributaries Concept Master Plan (Adopted July 26, 2010) Development plans circulated to Red Deer River Naturalists and Waskasoo Environmental Education Society Annual creek inventories Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 26

32 Ecology Natural Areas Land within the city's developed area devoted to native natural features (native tree stands, wetlands, seasonal streams, grasslands and associated biodiversity) Why use this Metric? To assess and monitor the proportion of the land base on which native natural features exist. Red Deer's natural ecosystem is a point of pride for the community. The preservation and dedication of native natural features will help improve the health and the longevity of native natural systems. Where is the data from? Parks determined natural areas within the city s developed area using the PARKS GIS inventory system partnered with spacial information that Parks manages for areas outside of the City Growth Boundary. PARKS GIS inventory is based on ecosystem information specific to habitat areas: protected (City owned or easement), Regional Ecospace, Neighbourhood Ecospace, Wetland Ecospace, and MacConnal Park. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Re-evaluate storm water management policy relating to use of facilities as part of the municipal reserve requirement as outlined in the Neighbourhood Planning Guidelines. 2. Use ecological profiles in conjunction with a GIS to identify and preserve natural areas, and quantify natural features and biodiversity prior to development application. 3. Prioritize the protection of natural areas in conjunction with recreation open space as a key element of new neighbourhood design. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Increase from baseline by: Baseline 2015 TARGET 2009: 863 ha 5% 2020 TARGET 2035 TARGET 10% 20% 27 Environmental master plan

33 Ecology Man-Made Green Areas Land devoted to man-made natural features (city parks, turf areas, shrub beds and naturalization areas) Why use this Metric? To measure and expand the amount of land enhanced for landscaping naturalization. Measuring land dedicated to man-made parks and open spaces will provide an indication of the balance between built environment and open space. Public open space provides opportunities to increase the amount of permeable surfaces, re-naturalization and native species within the city. Open spaces can also be utilized to prevent urban encroachment on natural systems and create areas rich with biodiversity. Naturalization will encourage growth of native plant species and native wildlife. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Introduce naturalization programs for boulevards, right of ways or park areas. 2. Encourage roof top gardens and living roofs; consider incorporation of living roofs into all new City buildings. Where is the data from? The total land base maintained by The City of Red Deer's Parks section less natural areas described in that metric. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Increase from baseline by: Baseline 2015 TARGET 2009: 809 ha 5% 2020 TARGET 2035 TARGET 10% 20% Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 28

34 Ecology Integrated Pest Management Volume of toxic pest control product used per acre of municipal owned land (ml/per acre) Why use this Metric? To measure and decrease the use of toxic pest control products on municipally owned land since they contribute to air, water and ground contamination. Pest control chemicals can pollute several ecological systems, including air, water and soil. Reducing or eliminating our reliance on toxic pest control will contribute to a healthier Red Deer. An integrated approach to pest management is required to ensure the most ecologically sensitive means of control are used. The ultimate result is benefit to the community members and restoration of natural ecosystem functions. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Review and develop a turf and tree management policy (i.e. around use of pesticides, fertilizers, etc.). Where is the data from? The total amount of pesticide used divided by the total parks land mass, as provided by Parks. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2009: 210 ml/acre Reduce from baseline by: Corporate: 2015 TARGET 2% 2020 TARGET 5% 2035 TARGET 10% 29 Environmental master plan

35 Ecology Urban Forestry Urban forest coverage (percentage of area within the city's developed area covered by tree canopy) Why use this Metric? To measure and increase the amount of the city's developed area that has an urban forest canopy coverage. Increasing the number of trees in Red Deer, and thus the canopy area, reduces storm water runoff, increases air and water quality and carbon storage, and has a natural cooling effect through shade. This reduces the need and expense of building infrastructure to manage air and water resources. Red Deer s growth in tree canopy area also helps the parks and trails systems link to one another, which increases biodiversity health. Where is the data from? An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown* What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Partner with residents to consider a private tree protection system considering City approval for removal of trees on public and private lands over a certain calliper, age or uniqueness. 2. Enhance or expand forestry programs to provide native plants to community members or community groups to encourage growth of the tree canopy on private or public property. 3. Continue to enforce tree planting and native species requirements for new developments through the Land Use Bylaw. 4. Partner with third party funders to expand community based restorative tree planting events. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Increase canopy baseline to: Baseline 2014: TBD * Community: 2020 TARGET TBD ** TBD ** 2030 TARGET * Red Deer Parks Section is completing an inventory of the urban forest coverage and expects to have a baseline established by **Recommended targets based on comparative situations can be found in the Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 30

36

37 Transportation Goal: To prioritize active and public transportation What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City Incorporate high level core directions of the Environmental Master Plan into the Integrated Transportation/Movement Study as appropriate; Integrate sustainability principles such as active transportation, increased modal split and complete streets into all aspects of transportation planning including traffic demand management and the Transit Master Plan. Engage the community to participate in walkability audits in their neighbourhoods Community: Partner with Red Deer County, surrounding municipalities and local employers to establish regional commuting resources such as transit services, carpooling, shuttle and emergency ride programs Partner with school boards to implement a walking school bus program to encourage students to walk to school in 3 or more schools Transportation/Movement Study, Why should we do this? Vehicles contribute to air and water pollution through vehicle exhaust. In addition, the infrastructure such as roads and parking contribute to storm water runoff and heat island effect, and occupy land that could be set aside as green or living space. Reducing automobile use and encouraging alternatives such as cycling, walking or public transit will promote healthy lifestyles, reduce GHG emissions, mitigate negative impacts on water, and preserve land area and money for other uses besides road infrastructure. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? Clean diesel buses Bike & Ride Program Better Bicycle Commuting encourages commuting by Bicycle Trails Master Plan (2005) Waskasoo Park-system multi-use trails Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 32

38 Transportation VKT Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) per capita/ per day by car Why use this Metric? To measure the amount of personal automobile use and kilometres traveled by the Red Deer community. Vehicles contribute to air and water pollution through vehicle exhaust. The infrastructure needed to support vehicles (roads and parking) contribute to storm water runoff, heat island effect and occupy land that could be used for parks or living space instead. Reducing personal automobile use will contribute to cleaner air and water, promote healthier lifestyles, reduce GHG emissions and preserve land area and money for uses other than road infrastructure. Where is the data from? An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown.* What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Evaluate trails and pathways mapping and technology resources to better connect people to the parks, pathways and trails system. 2. Improve frequency of transit service on select high volume routes as a pilot project. 3. Continue to explore high speed rail service or regional transit models that link Red Deer to other centres. 4. Investigate options to facilitate future development of high capacity transit- such as light rail transit- within City limits, including potential routes and land acquisition. This could be part of the Integrated Transportation/ Movement Study. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline Reduce from baseline by: 2012: TBD * Community: 2015 TARGET TBD ** TBD ** 2020 TARGET 2035 TARGET TBD ** * Data collection protocol to be established and undertaken by Environmental master plan **Recommended targets based on comparative situations can be found in Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool

39 Transportation Modal Split Percentage of different modes of transportation used to travel to work. Why use this Metric? To measure on a percentage basis transportation modes utilized by Red Deer s labour force including car, transit, pedestrian/bicycle and other. Providing alternatives to personal automobiles such as cycling, walking or public transit, will encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce negative effects from vehicle use such as air and water pollution. Alternative modes of transportation also provide a means for social interaction, encouraging vibrant communities. The modal split provides an understanding as to how this shift is occurring. Where is the data from? Baseline data has been provided by Statistics Canada. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Establish a grant/incentive program to assist schools, businesses and institutions to introduce or increase bicycle parking, storage and shower facilities on site. 2. Encourage businesses and schools to develop sustainable commuting strategies including carpooling for employees/students. 3. Partner with Red Deer College to investigate the UPass program to provide students with universally accessible and affordable access to public transit during school terms. 4. Investigate options to increase the frequency and coverage of transit service. 5. Implement a next bus system providing real time bus arrival information. Engage the private sector to develop applications to link this information to transit users smart phones. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline Reduce from baseline to: 2006: Car: 88% Transit: 4% Pedestrian/Bicycle: 7% Other: 1% 2016 TARGET 2021 TARGET 2016: Car: 86% Transit: 5% Pedestrian/Bicycle: 8% Other: 1% 2021: Car: 84% Transit: 6% Pedestrian/Bicycle: 9% Other: 1% Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 34

40 Transportation Dwelling units (DU s) within 400 metres From: 1. Public trails, parks or other green space; 2. At least 5 basic amenities 3. Transit stops with 20 minute service Why use this Metric? This metric measures the amenities available within a five-minute walk (400 m) from homes. It assesses the degree to which neighbourhoods have opportunities for recreation, basic amenities and transit access. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Incorporate a Complete Streets pilot initiative in the rebuild/redesign of city centre street, neighbourhood street and Riverlands community design 2. Refine the Neighbourhood Planning Guideline to require all homes in a new community to be 400 metres from a transit stop (supports MDP policy 7.4). Where is the data from? An overall baseline for Red Deer is unknown.* Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2011: TBD * Increase to: 2020 TARGET TBD ** TBD ** 2035 TARGET *Data collection protocol to be established and undertaken by 2012 **Recommended targets based on comparative situations can be found in Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool 35 Environmental master plan

41 Transportation Length of all bicycle/pedestrian routes (kilometre/per capita) for bike lanes, mixed use trails and pedestrian-only trails Why use this Metric? To assess the amount of cycling and active transportation infrastructure in terms of linear trail systems. This metric provides an indication of the amount of active transportation infrastructure available for community use. It supports the core direction of prioritizing active transportation and creates a quantitative assessment of related infrastructure per capita. As the community grows, this metric should be proportionally enhanced. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Work with adjacent municipalities and conservation authorities to establish connections and linkages to region-wide trails. 2. Perform an audit to assess missing sidewalks and trails, determine areas of priority for new pedestrian connections. 3. Introduce a Discovery Walks program to celebrate local culture, heritage and key amenities of Red Deer. Where is the data from? Trails are in GIS, designated by use. The formula was population per that year's census divided by the total of bike trails plus mixed use trails plus pedestrian only trails. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2010: 1km/672pop Increase from baseline by: 2015 TARGET 2020 TARGET 5% 10% 2035 TARGET 20% Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 36

42

43 Built Environment Goal: To create vital, well-integrated, compact communities that minimize negative environmental impacts. What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City Develop city-wide infill guidelines and standards that emphasize minimum densities, compact form and environmental design standards (in accordance with policies 10.9 and of the MDP). Include consideration of parking practices and policies that encourage public transit use and alternative forms of transportation Undertake studies of both residential and commercial/industrial density in Red Deer to establish informed baselines and goals for future density targets Community Partner with a developer to identify an infill pilot project on City land to demonstrate environmental design standards. Work with the community and developers to create a community garden stewardship initiative to facilitate the establishment and stewardship of additional community garden plots. Aim to introduce a new community garden each year for ten years Why should we do this? The wise use of land is important today and will be more so as the city continues to grow. The existing built form reinforces auto-dominated development patterns with high environmental impacts. This form has also created communities that lack strong links to everyday needs and services. Intensification of existing and new neighbourhoods can reduce the need to expand services outwards, preserving existing ecosystems from development. Compact neighbourhoods are better able to support mixed use, complete communities where people can work and access daily needs close to home, reducing greenhouse gas emissions through reduced vehicle use. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? Smart Growth principles in Garden Heights NASP Neighbourhood Planning Guidelines and Standards include reference to Smart Growth principles Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 38

44 Built Environment Development density Total development density by type: 1. Residential (dwelling units per hectare) 2. Industrial/Commercial/Institutional (Floor Space Index) Why use this Metric? To measure the built form density of a range of uses to understand the degree to which Red Deer s development pattern is compact. Development density is a simple way to understand how much land is used for urban development. Moving toward more compact neighbourhoods will allow for better transit service, sufficient market to provide a range of services and the wise use of land as a resource. The benefits also include reducing greenhouse gas emissions through reduced vehicle use, preserving existing ecosystems from expansion development, and creating rich and diverse urban environments. Where is the data from? An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown*. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Update the Neighbourhood and Industrial Planning Guidelines and Standards to emphasize compact, pedestrian oriented development patterns, including increasing the minimum density for new development. 2. Hold a round table with The City, Chamber of Commerce, Land & Economic Development and the private sector to explore tax and other incentives to facilitate downtown reinvestment complimentary to the Greater Downtown Action Plan. 3. Encourage redevelopment of Brownfield sites (in accordance with Greater Downtown Action Plan). 4. Explore LEED and other programs or development options for incorporating greener building choices and to encourage construction of energy efficient buildings. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2009 Residential: 14.8 DU/ha ICI: Unknown 2014 ICI: TBD* Increase from Residential baseline to: 2015 TARGET 2015 TARGET TBD Increase Other baseline to: TBD *Data collection protocol to be established and undertaken by Environmental master plan

45 Built Environment Community gardens and local food supply The land devoted to community gardens and urban agriculture in area(m 2 ) per capita Why use this Metric? To measure the amount of space dedicated to community gardens, indicating the opportunities for community gardening within the city's developed area. Access to local food in our communities supports local agriculture, contributes to better human health, and reduces the negative environmental effects associated with food transport. Land designated for growing can also increase the ability of the urban environment to filter storm water, support local fauna, and contribute positively to the culture of a city. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Create a year-round Farmers Market, in accordance with recommendations made in the Greater Downtown Action Plan and Community Culture Vision Plan. 2. Partner with the school boards and a third party such as Evergreen to develop school-ground greening programs, create outdoor classrooms and incorporate naturebased learning. 3. Encourage developers to set aside a small amount of land beyond that required through planning bylaws for community garden purposes. Where is the data from? Parks calculates this using the area of community garden plots and divided by the population. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2012: 0.4m 2 /cap Increase from baseline to: Community: 2015 TARGET 2020 TARGET 2035 TARGET 0.5 m 2 /cap 0.75 m 2 /cap 1.5 m 2 /cap Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 40

46

47 Air Goal: To improve the air quality and reduce emissions What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City: Conduct a GHG inventory analysis, and develop a corporate GHG emissions reduction plan Identify large emitters of air pollution within The City s corporate operations. Identify strategies to mitigate the effects Community Develop a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan Work with industries that have the most opportunity to reduce air pollution by identifying large emitters and potential strategies to mitigate their effects Why should we do this? Clean air is fundamental to life. Air pollution damages ecosystems and negatively affects human health, in particular contributing to respiratory disease. Environment Canada reports that emissions associated with transportation are the largest source of nitrogen oxides, and the third largest source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As the city and its surrounding municipalities grow, levels of contaminants are expected to rise and health risks will increase. Maintaining Red Deer s current air quality level will be a challenge. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? Rethink Red Deer s Put Your Car Away week/month Bike to Work Breakfast Idle Free Zone signs Clean diesel buses Idle Free Schools campaign Idle Free policy for City operations Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 42

48 Air Greenhouse Gas emissions per capita in tonnes (C0 2 equivalent) Why use this Metric? To monitor the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The measurement of greenhouse gas emissions includes carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, and is a measurement of the key contributors to climate change. It is one of the best and most widely used environmental impact measurements. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Green the municipal fleet: consider electric and hybrid vehicles, and bio fuel sources. 2. Partner with industries to facilitate the purchase of carbon credits or participate in cap and trade program. 3. Limit the use of products such as paints and rugs containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in City buildings and City operations. 4. Develop a carbon capture education campaign. 5. Further investigate the opportunity for capturing methane from landfill to control emissions. Where is the data from? An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown.* Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2012: TBD * Reduce from baseline by: Community: Corporate: TBD ** TBD ** 2020 TARGET 2020 TARGET TBD ** TBD ** 2035 TARGET 2035 TARGET * Data collection protocol to be established and undertaken by 2012 **Recommended targets based on comparative situations can be found in the Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool 43 Environmental master plan

49 Air Air Quality Maintain and lower ambient concentrations of airborne pollutants, not exceeding maximums defined by the Canada Wide Standard and Alberta Environment Why use this Metric? To monitor local air quality and identify trends in air quality issues. Parkland Air Management Zone (PAMZ) has been monitoring the various compounds that contribute to air pollution. This metric builds on the PAMZ resource to identify and reduce exceedences of contaminants. Identifying sources of air pollution and reducing their impact will help maintain the city s high air quality. What are additional actions for Consideration? 1. Establish stewardship programs that promote improved air quality (in accordance with policy 9.14 of the MDP). 2. Establish a community idle free program. 3. Engage the Province and advocate for emissions testing of older vehicles prior to licensing. Where is the data from? Parkland Airshed Management Zone and Alberta Environment publish these numbers annually. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2009: PM2.5: 15.9 μg/m3 ( ), Canada Wide Standard metric Ozone: 57.5 ppb ( ), Canada Wide Standard metric Sulphur Dioxide: 0.44 ppb, ( ) 5 year annual average Nitrogen Dioxide: 12.1 ppb, ( ) 5 year annual average Carbon Monoxide: 0.25 ppm, ( ) 5 year annual average 2015 TARGET Air quality levels will not exceed the following maximums: PM2.5: 20 μg/m3 Ozone: 58 ppb Sulphur Dioxide: 0.42 ppb Nitrogen Dioxide: 11.5 ppb Carbon Monoxide: 0.24 ppm Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 44

50

51 Energy Goal: To reduce energy use and move towards using renewable energy sources. What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City Replace electrical meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology for both residential and Industrial/ Commercial/Institutional (ICI) customers to allow them to better track, understand and modify consumption Expand energy efficient street light program and work towards reducing the effects of light pollution Community Explore District Energy potential in high-density neighbourhoods Partner with renewable energy providers and community stakeholders to provide information about private renewable energy options Why should we do this? Cities require substantial amounts of energy for their operations. Not only is energy use one of the most significant areas of environmental impact, but also has the potential for the greatest change through conservation and options for alternative, renewable energy sources. According to the Government of Alberta, approximately 85% of the power in the province is generated through burning coal or natural gas, which has negative health effects for humans and contributes to air, water and thermal pollution. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? LED traffic light replacement program forecast to reduce energy consumption by 70% Implementing smart meter usage LEED certification of upgrades at the Recreation Centre and construction of Civic Yards Wastewater Treatment Plant use of methane off-gas as an energy source since 1972 Purchase of 15% of The City of Red Deer's corporate power from green power sources, plans to increase to 25% by 2015 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 46

52 Energy Building energy Average building energy intensity (Equivalent kwh/m 2 ) Why use this Metric? To measure the energy intensity of buildings, including energy utilized for heating, cooling, lighting and appliance/machinery use. Buildings account for approximately 50% of GHG emissions through energy consumption. The City of Red Deer can impact its GHG emissions by reducing how much energy its buildings use. This can translate into cost savings for the municipality and community members, while reducing reliance on non-renewable energy resources. Where is the data from? An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown.* What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Promote existing home energy audits and tools kits to help citizens make their homes more energy efficient. 2. Identify three new City building or renovation projects and use them to pilot higher energy efficiency standards. 3. Create a program to encourage retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency (directed by policy 9.12 of the MDP). 4. Celebrate high performance buildings with a Build Green Red Deer award program. 5. Integrate energy saving initiatives such as server and desktop virtualization, energy efficient hardware, telecommuting, power management for IT equipment, work from home options, into city operations. 6. Develop environmental standards for City buildings and facilities that include guidelines for increased energy conservation of buildings (directed by policy 9.13 of the MDP). Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2012: TBD * Reduce from baseline by: Corporate and Community: 2015 TARGET TBD ** TBD ** 2020 TARGET 2035 TARGET * Data collection protocol to be established and undertaken by 2012 TBD ** 47 Environmental master plan **Recommended targets based on comparative situations can be found in the Appendix E: Benchmarking Tool

53 40% 60% Energy Renewable energy sources Percentage of energy utilized by The City of Red Deer that is produced through green sources (such as renewable resources and energy captured from waste) Why use this Metric? To measure the proportionate amount of energy utilized by The City in its corporate operations that is provided by green power sources. Green power sources provide energy with fewer negative implications than those associated with non-renewable sources. Green power sources include systems such as: solar, wind, methane gas capture, and geo-thermal. Where is the data from? Data is from Electric Light & Power's contract with ENMAX for purchase of renewable energy. Future years should include generation at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, Civic Yards and any other City energy sources. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Investigate the case for capturing methane from the landfill for heat or electricity generation. 2. Explore the potential of increasing the amount of energy captured from the City s wastewater facilities. 3. Incorporate renewable energy infrastructure in all new city facilities. 4. Reduce barriers and facilitate microgeneration for residential, industrial, commercial and institutional clients. 5. Continue to investigate and increase procurement of green power. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2009: 15% Increase total municipal green energy use to: Corporate: 2015 TARGET 30% 2020 TARGET 2035 TARGET Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 48

54

55 Waste Goal: To decrease the amount of waste going to landfill and increase waste diversion opportunities What are priority City and community actions to achieve the goal? City Update the Waste Management Master Plan Review differential tipping fee structure to identify opportunities to encourage (incent) diversion Community Create an education campaign, toolkits and pilot projects around household and community composting Partner with developers and builders to advance recycling and diversion of construction waste on development sites Why should we do this? Ideally, sending waste to the landfill should be a last resort after reduction, reuse and recycling options have been exhausted. In order to move towards this ideal, and in order to conserve landfill disposal capacity, increased emphasis needs to be placed on waste reduction, reuse and recycling. Solid waste disposal in landfills take up significant amounts of land and contribute to GHG emissions. As the population of Red Deer grows, diversion efforts will be increasingly important. What initiatives have been undertaken in Red Deer? Blue Box Recycling Program Collection and Composting of Yard Waste Recycling at landfill: e-waste, tires, toilets, scrap metal, pallets, white goods, propane cylinders, furniture Diversion of Household Hazardous Waste Fluorescent Light Bulb Recycling Battery Drive Landfill Interpretive Centre Bio-solids reuse from Wastewater Treatment Plant Rethink Red Deer s Garbage-Free February Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 50

56 Waste Residential Solid waste Total weight of solid waste generation by single-family residences (in kilograms/ per capita/ per year) Why use this Metric? To decrease the amount of waste being generated by households in Red Deer. As Red Deer grows, more waste will be generated by the community and more GHG emissions will be released. Taking action to reduce the amount of waste generated, reuse and recycle materials will reduce GHG emissions and the need for additional landfill space, preserving land area for other uses. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Decrease the weekly limit of 5 garbage bags for residential households. 2. Investigate options for curbside organics collection and composting. 3. Introduce organic waste composting at community garden plots, where residents could drop off their organic waste to be composted. Where is the data from? Waste Management provided the total amount of residential waste collected by the garbage contractor (from scale software, tonnage hauled by contractor in resi-packer trucks) multiplied by 1000 to convert to kilograms and divided by population (from census). Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline Reduce from baseline by: 2009: 183 kg/per capita/year 2015 TARGET 10% 2020 TARGET 20% 2035 TARGET 40% 51 Environmental master plan

57 Waste Waste Diverted Percentage of waste diverted per year per tonne of waste landfilled Why use this Metric? To measure and increase the amount of waste being diverted from the landfill. Waste diversion such as recycling and composting reduce the amount of materials being put into the landfill. Further, recycling reduces the amount of virgin material needed to produce goods. Where is the data from? Total weight of materials diverted divided by the total weight of materials landfilled. Tonnes diverted includes: materials diverted at the Waste Management Facility (from scale software, materials shipped offsite), yard waste diversion (from scale software, inbound compostable materials) and residential recycling program (reported by recycling collection contractor). Tonnes landfilled per year is calculated using data from scale software. What are additional actions for consideration? 1. Investigate establishing a requirement for on-site construction waste management. 2. Expand opportunities for diversion of construction and demolition waste at The City s Waste Management Facility. 3. Investigate partnering with surrounding municipalities on diversion programs 4. Lobby the provincial government to develop and implement waste diversion programs. Where is Red Deer now? Where is Red Deer going? Baseline 2009: 10% Increase Diversion rate to: Residential: 2015 TARGET 20% 2020 TARGET 30% 2035 TARGET 50% Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 52

58 section 4 Getting There Achieving the targets of the Environmental Master Plan is a long term commitment and will require collaboration and partnership with the community as well as new thinking, approaches, policies and programs from The City of Red Deer. This section describes the actions needed to set the basis for implementation. Setting the Basis for Implementation Implementation and making progress towards the targets described in this Plan will be a major undertaking and will not happen overnight. Success requires that the commitment and culture to implement the EMP is in place. The following are key directions for how to set the context for EMP implementation: Endorse the EMP as an opportunity for The City to declare and demonstrate the environment as a priority The EMP is an opportunity to reposition The City as a leader in sustainable environmental practices. The EMP can be used to galvanize support and momentum around environmental conservation and sustainability and can be used as a platform for The City to advance a more environmentally-focused municipal agenda. Recognize that the EMP will take time to implement, but start now! Many of the recommendations, strategies and targets presented in the EMP will take time to implement but there are many quick wins that The City can start with immediately. The top actions described in the previous section were selected because they can start immediately and they will create awareness and momentum. Departmental leads and community partners are identified for these top action in Section 6: Actions and Partnerships. 53 Environmental master plan

59 Identify key short-term corporate actions needed to get the ball rolling Implementing the EMP will require more than technical and monitoring changes aimed at achieving the targets. The structure of The City itself will also have an impact on successful implementation of the EMP. Corporate strategies and detailed recommendations for The City to take are provided in Section 5, Corporate Strategies. Dedicate appropriate resources to environmental initiatives The implementation of the EMP will require a commitment in resources including staff, financial and institutional resources. In addition to internal resources, the EMP can open up new avenues for access to external resources such as funding sources, staff internships, and partnerships. Providing such support to the EMP will ensure its long term success. Incorporate the EMP into City decision making To entrench the targets of the Environmental Master Plan into The City s day-to-day business, the EMP directions and targets should be integrated into The City s decision making process. This approach will help to make the EMP a living, dynamic document that has a true impact on City business. Keep people aware and in the loop Building awareness, engagement and education needs to be a core strategy of implementing the EMP. Internal communication at The City of Red Deer as well as external communication to the Red Deer community at large will be necessary to build a strong constituency of support for EMP implementation. A commitment to regular annual reporting on environmental progress, such as a State of the Environment report for The City and the community of Red Deer, is recommended to monitor and respond to progress but also to celebrate success and key milestones along the way. Delivered to Council through the Environmental Advisory Committee, this report would be publicly accessible on The City s website. A review and revision of the EMP itself should be undertaken every five years to ensure it is performing as desired and adequately informing City decision making. Collaborate and build partnerships The City cannot and should not be alone in implementing the EMP. There are many organizations that can play a role in helping to advance the vision and goals of the EMP. The City should nurture existing partnerships with groups such as Red Deer College and the Waskasoo Environmental Education Society, and explore new opportunities for partnership development. These overarching directions set the groundwork for the implementation of the Environmental Master Plan. Within each there are many options and possibilities available to The City for how to proceed. Additional approaches to EMP implementation, including recommendations for corporate strategies, first steps to implement the top actions per focus area, and partnerships are detailed in the following Sections 5 and 6. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 54

60 section 5 Corporate Strategies The City can significantly affect its environmental performance through changes to its own operations, policy development and how it makes decisions. This section describes directions and corporate strategy recommendations for how The City of Red Deer can implement the EMP. The following pages describe corporate strategies in six key areas of: Corporate structure Education and awareness City-wide policy Corporate operations Budget and decision making framework Performance benchmarking 55 Environmental master plan

61 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 56

62 Corporate Structure Description: Corporate structure refers to the organizational configuration and composition of city departments and their associated divisions. Each city department is typically responsible for specific tasks, goals and decisions, relevant to their departmental focus and/or function. Today, in The City of Red Deer, environmental programming is spearheaded by the Environmental Initiatives Section, housed within the Environmental Services Department in the Development Services Division. Rationale: The way in which environmental initiatives are positioned within The City structure can have a large impact on how collaboration between departments takes place, the corporate awareness of environmental initiatives, and the public messaging about the priority of environmental initiatives within The City. Recommendations Identify an internal champion. Identify a section, division or department within The City who is given the authority and the mandate to act as a quarterback for implementing actions and initiatives related to the EMP and to ensure adequate resources are allocated. Establish an inter-departmental commitment to collaboration where departments share the responsibility for establishing data collection protocols and monitoring as well as initiative delivery and reporting. Ensure adequate resources are allocated to facilitate collaboration. Facilitate interdepartmental approaches to ensure integrated approaches related to environmental performance. Extend the collaboration between departments beyond data sharing and monitoring to execution of municipal projects, programs and initiatives. Work together to design, pilot and promote environmental performance in initiatives that will require crossdepartmental collaboration. Build on Red Deer s existing models for integrated implementation that are seen in policy making examples such as the Greater Downtown Action Plan, The City s internal safety procedure model and within corporate operations such as the Green Team and the managementfocused Operational Leadership Team. Utilize technology and establish smart approaches to accessing and sharing environmental data, information and successes between departments. 57 Environmental master plan

63 Edmonton Red Deer Corporate Restructuring to Integrate Greater Downtown Action Plan Quick Start Work Plan Sustainability into City Culture The City Of Red Deer s Greater Downtown Action Plan At the City of Edmonton, environmental initiatives is a document that outlines elements of the vision for are housed in the Office of the Environment under Red Deer s Greater Downtown Core and includes a the Deputy City Manager in the Project Management discussion of six core themes that will define this area in Branch. Recognizing the cross-departmental nature the future including Great Streets, Great Places, Great of environmental policies and initiatives, situating the Connections, Vitality, Authenticity and Sustainability. Office of the Environment within the City Manager s Of the 46 recommendations outlined to implement office provides clear and direct connection to all City the Plan, 11 were identified in the Quick Start Work departments. The office of the Deputy City Manager Plan. These 11 items were clearly called out, first was established in 2008 to enhance the City s strategic steps towards their completion were identified and a performance, including accelerating and integrating departmental lead was named. This clear and concise city-wide programs with unified action. The Office of approach helped to distil key pieces of a large, long-term the Environment is one of five units (Environment, plan into immediate action. Aboriginal Relations Office, Diversity and Inclusion, Public Involvement and Regional Initiatives) that are operated out of the Project Management branch of the Deputy City Manager s office. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 58

64 Education and Awareness Description: The ability to communicate environmental strategies, policies and practices both within and beyond the corporation (to residents, stakeholders and other levels of government) will be important to the Environmental Master Plan s success. The EMP needs to be supported by a large base of stewards from a range of Red Deer s communities. Building this stewardship base will require education and awareness efforts, including marketing environmental initiatives, reporting on current performance and future targets, creating awareness campaigns, providing opportunities for localized monitoring and maintenance, and mentoring. Rationale: The City of Red Deer already recognizes the importance of environmental education and awareness within and outside of the corporation. The corporate Green Team plays an important role internally, while externally The City is engaged in public campaigns such as the toilet rebate program. Lessons learned from other communities emphasize that one of the keys to effecting change is to seek ways to change people s awareness of their own impact and their habits. Recommendations Implement the Core Direction of Encourage, Educate, Engage, Enable and Expect within the community using a variety of techniques including media campaigns, events and partnerships with community groups, industries and schools. Find ways to report progress and updates to the community at large as well as internally. Use existing communication tools such as The City s website and internal employee newsletter to communicate to a variety of audiences. Advance partnerships with existing partners and seek to establish partnerships with new groups. Expanding the constituency of EMP implementers beyond the usual groups will create broad based understanding and support for the principles of the EMP. Continue to engage the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) as a Council committee focused on The City s environmental initiatives and as an advisory group in the implementation phases over the long-term. The EAC s ongoing input into the implementation of the EMP will formalize the importance and role of this community/ City partnership and be a valuable connection with City Council. 59 Environmental master plan

65 The City of Calgary The City of Red Deer Mayor s Environment Expo Naturescaping Contest An annual event running for 21 years, the Mayor s The City of Red Deer s Naturescaping contest is an Environment Expo in The City of Calgary is a venue to interesting outreach method aimed at educating showcase The City s environmental initiatives, and also residents about the possibilities of landscaping to reduce features exhibits by environmental organizations and environmental impacts. Entries are judged on water businesses. The expo has attracted about 40,000 school conservation, landscape design and biodiversity. Gift children throughout its history and plays an important certificates to local garden centres have been awarded role in educating and engaging young people about the as prizes for the top three entrants. Growing every year, environment and what The City of Calgary is doing for this program has the potential to help advance The City s the environment. In 2009, The Mayor s Expo received an existing water conservation goals. Emerald Award from the Alberta Emerald Foundation for environmental excellence in the category of non-formal education. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 60

66 City-Wide Policy Description: City-wide policy refers to the rules and guidelines that are mandated by a city to achieve positive environmental outcomes. Policies can range from anti-idling bylaws to sustainable community design guidelines. These are policies that affect non-internal operations, directing matters within the municipal jurisdiction of Red Deer. Rationale: The development of city-wide policies connected to the implementation of the Environmental Master Plan will reinforce the targets and goals of the EMP and will establish The City s commitment to the importance of environmental performance. Recommendations Create, refine and align policies and plans tied to environmental targets outlined in the EMP. The development of new policies should be tied in a clear and succinct way to the targets of the EMP. Studies of areas in the city, such as the forthcoming studies of Gaetz Avenue and the Integrated Transportation/Movement Study, should incorporate recommendations that are tied to the environmental targets set out in the EMP. The Environmental Master Plan should be considered as one of The City s core documents similar to the Municipal Development Plan or Strategic Plan that guides policy development and decision making. Provide incentives for change among the public and Red Deer s private sector. Programs like the toilet rebate program encourage change through reward. Such programs can help foster a sense of participation and ownership of the Environmental Master Plan among the public. Work with regional partners such as Red Deer County to develop city-wide policies that address environmental impacts on a systems basis. Working with the County would help The City address environmental issues that may originate outside of its own boundaries but have impacts within municipal boundaries. Improve existing development guidelines to reinforce environmental targets. Documents that are updated on a regular basis, such as the Municipal Development Plan and the Neighbourhood and Industrial Area Planning Guidelines and Standards, should reflect the environmental targets of the EMP. 61 Environmental master plan

67 City of St Albert The City of Red Deer City-wide Idle Free By-law St. Albert City Council passed the Idle-Free Bylaw in March The bylaw prohibits the idling of a vehicle for more than three minutes in a 30-minute period between the temperatures of 0ºC and 30ºC. The Idle Free Bylaw is cited as an ongoing initiative in St Albert to help the city reduce its impact on air quality. Toilet Rebate Program The City of Red Deer has offered rebates for homeowners who replace high flow toilets with low flow dual flush toilets. The City estimates that replacing just one 20 litre toilet with an efficient six litre low flow toilet will save approximately 25,550 litres of water per person every year. This program has been a critical piece of The City s water conservation efforts to date. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 62

68 Corporate Operations Description: Corporate operations refer to the manner in which The City functions at the individual staff level, the departmental level, as well as through well defined protocols and actions. Managing corporate operations to reflect environmental priorities has become a way for cities to entrench and implement environmental practices in their day-to-day operations. Rationale: Strong corporate protocols related to environmental performance will set standards and allow The City to lead by example. This will allow Red Deer to actively improve environmental performance and, being under full City control, these protocols or programs can be tracked over time. Recommendations Align corporate procedures with environmental goals. Managing corporate operations to reflect environmental priorities can be a way for The City of Red Deer to entrench and implement environmental practices in its day-to-day operations. In particular The City should consider the potential of: Establishing green procurement protocols Creation of a green corporate fleet or sustainable fleet standards Demonstrate the most progressive sustainability standards for development on city-owned land. The City can lead by example through holding itself to high environmental standards. It can demonstrate to the public and to the private sector the benefits of more environmentally sensitive development practices, from landscaping to new building construction. The City can use its own assets to pilot new environmental development methods or initiatives. Development of green building standards for City-owned buildings 63 Environmental master plan

69 Town of Oakville The City of Red Deer Corporate Sustainability Policies The Town of Oakville has a number of corporate policies that speak to their commitment as a Town to the environment. Included in those policies are: a sustainable purchasing procedure that guides Town staff in their purchasing to improve waste diversion rates and reduce reliance on natural resources, and a Sustainable Green Fleet procedure intended to assist with the Town s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals, reduce the use of non-renewable resources, and improve fuel efficiency. Corporate Idle Free Policy Introduced in January of The City of Red Deer has implemented a corporate idle free policy. Applying to The City of Red Deer fleet, the policy requires vehicles to be turned off when the driver is not in the vehicle and they are not permitted to idle for more than three to five minutes at a time when the temperature is above zero. This policy helps improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as saving operating costs. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 64

70 Budgeting and Decision Making Framework Description: Red Deer s planning and budget process provides a framework for the allocation of funds. The budget reflects the overall direction, vision, goals and objectives conveyed by The City and its residents. How The City budgets for and makes decisions about environmental initiatives and programs will be a key element to the Environmental Master Plan s implementation. Rationale: The City s commitment to environmental performance and the implementation of Environmental Master Plan directions should be clear in The City s budgeting priorities and process. Enough resources need to be budgeted to allow for EMP implementation and clear channels should be established for reporting back to The City and community about how resources are allocated to the environment. Recommendations Embed the consideration of environmental principles into City decision making. The way in which City decisions reinforce the Strategic Plan s Environmental Pillar, as well as the goals and targets of the EMP, should be clearly apparent and provide a basis for decision making. Develop methods to track spending on environmental initiatives. Creating a comprehensive monitoring system allows for the creation of objective benchmarks and can help determine the financial commitment needed in order to prioritize environmental sustainability. Explore external funding opportunities to help supplement budget for environmental initiatives. For example, Federal Gas Tax, the David Suzuki Foundation, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund, NRCAN, Canada Green Communities, and the Alberta Ecotrust are all potential funding resources for The City. 65 Environmental master plan

71 City of Calgary The City of Red Deer Triple Bottom Line As part of the budgeting process, departments at The City of Calgary are requested to demonstrate how their respective work programs help The City achieve its Triple Bottom Line (TBL) objectives. Departments are encouraged to ask themselves the following questions when evaluating their work programs: 1. How are The City of Calgary s corporate and strategic social, economic and environmental objectives being addressed by this project or decision? 2. Which TBL trends are being considered in the business planning process? 3. What are the impacts of this program or project on Calgary s social, economic and environmental well being? 4. Has the program or project been designed to add value across the three bottom lines of TBL, and mitigate potentially negative impacts that have been identified? Corporate Decision Making Matrix Linked to The City s governance pillar, The City of Red Deer is in the process of creating a corporate decision making matrix. When this decision making matrix is formally brought forward, the targets and actions in the Environmental Master Plan can be reflected as a decision making model for the Environmental Pillar and others. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 66

72 Performance Benchmarking Description: Performance Benchmarking is a key element of Red Deer s EMP. Performance Benchmarking involves choosing metrics that matter (that are indicative of attributes that are important to the city), then establishing performance targets for each (based on a knowledge of current performance and precedents), and finally, monitoring actual performance over time. Rationale: What isn t measured can t be managed. Performance Benchmarking is a measurement tool that provides clarity regarding the City s objectives, and as such, supports good planning. Performance Benchmarking delivers feedback; it provides confirmation as to the effectiveness (or not) of initiatives implemented and directs the steps for moving forward. Recommendations Embrace the Performance Benchmarking system Developed as part of the EMP as an environmental accounting system, the Performance Benchmarking system defines the process of determining baseline data, researching precedents, establishing targets, and measuring and reporting on performance. The Benchmarking Tool included in this EMP was developed as a way to organize and evaluate the metric data and can grow and evolve with The City and can be used to communicate how The City is achieving its environmental targets. Identify the responsibility for data maintenance and monitoring. Clear direction among departments for who is responsible for data collection and how that data should be organized will assist in making the benchmarking tool a well-used and long lasting resource. Commit to regular reporting back to the community, partners and stakeholder. The benchmarking data collected can play a large role in communicating with the public and educating citizens about the positive impacts of policies and programs on environmental change. The commitment to an annual State of Red Deer s Environment Report would allow The City and the Environmental Advisory Committee to report on progress in meeting the environmental targets and undertaking initiatives. It would also create a venue for The City to celebrate success in progress made, and encourage input and partnerships on areas where further improvement or momentum is needed. 67 Environmental master plan

73 Resort Municipality of Whistler The City of Red Deer Monitoring Program Electric Light and Power The Whistler 2020 Monitoring Program is a segment Electric Light and Power at The City of Red Deer has of Whistler s Comprehensive Sustainability Plan. already begun to implement the use of renewable The monitoring program is an important part of the energy in The City s corporate operations. A contract Sustainability Plan s implementation and uses core with ENMAX ensures that 15 per cent of The City s own indicators to monitor progress towards achieving the electricity requirement will be supplied from green power community vision and priorities. Data is accessible and in 2009 escalating to 25 percent in fun to interact with through an on-line tool that allows the public to see measurements and progress in a range of categories. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 68

74 section 6 Actions & Partnerships Actions and Partnerships are a central part to the Environmental Master Plan s success. The following section elaborates on priority actions to implement the EMP, describes potential pilot projects and includes a discussion of City-community partnerships to help build and broaden the opportunities to effect change and improve environmental performance across the city and within Red Deer s community. 69 Environmental master plan Priority Actions The How to Measure Progress section of this document included priority actions for each of the environmental focus areas. The following list elaborates on how to implement the priority actions, identifying a City of Red Deer department or section recommended to take the lead on implementation and identifies potential partnerships that may be pursued to support that action. The goals and corresponding actions were chosen because they are: areas where performance most needs to be improved; an action that would achieve significant impact; easy to implement in terms of effort and time; cost effective; or build on existing strengths or current environmental initiatives. These priority actions have been selected from a longer list compiled through precedent research, and input from City staff and the community.

75 Focus Area Broad Action Priority Actions Responsible City Department Partners Water Advance Storm Water Management Strategies City: Prepare an Integrated Storm Water Management Plan including storm water management policies. Engineering Services Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership; Environmental Services Community: Review water and wastewater rate structures, which will draw attention to the value of water. Environmental Services Financial Services; Communications; Strategic Planning Encourage Water Conservation City: Develop environmental standards for City buildings including water conservation measures (in accordance with policy 9.13 of the MDP). Building Owners: Public Works, Environmental Services, RPC (including landscaping ) Inspections & Licensing Community: Replace water meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology in conjunction with replacement for electrical meters. Environmental Services Electric Light & Power; ITS; Revenue and Assessment Ecology Increase the amount of land used for green space in the City City: Enhance the existing set-back policy to include water body and ecological protection related to Environmental Reserve setbacks under the Municipal Government Act. RPC Engineering; Planning; Land & Economic Development; UDI Community: Partner with community and development stakeholders to share ideas, explore opportunities and develop conservation tools to preserve green space such as a land conservation trust, land purchase, land swaps, tax incentives and reserve dedications. RPC Planning; Land & Economic Development; Revenue and Assessment; UDI; RDRN; RDRWA; Ducks Unlimited; Trout Unlimited Increase urban tree canopy City & Community: Prepare and implement an Urban Forest Management Plan. RPC Engineering; Planning; UDI; community associations; youth groups Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 70

76 Focus Area Broad Action Priority Actions Responsible City Department Partners Transportation Prioritize active and public transportation infrastructure City: Incorporate high level core directions of the Environmental Master Plan into the Integrated Transportation/Movement Study as appropriate; Integrate sustainability principles such as active transportation, increased modal split and complete streets into all aspects of transportation planning including traffic demand management and the Transit Master Plan. Development Services Planning; RPC; Engineering; Transit Community: Partner with Red Deer County, surrounding municipalities and local employers to establish regional commuting resources such as transit services, carpooling, shuttle and emergency ride programs. Engineering; Transit Red Deer County; surrounding municipalities; local employers; Communications; Chamber of Commerce; Province of AB Increase the walkability of neighbourhoods City: Engage the community to participate in walkability audits in their neighbourhood. Development Services Planning; Engineering; RPC; Communications & Strategic Planning; community associations; Central Alberta Self Advocates Community: Partner with school boards to implement a walking school bus program to encourage students to walk to school in 3 or more schools. Engineering School boards; Transit; SHAPE Alberta 71 Environmental master plan

77 Focus Area Broad Action Priority Actions Responsible City Department Partners Built Environment Promote more compact development patterns City: Develop city-wide infill guidelines and standards that emphasize minimum densities, compact form and environmental design standards (in accordance with policies 10.9 and of the MDP). Include consideration of parking practices/policies that encourage rather than undermine transit and alternative forms of transportation. Planning Land & Economic Development; Engineering; Transit; Inspections and Licensing City: Undertake studies of both residential and commercial/industrial density in Red Deer to establish informed baselines and goals for future density targets. Planning Community: Partner with a developer to identify an infill pilot project on City land to demonstrate environmental design standards. Planning/Land & Economic Development; Communications Home Builders Association. Urban Development Institute Increase opportunities for local food production Community: Work with the community and developers to create a community garden stewardship initiative to facilitate the establishment and stewardship of additional community garden plots. Aim to introduce a new community garden each year for ten years. RPC Communications & Strategic Planning; Rethink Red Deer; faith-based organizations; community groups Air Create a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions City: Conduct a GHG inventory analysis, and develop a corporate GHG emissions reduction plan. Environmental Services PAMZ; All City departments Community: Develop a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan. Environmental Services ICLEI; Canadian Institute of Planners; all City departments Reduce Air Pollution City: Identify large emitters of air pollution within The City s corporate operations. Identify strategies to mitigate the effects. Environmental Services PAMZ; Transit, Public Works Community: Work with industries that have the most opportunity to reduce air pollution by identifying large emitters and potential strategies to mitigate their effects. Environmental Services Land & Economic Development; PAMZ; Chamber of Commerce Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 72

78 Focus Area Desired Priority Responsible Partners Outcome Actions City Department Energy Increase energy conservation of buildings City: Replace electrical meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology for both residential and Industrial/Commercial/ Institutional (ICI) customers to allow them to better track, understand and modify consumption. Electric Light & Power ITS; Revenue and Assessment City: Expand energy efficient street light program and work towards reducing the effects of light pollution. Electric Light & Power Engineering Community: Explore District Energy potential in high-density neighbourhoods. Electric Light & Power Planning; Inspections & Licensing; Land & Economic Development Increased use of renewable energy sources Community: Partner with renewable energy providers and community stakeholders to provide information about private renewable energy options. Electric Light & Power Environmental Services; Communications & Strategic Planning Waste Increase waste diversion from the City landfill City: Update the Waste Management Master Plan. City: Review differential tipping fee structure to identify opportunities to encourage diversion. Environmental Services Environmental Services Community: Partner with developers and builders to advance recycling and diversion of construction waste on development sites. Environmental Services Inspections & Licensing; Land & Economic Development; Province of Alberta; Home Builders' Association; Chamber of Commerce Community: Create an education campaign, toolkits and pilot projects around household and community composting. Environmental Services Communications & Strategic Planning 73 Environmental master plan

79 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 74

80 Partnerships The implementation of the EMP will require more than just City action. It will be most effectively implemented as a collaborative effort between partners who are members of the Red Deer community and The City. The City s role with these partners will be as a facilitator, providing access to environmental resources and, through environmental leadership, demonstrating progressive sustainability standards in areas within their jurisdiction and control. The City currently has strong relationships with traditional environmental groups such as the Waskasoo Environmental Education Society and the Red Deer River Naturalists. This partnership base should be broadened to include industries which may be interested in the Environmental Master Plan goals for other reasons such as operational savings through on-site energy production, and college or university programs that may be interested in research related to the targets of the EMP. The following is a preliminary list of existing and potential partners: Waskasoo Environmental Education Society Red Deer River Naturalists Red Deer Public Library Parkland Airshed Management Zone In addition, partnerships with other levels of government including Red Deer County and other neighbouring counties and towns could help Red Deer see a greater geographic impact of its EMP. These partnerships would help address environmental impacts on a systems basis, recognizing that the environment stretches far beyond municipal boundaries. Ultimately, the success of the EMP is about changing people s behaviours to affect environmental change. The broader the base of people who can relate to The City s environmental targets and personally identify with the Plan, the greater the possibilities of success. Wide spread acceptance of the Plan and an understanding of the benefits of change will be critical to long term implementation and will help inspire people to achieve The City of Red Deer s environmental targets. Red Deer County ReThink Red Deer Red Deer College Chamber of Commerce Red Deer school boards Red Deer River Watershed Alliance 75 Environmental master plan

81 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 76

82

83 Appendices appendix A: Methodology appendix B: Community Consultation Summary appendix C: Environmental Impact Categories Descriptors appendix D: Criteria for Selecting Metrics appendix E: Benchmarking Tool appendix F: Example Impact Assessment Tool appendix G: Prioritization List appendix H: Glossary Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 78

84

85 Appendix A: Methodology Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 80

86 The following describes the methodology used to achieve that objective and highlights the key elements of the phases of work in preparation of Red Deer s Environmental Master Plan. Phase 1 Initiation and Discovery February March 2010 Phase 1 of the project, completed in February and early March of 2010, focused on getting the Environmental Master Plan process started and included preliminary meetings with The City and exploration of Red Deer. A site tour and meetings with City staff groups were highlights. In addition, preliminary information about current environmental initiatives and examples of sustainable development underway in Red Deer was gathered, forming the start of a baseline analysis of the state of the environment in Red Deer. Phase 2 Exploring and Understanding March May 2010 The second phase of work focused on developing an in depth understanding of the key environmental issues facing Red Deer right now and in the future. Based on research, focus groups with key stakeholders and working sessions with City staff, this phase involved the collection and analysis of data, such as: reports and studies completed by and for various departments of The City and County; best practice approaches to sustainability that have been successfully implemented elsewhere; and, the breadth of programs and activities that are currently within the City s responsibility. In order to establish meaningful, measureable goals for future environmental achievement, it is important to understand where The City of Red Deer is today. Identifying sources of current environmental data was an important part of this phase. This list of metrics captures existing environmental reporting and targets already set by Red Deer. It also provides a better understanding of Red Deer s long term indicators of environmental quality, identifying potential environmental threats, opportunities, and information gaps. The Situation Assessment is the end result of this phase, reporting on all of the background research and information gathered during the phase. 81 Environmental master plan

87 Phase 3 Confirming Goals, Directions and Benchmarks May August 2010 Phase 4 Policies, Strategies and Actions August October 2010 The third phase of work shifted from understanding the environment today towards the creation of a shared vision and potential solutions. The establishment of measureable goals, metrics and timelines to evaluate program success provides an opportunity to evaluate projects and recommendations on a regular basis. An integral component of the Red Deer Environmental Master Plan process involves the continual acquisition of knowledge through public consultation and community outreach. These ideas have helped draft the direction and priorities for the Environmental Master Plan. This phase of work featured two workshops: a youth-focused one and a general community event intended to develop a shared understanding of environmental sustainability through a community conversation about Red Deer s vision for the Environmental Master Plan. We also discussed a draft Vision and Core Directions for Red Deer s natural environment, proposed approaches to achieve goals, and potential benchmarks to measure success. During the fourth phase of work, the project team focussed on translating the Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions into a series of policies and strategies that will help Red Deer achieve its environmental goals. One of the most important strategies to be developed in this phase was the creation of an environmental indicator database. This database will contain the necessary metricss to analyze the effectiveness of current and future environmental plans and programs, and to form the basis for regular reporting on the state of the environment in Red Deer. The database will allow The City to demonstrate its progress toward greater environmental sustainability over time. The recommended policies that were developed during this phase reveal which issues should receive emphasis and establish a direction for change but they do not, by themselves, provide a sufficient structure for the implementation and measurement of goals and objectives. This phase has uncovered the strategies and actions that will establish quantifiable and achievable targets. The policies, strategies and actions have been summarized in a recommendations report that addresses the areas of priorities, targets, corporate structure, and resources needed. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 82

88 Phase 5 Synthesis and Completion October April 2011 The fifth and final stage of work will include a synthesis of the information collected in previous phases. Prior to finalization of the Plan, community members will be invited to review and comment on work to date at an interactive Community Meeting and Stakeholder Meetings. Incorporating all the findings from the project research, community feedback and guidance from the City, the final Environmental Master Plan will reflect the priority environmental sustainability issues in Red Deer. The Plan will articulate a 25-year Vision for Red Deer s environmental future and outline clear policy directions, benchmarks, strategies and actions, supported by the 25- year Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions. The Environmental Master Plan will be compiled into an easy to understand and highly graphic document and a summarizing Companion Document that will be made widely available to members of the public. The Environmental Master Plan will establish clear priorities, direction and ambitious goals for environmental performance while at the same time be grounded in measureable targets and metrics. Defined through consultation with the community, the Plan will reflect the priorities and input of the people of Red Deer and assist The City by providing a decision making framework for managing environmental impacts of future growth, development and community sustainability. 83 Environmental master plan

89 Appendix B: Community Consultation Summary Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 84

90 The Environmental Master Plan has been developed in consultation with the Red Deer public, community stakeholders, businesses, staff and council. The following table summarizes the consultation activities undertaken to develop this Plan. Event Date Council Workshop March 15 th, 2010 City Manager s Meeting March 29 th, 2010 Stakeholder Meetings March 29 th & 30 th, 2010 Community & Student Workshops June 14 th & 15 th, 2010 Community, Student Workshops & Stakeholder Meetings October 12 th - 14 th, 2010 Council Orientation December 10, 2010 Community Consultation February 1-5, 2011 Online Consultation & Community Outreach Throughout project process A description of each of these consultation events is provided in the text below. 85 Environmental master plan

91 Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 86

92 Council Workshop March 15th 2010 List of Attendees Craig Curtis Elaine Vincent Paul Goranson Russ Pye Coleen Jensen Loraine Poth Tom Warder Pam Vust Lauren Maris Charity Dyke City Manager Legislative Services Manager Director of Development Services Manager of Inspections & Licensing Director of Community Services Director of Corporate Services Environmental Services Manager Environmental Initiatives Coordinator Environmental Researcher/EMP Project Manager Communications Coordinator City Councillors Mayor Morris Flewwelling Cindy Jefferies Frank Wong Gail Parks Larry Pimm Lorna Watkinson-Zimmer Lynne Mulder Tara Veer Consultation Team Ian Theaker Maeri Machado Graham Halsall 87 Environmental master plan

93 On March 15th 2010, the consultant team had the opportunity to engage with City of Red Deer Councillors and Senior Managers in a workshop with two goals: To develop a shared understanding of the scope of and development process of the Environmental Master Plan (EMP); and To gain early input from Council and senior staff to guide EMP development. The overall purpose of the Environmental Master Plan, as set out in the City s Request for Proposals, was presented to participants to guide the Environmental Pillar of The City of Red Deer s Municipal Sustainability Framework and provide recommendations with emphasis on immediate, short (5 year), medium (10 year) and long-term (25 year) goals. To start, City staff presented an overview of the EMP procurement and consultant selection process. This was followed by a presentation by the consulting team on its plans for the project, and a summary of a number of key environmental topics that will influence the development of the Environmental Master Plan. This included an overview of broadly-used environmental stressor categories and their priorities, as developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US and Canada Green Building Councils, among others. The presentations were followed by a lively discussion; then by breakout groups prompted by specific questions posed by the consulting team. The workshop culminated in a brainstorming session to draw out key issues participants felt were important to the Environmental Master Plan vision statement, and the Environmental Master Plan development process. Following the consultants presentation, a general discussion surfaced participant responses and key concerns. The following points were broadly agreed upon in terms of their importance for the Environmental Master Plan s vision and development: protection and enhancement of Red Deer s natural areas, particularly its riverside parks which are highly valued by the City and its residents; education and public engagement on environmental issues and their relative priorities are likely to be needed for successful Environmental Master Plan implementation; denser, pedestrian-oriented urban form that protects Red Deer s community amenity and feel, will be needed to accommodate projected future growth, and the desire for innovation and leadership by the City in future environmental initiatives. After a break, participants rotated between three breakout sessions, each focused on questions posed by the consultant team. All participants considered and voiced their thoughts on each question; highlights are summarized below, broken out by discussion question. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 88

94 Breakout Discussion Topic 1: What are the most important environmental qualities that attract and keep people in Red Deer? Natural Urban Environment: Red Deer is seen as having unique natural urban environment amenities in its park system, that reflects and responds to its rural setting. Waskasoo Park System: The parks, trails and green space provide recreational and intrinsic values, but also provide connectivity between different Red Deer neighbourhoods. The affordability and universal accessibility of the park system also contribute to its popularity with citizens. Biodiversity: The wildlife and biodiversity in the region is unique, and needs to be protected and if possible, enhanced. Clean Air: The air quality in Red Deer is generally seen by citizens as excellent, but may be threatened by continued and future growth in oil and gas operations, and by automobile use. Clean Water: The Red Deer River and surrounding watershed are important for drinking water, contributions to natural habitat, and recreation and agricultural uses. The quality of water is valued by the Red Deer community. Agriculture: Agricultural land availability and rich soils support a farm industry whose close proximity to Red Deer is a cultural and economic asset to the City. Supporting local farms, their products and owners is seen as a way to protect soil and economic values, in the absence of a green belt or land protection mechanism. 89 Environmental master plan

95 Breakout Discussion Topic 2: What do you think are Red Deer s key challenges or issues related to environmental sustainability? Culture: In general, environmental issues are not an urgent issue for Red Deer citizens. Many residents are satisfied with the status quo and are generally disconnected and unaware of the environmental impacts of lifestyle choices. There is a general feeling that the environmental issues are big city concerns, and that many residents value property rights more highly than environmental stewardship responsibilities. Community Engagement: There is little public desire to change current lifestyles due to a broad perception that land and resources are abundant, and that environmental issues do not present large risks that require City action. Education and engagement of the public on large risks presented by climate change and other environmental issues is likely to be needed to inspire and encourage a culture of stewardship amongst the community. Vehicle Dependence: Dependence on single-occupant cars and trucks in Red Deer is substantial due partly to the style of neighbourhood development, and other modes of transportation have not been a high priority to date. This largely reflects residents preference for motorized vehicles use over other modes of transportation. Urban Sprawl: The location, density and development standards of new and existing neighbourhoods needs to be planned and controlled better to address anticipated population and industry growth, while protecting environmental, health and cultural values of residents. Existing Industry: Oil and gas services and plastics manufacturing are major industries in Red Deer, which have negative environmental effects, but employ significant proportion of Red Deer residents. This may result in a lack of support for environmental initiatives that could be perceived as a potential threat to these industries, such as reducing reliance on fossil fuels or reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Engagement with Provincial and Regional Governments: There is little engagement with or support from the Province of Alberta on environmental or growth issues. Local governments are left to manage regional environmental issues on their own, and to negotiate coordinated responses while being handicapped with few resources. This is particularly an issue for joint management by The City of Red Deer and Red Deer County for protection of the Red Deer River and its tributaries, preservation of farmland and habitat, and providing utility services to address population and industry growth. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 90

96 Breakout Discussion Topic 3: In 25 years time, what results do you want to see from Red Deer s Environmental Master Plan? Densification and Housing Choices: Focus on densification of downtown core and local density/ commercial nodes within walking distance. Provide a variety of housing options including apartments, townhouses and higher density developments, as well as single family houses. Healthy Ecosystems: Maintain a healthy river and a green spine of parkland through the City. The Waskasoo Park System should be twice the size as it is now. Green Economy: The green sector is the fastest growing in Canada s economy. There is an opportunity to bring green businesses and jobs to Red Deer. Flexibility: The EMP should set out timeless principles in the long term that allow a flexible response to changes in the future to better guide priorities while maintaining and enhancing environmental and health values. Greener Developments: A desire for development that protects environmental assets, including reduced dependence on fossil fuels and cars, and greater City density. Transformed Culture: Red Deer citizens see sustainability as a way of life, while maintaining the small town feel in a bigger city. Local Food: Support local agriculture by providing more opportunities to purchase local foods. 91 Environmental master plan

97 Environmental Vision Statement Brainstorming Discussions During the course of the workshop, participants were asked to write brief statements of issues that should be reflected in the EMP Vision statement and EMP development. The statements were posted on the wall for all to see. Near the end of the workshop, each participant was provided with five sticky dots and invited to use these to indicate their preference for posted statements, which were grouped by the consultants into related themes. A general discussion on the grouped themes and issue statements concluded the workshop. Their comments and statements are documented below. Education and Motivation Educate, Encourage, Engage and Enable. Educated public, motivated and empowered to protect the environment. A cultural shift regarding our environmental practices. The environment will rise to the top of the agenda. Begin with education rather than legislation. Legislation can be motivation, but enforcement is always difficult. The community values and practices green principles (even if it costs more). Red Deer s green kids are leading the way. Green Space Wildlife corridors are conserved and promoted. Pockets of green are throughout the community are connected to the river valley and its trail system. Neighbourhoods are also linked to corridor and spine of park system. City and Community Planning Planning is linked to green space and animals rather than vehicular transportation. Planning an environment for green growth. A clear policy framework on key environmental fronts. Neighbourhoods through trails, not sidewalks. Growing while preserving. Stronger environmental lens for our built environment. Innovation Environment can be our competitive advantage by creating a green industry. Every home a generator. Find innovative ways to secure natural areas beyond the minimum 10% municipal reserve. Prices of goods and services need to reflect ecological worth. The Red Deer River is healthy and abundant providing sufficient drinking water and recreation for the community. Beautiful green spaces are preserved and accessible to all. The land and ecology defines where green spaces are required, then planning is focused around this. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 92

98 City Managers Meeting March 29th 2010 On March 29, 2010 eighteen representatives from various departments of The City of Red Deer participated in a Managers Meeting, a half-day interactive session lead by the consultant team and City staff from Environmental Services. The following is a list of City departments represented at the meeting: Departmental Representatives Emergency Services Information and Technology Services Transit Land and Economic Development Parkland Community Planning Social Planning Financial Services Assessment & Taxation Services Inspections & Licensing Environmental Services Waste Management Wastewater Utility Water Utility Public Works, Roads Electric Light & Power Recreation, Parks & Culture Parks Red Deer Museum & Art Gallery RCMP *A representative from the Engineering Department was unable to attend this meeting. To obtain their input, a follow up interview was held on April 29th the summary of which is included within this document. Environmental Services Staff Pam Vust, Environmental Initiatives Coordinator & City s EMP Project Manager Lauren Maris, Environmental Program Specialist Consultant Team Melanie Hare Urban Strategies Mark Reid Urban Strategies Leigh McGrath Urban Strategies Maeri Machado Halsall Associates Melanie Ross Halsall Associates The purpose of the session was to provide an opportunity for the consultant team to hear first-hand what environmental-related initiatives or projects each department had underway, environmental impacts related to each department s services, and broad comments about departmental contributions to achieving environmental sustainability in the city. To guide the discussion, the participants were asked to review and prepare a response to the following questions prior to the meeting: Please tell us about your department s current environmental policies, programs or projects, and those planned for future implementation. What are the largest environmental impacts of your operations and projects? What do you measure to track these? In your environmental initiatives how do you connect, coordinate or collaborate with other city departments? With the Environmental Advisory Committee? With community groups (e.g. citizens, NGOs, churches)? What do you see as the biggest environmental impact of your department? How can your department help the City become a national leader in environmental sustainability? 93 Environmental master plan

99 The meeting began with introductory presentations by Pam Vust, the City s Environmental Initiatives Coordinator, who described the purpose and intent of the Environmental Master Plan and Lauren Maris, Red Deer s Environmental Program Specialist, who elaborated on the internal review process of the EMP work plan and deliverables. Following the presentations from Environmental Services, Maeri Machado of Halsall Associates and Melanie Hare of Urban Strategies gave a short presentation focused on the consultant team s approach to the creation of the EMP and the process of setting shared priorities and defining metrics to track environmental progress. After establishing a common understanding of the purpose and process behind the EMP, representatives from each attending City Department were given an opportunity to respond to the circulated questions. The following is a summary of the comments shared by City Staff during the meeting. Emergency Services Three main areas of impact: - Water usage; - Energy usage (five stations that operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the City); and - Fuel consumption. Implemented anti-idling policy but have not measured it specifically Trying a conscientiousness approach on electricity usage within buildings and water usage Some improved environmental features in fire stations: Station Number 5, new station in 2006 and modeled construction on the LEED standards but not formally certified Working with Environmental Services to contain runoff; working on water capture in some locations Majority of vehicles are diesel; looked into bio diesel& have purchased some general-use hybrid vehicles Information Technology Services Power use is the biggest impact in terms of IT Services, who are responsible for the computers on everyone s desks and the server room Currently considering hardware products footprint by consciously questioning if new equipment is needed all the time, pursuing targeted updates instead of wholesale replacement Old computers are either sold or donated and scrap gets sent to the landfill for E-waste program In terms of tracking, bought power metres to record unofficial statistics on what the hardware's electricity draw is per hour Manages the print strategy, tracks paper usage; paper usage has dipped slightly 2008 to 2009 Paper tracking is based on issues from stores For new civic buildings, interested in the smart buildings concept, energy consumption on the building scale, wiring choices, combining technologies to minimize energy usage Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 94

100 Transit Largest impact: use of diesel fuel, use of water to clean vehicles Uses the LEED certified car washing facility at the Civic Yards Oil change reduction program, using synthetic oil Smart driver training to reduce fuel usage and environmental impact Hybrids or other alternative fuel sources were found to be too costly to implement (analysis revealed 1.5 times cost of regular bus for hybrid, long term cost benefits not as great as hoped) Lack of Provincial Green Trip funds impacted ability to purchase hybrid vehicles Revamped the system in accordance with recommendations from a 2004 transportation study to a cross grid plan, increased transit trips by 3 fold Takes 3.7 mill passenger trips off the city streets per year Bike rack included on every bus Regionalization is coming; working on service within Red Deer County Don t track modal splits very well, tracks service per capita Land and Economic Development Promoting new concepts in development such as ecoindustrial park and Garden Heights residential subdivision In Garden Heights limiting the impact on ravines by using Storm Water Management 1.8 km new trails within plan boundaries Roundabouts included in the plan to reduce idling Area plan includes potential community garden lots Transit actively involved in the process and working with the development to ensure service Parkland Community Planning Services Involved with land development, land use, and urban design policy development Some measures are known such as: how many units per hectare; percent of land in preservation; and wildlife land preserved Works with other departments to approve developments Largest environment challenge is in terms of growth demand, balancing social environmental and economic factors with demand for land development Social Planning Involved with social side of environmental initiatives. Housing RFPs for affordable housing have clauses around environmental considerations into new development within the RFPs Have the ability to apply some leverage so housing is affordable. Objective in green building is that in reducing operations cost, rental costs are reduced There are social enterprise opportunities for creating meaningful employment opportunities that would fit into the Triple Bottom Line philosophy Financial Services Major impact is with paper consumption City of Red Deer Green Team member in the finance department Changed paper that is currently ordered, using more recycled paper With regards to purchase agreements, developing policy to address that City is looking for more environmentallyfriendly services Criteria of sustainability comes into play as to how decisions are made within department 95 Environmental master plan

101 Assessment & Taxation Services Two main impacts: Vehicle impacts because assessors are out in the field Paper department depends on paper records Efforts are being made to move to electronic methods of information gathering Trying to reduce paper and use different avenues to communicate with the community, for example, electronic plans from developers instead of paper copies are being investigated Currently there is no tax strategy aimed at environmental initiatives Inspections & Licensing Involved with By-law enforcement and construction waste enforcement including environmental issues and building codes; Look after a few buildings and City Hall is 1962 and 1980 vintage, so not very efficient, with regard to environmental impacts, by current standards for new buildings Looking for more efficient solutions to lights and heating in buildings Success stories include clean up on construction sites, resulting from several positive site clean-up efforts through By-law enforcement Environmental Services Environmental Services relationship to environment includes treating drinking water; treat waste water, solid waste Maintain storm water system within the City, storm water impacts on creeks and river are mitigated by retention ponds This department supplies water to other communities and accept wastewater form two communities outside of the City, a revenue generating activity for the City The biggest impact is impact of department is on the Red Deer River, water coming in and out of the City Power and chemical used to treat water and wastewater are other environmental impacts Trying to do a number of rehabilitation methods to improve service including relining water and sewer mains Waste Management This department is responsible for: - residential garbage pickup, yard waste and blue bins (contracted to a commercial garbage franchise); - the landfills and a closed landfill, including extensive ground water and surface water testing This department is the biggest producer of greenhouse gas emissions due to methane released from the landfill. Will have to pay for certain programs that the Province is not funding any longer, the Province has not been helping as much as they could be, suggests the need for advocacy to the Province Tracks information on diversion rates and aims to encourage waste diversion Investigated possibility of collection of gas from landfill site in 2004 at the time deemed not economic possibility Wastewater Utility Effluent is discharged into river There are large Waste heat and large energy usage through the wastewater utility Collect data and metrics every year, although not a great usage of the data yet, has great potential Measuring impact on water quality both upstream and downstream Upgrades to handle more capacity are in the works Focus on helping other communities by bringing their waste water to Red Deer to treat it Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 96

102 Has cut down on number of wells and cut down on the negative impacts smaller communities have on their water, impact is improved water quality Communities that are serviced are about 35 miles north and south of Red Deer River is important but the tributaries are important too, need to manage them as well. Currently several agencies are responsible for storm water management but no storm water utility - a big gap; consider the potential of a storm water utility (tanks and ponds) as a strategy/mechanism Large amount of hard surface parking and roads in Red Deer has a negative impact on storm water Water Utility Monitoring of water is a health issue linked to environmental performance Working with other groups within the City and community at large to inform and develop approaches Constructing a residuals pond in the next few years Public Works Responsible for City s roads, bridges vehicle fleet and facilities. Initiatives related to the City s vehicle fleet include purchasing several hybrid vehicles, trying to reduce chemical use in the shops and products, and recycling vehicle batteries. Facilities management will be a larger part of the City s concerns in future Primarily cost concerns for example, trying to put in solar power and civic yard building obtaining LEED Certification Procedures to reduce the impact of roads include: snow removal stored at snow storage sites, snow and ice control, using sand salt and salt brine to reduce salt consumption and reusing street sweeping materials at the landfill as a cover material 97 Environmental master plan Hard to put numbers on snow clearing budget because so dependent on the weather Bridge maintenance is done with respect to environment regulations Would like to explore new methods in paving technology that would allow for reuse of asphalt Engineering No specific environmental policies, though follow provincial guidelines and some best management practices Observe that agreement within the municipality can be hard to achieve at times, not positive about getting initiatives implemented or completed Work with Park Services for ecological profiles and wildlife corridor studies. Parks data influences roads, residential development, and other projects Responsible for planning for storm water management and Environmental Services look after the operations and would like to be amongst the leaders in storm water management in 5-10 years Plans to manage limited roads and get people out of their cars, hoping the annexation for growth will create a spine network for transit. They look after traffic operations for efficiency, management, and so on At this point they are not using porous pavements, road diets, etc. Tries to engage community groups and use the ecological profile to inform areas for protection all goes into the design of a new development Participating in the development of the eco-industrial park in Queen s business park is one of their projects it is a direct control, city owned parcel, and they are looking at infrastructure for opportunities for better management for the area Would like to see topsoil from new developments used more ecologically, reference the City of Portland for their use of bioswales.

103 Electric Light & Power Manager This department acts as an energy service provider and is not typically responsible for energy generation Remarks that department would benefit from a long term vision in terms of the environment but noted that environmental issues are embedded in every project they do Projects include: - Advanced metreing project: will include the conversion all electric and water meters into EMI to collect individual usage from every single site to communicate real-time energy consumption - LED lighting pilot project: LED light bulbs being installed in street and traffic lights in residential neighbourhood and will provide lessons to guide future decision-making - PCB Clean Up: PCB clean up, in response to federal legislation - Green Power: Increased green power purchasing to provide 15% of the City s facilities energy needs from renewable sources in 2010 and plan to increase to 25% for 2013 Have been interested in exploring district energy, but not implemented because don t have sufficient funds Plan to continue burying lines underground in future, to address aesthetic and environmental concerns (particularly Electromagnetic fields) concerns from customers Recreation, Parks & Culture Environmental considerations include recreation facility development, planning and operation In last three years, staff have been focused on applying sustainability to operations In terms of facility development, there is a lack of clear corporate direction related to LEED, but they have adopted an informal LEED shadow approach Parks Parks are the public s first view of environmental issues Have parks planning areas, use GIS to track parkland, involved with landscape approvals, water management plans and rely on the land use bylaw for enforcement of parks-related policies 10 years ago, Parks was largely involved with simple operations, now, 90% of time is focused on operations and 10% of effort is spent on environmental initiatives and natural area protection. A River and Tributaries Concept Master Plan is completed and in draft form, includes future thinking about parks expansion and management Motors that are used within Parks are all fuel efficient where possible Using recycled aggregate material for trail development Challenge is with overall policy statements but experience is that policy statements alone are not very effective in motivating private-sector action and are most effective on city parkland. Annexation now a big issue, agricultural issues, private land management are a challenge. Red Deer Museum & Art Gallery Museum includes art and history, mostly regional but also national Museum has recently been retrofitted (1998) With the humidity needs for holdings protection uses a lot of energy, though new lighting will help reduce this Feel they can play a big role in education like the Kerry Wood Centre Will be planning a series of exhibits looking into agriculture - local food, environmental issues etc Some new sustainable technologies have been tested in renovation projects but mitigating the risks of innovation is a major concern Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 98

104 RCMP Largest impact is vehicle use and gas consumption Paper use is high Have implemented use if bicycles and officers on foot to reduce the environmental impact New police building downtown is LEED Plastics are recycled Cooperate with the Parks Department to reduce ATVs use in sensitive environmental areas for the policing of parks Closing Discussions As a culminating activity, the meeting participants were asked to describe what they saw as the major issues around creating and implementing an Environmental Master Plan. The following were the main issues raised and suggestions offered: Would benefit from defined priorities related to environmental performance within the City corporation Financial capacity is a challenge Staff capacity is a challenge Need a culture change: shifting thinking needed for city growing up not out Jurisdictional leadership & coordination at province and regional scales & governments Helping the community move along with us Risk of inaction is great 99 Environmental master plan

105 Stakeholder Meetings March 29th and 30th On March 29th and 30th eleven Key Stakeholder group meetings were held with selected City of Red Deer departments, community and environmental organizations, business communities and industries. The purpose of these Key Stakeholder meetings was to gain a better understanding of the state of the environment in Red Deer from a variety of community perspectives. These interviews also helped the consultant team to begin process of connecting with important Red Deer community leaders, to gain their input and suggestions for the Environmental Master Plan. These meetings provided an early opportunity to gather feedback to inform the environmental vision and core directions of the study and to set the stage for future consultations. Each 45-minute long meeting was lead by two or more members of the consultant team and featured a guided discussion based on the following initial questions: Please tell us about your organization/company/personal environmental passion. Are there any environmental strategies, programs, projects or initiatives that are ongoing or planned for future implementation? What are the 3 most effective environmental initiatives currently taking place in Red Deer that enhance or encourage the environmental performance of your organization / company / community? In your opinion, what are Red Deer s key priorities and issues related to the environment (natural and built)? In 5, 10 and 25 years time, what does Red Deer s environment look like? How will we get there? What does the City need to do in order to be a national leader in environmental sustainability? Over the course of these two days meetings were held with the following groups: Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 100

106 Key Stakeholder Meeting Groups March 29th and 30th 2010 Environmental Groups Waskasoo Environmental Education Society Red Deer River Naturalists Parkland Airshed Management Zone Red Deer River Watershed Alliance Active Community Influence Group 1 Red Deer Public Library Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools Red Deer Public Schools Red Deer Advocate Waskasoo Environmental Education Society Culture and Tourism Group 1 Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society Business Community Advantage Commercial Realty Red Deer Advocate Parkland Mall Bruin s Plumbing Parkland Community Planning Services Major Industries Lonkar Services Ltd. ATCO Gas Saputo Permolex Ltd. Finning (Canada) Olymel Regional Economic Development Red Deer College Red Deer Chamber of Commerce Active City Influence Group 2 Alberta Environment Rethink Red Deer Sustainable Red Deer Red Deer & District Community Foundation Alberta Health Services Red Deer sites City of Red Deer Parks City of Red Deer Green Team Culture and Tourism Group 2 Tourism Red Deer City of Red Deer Culture Development Industry Group2 Architects Melcor Development Avalon Homes 101 Environmental master plan

107 The following are key highlights from each of the above-listed meeting: Environmental Groups The discussion with environmental groups focused on challenges and issues with environmental protection in Red Deer today, and on identifying environmentally-related resources and data sets. Some of the most important challenges identified included concern about watershed integrity, ecological integrity and encroachment into and lack of setbacks from sensitive river-side lands. Lack of a strong policy basis to control development in environmentally sensitive areas including setbacks from watersheds was noted as a distinct challenge. The impacts of Red Deer s rapid growth were also discussed during this session including concerns with the loss of high quality agricultural land surrounding the City and air quality issues accompanying rising numbers of cars in the City. The need for wildlife crossings, park stewardship and promoting the use of native species for planting in the City were also discussed. Active Community Influence Group 1 While this group featured individuals from different organizations the common threads among them was education and information sharing. Each of the interviewees described their organization s role and involvement with environmental initiatives including the ongoing environmental programs at Waskasoo Park, the recent Rediscover Green project and website at the library and school-based programs within the public and Catholic school boards. In terms of schools, the representatives present were facilities managers and spoke more to building efficiencies; but agreed that education and connections with youth could provide a great deal of energy to inspire change in how people interact with the environment in Red Deer. The members of this group also discussed the negative perceptions people hold about the environment as it relates to crime, agreeing that there is a widespread perception of danger in using natural park spaces or allowing children to walk to school was also discussed. City of Red Deer Parks A special focus group was held with the City Parks department considering this department s key involvement with the environment in Red Deer. During this session the participants described the different technologies and tools that Parks uses including GIS-based data collection and mapping to track the natural environment in the City. In addition, key issues raised during this meeting included a need for stronger setback polices to restrict development adjacent to ravines and the restricted ability for Parks to negotiate for more park land dedication from developers in light of the removal of the maximum density cap. Successes such as the city gardening plots and the City s new ability to require a 3:1 ratio for replacement of wetlands were also discussed. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 102

108 Culture and Tourism Group 1 This meeting with the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society focused on the operations of the Cultural Heritage Society itself, including annual Canada Day festivities, and environmental issues identified by the Society. Issues with the social relationship to the environment, particularly a lack of public community meeting spaces and a dwindling sense of safety were identified. In addition, a disconnect was noted with the creation of a transit hub downtown with a major parkade, such a move does not promote a transit-oriented philosophy. Business Community This discussion provided some insight into how pervasive green concepts are within the business community. One participant, a member of the Rotary Club, noted that being green was not a hot topic amongst that community. A number of comments were focused on incentives that could be put into place to encourage more green development and business practices, including rebates on permits to encourage greener homes and buildings or a reduction in property taxes for a green building that achieved a certain rating. Amongst this group, there was an overall perception that the City did not have high priority for environmental issues. Parkland Community Planning Services Considering this department s potential influence and impact on how the City grows and develops a special focus group was organized to discuss planning issues in Red Deer. Parkland Community Planning Services (PCPS) acts as The City of Red Deer s planning department. Its primary responsibilities include review of development applications as well as creation and implementation of policies that shape the City s growth and development. The focus of this session was on planning and development control tools available to PCPS and their effectiveness in shaping development in more environmentally friendly ways. The Neighbourhood Design Standards and Guidelines were discussed, as was the role of the Engineering department in planning decisions. PCPS participants shared the view that it will be difficult to achieve a more compact, sustainable building form in the City because there is little incentive when land is readily available and relatively cheap. A similar view was held towards achieving wider use of public transit, with the ease and convenience of driving and the reluctance for people to forgo their private vehicles. The participants noted the introduction of more environmentally sensitive development concepts and policy frameworks in the downtown, Riverlands and Garden Heights areas of the City, but were generally skeptical about their implementation and success in the short term. Culture and Tourism Group 2 Including attendees from Tourism Red Deer and The City of Red Deer s Culture department, this group discussed the approaches taken toward the environment within their own organizations, and shared personal thoughts about challenges in making Red Deer a more environmentally friendly place. In terms of tourism, there is a sense among member businesses that being environmentally responsible is good for business, noting that many people come to Red Deer to enjoy the parks system, and that Gasoline Alley is seen as detrimental to Red Deer s image with travellers. Regarding culture, events are organized to include re-use of materials. Both participants shared their thoughts on the challenges to improving Red Deer s relationship with the environment, noting resident s attachment to personal vehicles, with little incentive or desire to pursue other modes of transportation; and missed opportunities with City budgeting and spending on environmental- initiatives. 103 Environmental master plan

109 Development Industry The discussions held with development industry representatives focused on issues, concerns and challenges developers face with creation of new neighbourhoods in Red Deer, the potential market for green buildings and environmentally-friendly building practices they are already doing. The group shared a feeling that some City departments were reluctant to embrace innovative sustainable initiatives and that higher density development was not welcomed by the City. According to one home builder that participated, the market for green buildings is growing and proactive builders are incorporating more environment features in homes, but there are no mandated City polices to require all builders to follow suit. One of the main themes from this discussion was the need for more certainty in the development process, particularly related to City approvals of new green approaches and technologies. The participants were positive they could work within development constraints aimed at environmental concerns, including natural heritage protection, as long as they knew up front, not at the end of the process, what those constraints and requirements were. Major Industries The Major Industries group provided their perspectives about environmental impacts and initiatives of some of the large industrial employers in the City. One of the participants from Permolex noted that their plant uses co-generation and created excess power, but lacked a way to sell it to the City. ATCO also is actively implementing environmental initiatives such as an anti-idling policy, geothermal conditioning of its facilities, and use of hybrid vehicles in their corporate fleet. This session also featured a discussion how to encourage industries to become more environmentally-friendly in their practices. Setting standards or requiring audits of corporate practices was mentioned as a way to help businesses run more efficiently. A main concern among this group was how to ensure the Environmental Master Plan is a benefit to business, and not an additional cost. Regional Economic Development This interview featured discussion of the Eco Innovation Park at Red Deer College, environmental initiatives by the Chamber of Commerce, a commentary on challenges to environmental innovation and a need for cohesive environmental direction within the City. The Red Deer College representative described the concept and workings of the Eco Innovation Park noting that it is actively promoting environmental sustainability and innovation through offering space and resources to develop new technologies. The Chamber of Commerce is currently promoting a Local First campaign emphasizing the importance of local purchasing. During the general discussion, both participants noted that the City tends to have a siloed approach to the environment and identified an opportunity for the City to take a proactive leadership role with pilot projects, partnerships and stronger environmental policies. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 104

110 Active City Influence Group 2 This second Active City Influence interview included representatives from Red Deer and District Community Foundation, Re Think Red Deer and Sustainable Red Deer, Alberta Environment and Alberta Health Services. This interview focused on the relationship of each of these groups to the environment including: the Vital Signs project lead by the Red Deer & District Community Foundation, a document that tracks and rates a range of targets including environmentally-related items; the advocacy role of ReThink and Sustainable Red Deer, who focus on the pedestrian environment and improving a democratic process and engagement with the public regarding environmental issues; the role of Alberta Environment, who are moving towards a cumulative effects management programming, considering wider, water-shed wide impacts of land use decisions; and progress Alberta Health Services has made in improving energy efficiency in current buildings and higher environmental performance of new buildings. Overall the participants noted the important role the City can play in setting a strong policy context, with the Environmental Master Plan as a core guiding document. City of Red Deer Green Team The Green Team is an internal committee, designed to encourage, empower and support staff to green City departments and activities. The purpose of the Green Team is to foster a conservation ethic throughout the organization, and to raise awareness and enhance employee engagement in corporate environmental issues caused and/or impacted by The City s day to day operations. The Team will be made up of representatives from a number of City departments with the goal of providing a balanced cross section of all City operations. (City of Red Deer Website) To date, the Green Team has investigated and begun to implement a few initiatives, including: Double-sided printing and default to black and white printing; Made a switch to 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all internal documents; Energy reduction in: motion sensors for lights and encouraging the shutting off of monitors; Better recycling within offices; Opportunities for recycling from businesses there is none at present; and Maintain a status update of their activities on the internal Bridge portal. The Green Team faces a few challenges: the program is new and still developing where their efforts will lead them is unknown; better communication for department specific initiatives, though they have been successful in sharing open initiatives that include all departments; their budgeted time commitment is 4 hours per month, including a meeting, and this is proving to be inadequate for the number of initiatives that need researched and implemented; and the Team collectively suggests that the City promote, to the community and beyond, what they are doing internally. 105 Environmental master plan

111 Consultation Summary June 14th and 15th 2010 Over June 14th and 15th 2010, the Environmental Master Plan project team hosted two student workshops and one community workshop to gather public input on the development of The City of Red Deer Environmental Master Plan. The workshops focused on understanding the community s view on the Vision for Red Deer s environmental future and the Core Directions that will frame the creation of the Environmental Master Plan. The following document includes a description of the engagement events, main themes that emerged and how those comments have impacted the development of the Environmental Master Plan. The draft Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions that were the focus of these discussions are in included in for reference. Student Workshops Two student workshops were held at this stage of the Environmental Master Plan Process. The first workshop was held Monday June 14th at Notre Dame High School and the second workshop was held Tuesday June 15th at Hunting Hills High School. Each high school workshop had more than 20 students participate in a 30 minute session. The student workshops began with a short presentation from Melanie Hare that described the purpose of an Environmental Master Plan and the importance of understanding young peoples perspectives on the environment. This was followed by an interactive activity closely linked to the Environmental Master Plan focus areas. The interactive element of the workshop included making posters highlighting youth values and beliefs about Red Deer s environmental future. Using images representing transportation, air, water, waste, built environment and energy, participants created posters which reflected their visions and priorities for their city s environmental future. Each student group worked together to describe their environmental vision and then shared the outcomes of their exercise with the entire group at the end of the session. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 106

112 What We Heard From the Students In total seven posters were created between the two workshops. The following outlines the most common themes that emerged during the workshops. Waste Ideas about litter, waste reduction and recycling were among the most common themes communicated by participants. Many group posters emphasize a future that is clean, green and free of litter on the streets. Strategies to achieve these goals include introducing more garbage cans in the public realm and providing more opportunities for recycling a greater range of products. Implementing incentives to encourage recycling, banning plastic water bottles and plastic bags were also mentioned as motivators. Open Space A discussion of the importance of green space, parks and outdoor recreation occurred in every group. The students comments reflected a priority on improving the green spaces that currently exist in the city and supplementing that asset with more parks and outdoor recreational opportunities. The youth vision of green space in the city included planting more trees, connecting parks and adding more places to hike or walk in nature. Energy The students visions emphasized a need to embrace new low-impact energy technologies and use renewable energy sources. More fuel efficient cars, the use of solar power and wind power were identified as ways help reduce air pollution and dependence on fossil fuels. Walking, Cycling and Public Transportation Many students reported walking, cycling, skateboarding or using public transit as a primary transportation mode in their day-to-day lives. The majority of students noted a future Red Deer with an improved public transportation system, an enhanced on and off street bicycling trail network and a system of connected sidewalks that encourage walking. More visionary comments around transportation included encouraging high speed rail to connect Red Deer to Edmonton and Calgary to improve job opportunities and reduce traffic congestion. Built form In place of the current pattern of subdivision development which consumes prime agricultural land and forests, students envisioned a future for Red Deer where the city grows up - not out. Townhomes were noted by some groups as being a preferable housing form as they take up less space than traditional developments. The desire for connected communities and urban villages were also noted as part of the vision for Red Deer s future built form. Water The student visions placed an emphasis on ensuring the future of Red Deer included clean and safe water in the region s rivers, ponds and tributaries. Water conservation was highlighted as a priority and potential strategies to achieve this vision include low-flow toilet rebates and incentives. Education and Community Two of the student posters identify increased education about the environment as an important part of ensuring a strong environmental future for Red Deer. The presence of green community groups and programs such as yoga in the park were mentioned as ways to connect Red Deer residents to their environment. 107 Environmental master plan

113 Community Workshop On Tuesday, June 15th a community workshop was held at the Golden Circle in downtown Red Deer, from 6:30-9pm. Attracting over 40 participants, the purpose of the community workshop was to gather public input on the Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions for the Environmental Master Plan. The workshop was structured around two short presentations by Melanie Hare. The first presentation introduced the imperative around creating an Environmental Master Plan, provided a snapshot of Red Deer s current environmental programs and performance. Workshop attendees then gathered around roundtables of 8-10 participants to discuss and list Red Deer s environmental strengths and weaknesses by identifying specific examples on a city map. Following this activity Melanie presented the Draft Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions, providing examples from other cities to show how such a direction has been implemented. Participants were then asked to discuss this draft material and to work together to revise and augment the Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions. The outcomes of this session are described below. What we heard from the Community Strengths and Weaknesses The first workshop activity focused on understanding the community s sense of what Red Deer s environmental strengths and weaknesses were. The following describes the main themes that emerged from this exercise. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 108

114 Strengths Open Spaces Many of the participants highlighted Red Deer s natural heritage as a major strength. The parks and trails network, Gaetz Lake, Red Deer River, O Brien Constructed Wetlands, Waskasoo and Piper Creeks, Kerry Wood Nature Centre, the presence of wildlife in the city and the growing number of public garden plots were among the strengths commonly highlighted. Waste Management Participants were aware of and recognized elements of Red Deer s waste management programs as a strength. The landfill was noted as strength, as was the City s curbside recycling program and the waste water treatment plant. Transportation The presence of The City of Red Deer s public transit system was noted as a strength. Two groups noted the planned ring road as strength as it will divert heavy truck traffic away from the centre of the city. Others were concerned with the environmental impact of this road extension through sensitive natural heritage areas. Use of New Technologies Participants saw the use of new green technologies in the city as strength. Examples of this included the solar panels at Kerry Wood Nature Centre, the net zero homes built in the city and the installation of LED traffic signals by Electric Light and Power. City Leadership The City s leadership in environmental initiatives was noted. Examples include the creation of LEED buildings at the new Civic Yards, the LEED RCMP building, Electric Light and Power s use of renewable power sources, The City s willingness to pilot new technologies and the opportunities presented by The City for public input into the Environmental Master Plan process. Built Form One participant group noted the new town centre proposal in east Red Deer, Timberlands, as an innovative model for creating urban mixed use villages. Weaknesses Built Form Many participants noted weaknesses in Red Deer s built form that had negative impacts on the environment. These weaknesses include cookie cutter sprawl, water detention ponds that were not ecologically friendly, a lack of connectivity and walkability between neighbourhoods, a need for more mixed use development, a lack of residential density and activity in the downtown core, the destruction of farm land for suburban development and low residential density contributing to automobile dependence. Transportation Participants noted a number of weaknesses related to transportation. Missing sidewalks and a lack of on-street cycling lanes and trails connecting to newer residential areas were noted as deterrents to active transportation. Inconvenient scheduling and bus routes were noted as weaknesses in Red Deer s public transit system. Also noted was the inexpensive cost of parking downtown, which does not encourage drivers to seek other modes of transportation to that area. Waste Management While participants noted the landfill and curbside recycling as strengths, they also noted a number of area for improvement related to waste management. Participants saw the narrow range of accepted recyclable materials as a weakness as well as the high threshold of bags of garbage per household. Opportunities for improvement include the introduction of a household composting program and multiunit residential curbside recycling collection. Water Participants noted that untreated storm water entering the Red Deer River and its tributaries as a concern. Residential water usage was also mentioned and capturing water in rain barrels for individual use should be more promoted and adopted. Air Participants noted the lack of idling restrictions. There was also concern that there were a lack of air quality initiatives and a pressing need to improve air quality in Red Deer as industry continues to grow in the city. 109 Environmental master plan

115 Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions The second interactive session focused on obtaining input around the draft Environmental Vision and Core Directions. A draft Environmental Vision Statement was presented to the participants as well as six Core Directions intended to guide the development of the Environmental Master Plan. Participants were asked to edit and modify the statements. The following summarizes their comments. Environmental Vision Statement The draft Environmental Vision Statement was presented as follows: Red Deer will conserve its rich natural environment and minimize its ecological footprint through community collaboration and active stewardship. Red Deer will become a leading example of a vibrant, ecologically connected and sustainable community. Many of the participants generally agreed with the Environmental Vision Statement but offered different ideas about wording and phrases within the statement. In particular: The word conserve was seen to be outdated and not expressive or action oriented The word vibrant was seen as not descriptive enough, preferring liveable, resilient or proactive A clear desire was expressed for a time frame added to the statement such as By 2030 to make the Environmental Vision more of a concrete direction for future action The tense of the environmental vision statement was debated; many participants desired the statement to be written in the present tense showing that in the future Red Deer will be or will have achieved all of the qualities written in the vision A greater emphasis on community collaboration and partnerships was desired in the statement Inclusion of language regarding a leadership role for The City of Red Deer in implementing the vision was desired in the statement The phrase ecologically connected was seen as unclear; participants suggested the statement needed different language to express the notion of connected ecosystems Core Directions The comments and input gathered about the Core Directions are summarized below under each draft Core Direction: Encourage, Educate, Enable, Engage Participants noted that accessible environmental education for the public is important. Some participants believed that enforcement through environmental bylaws and policies will help drive change across the community. Incentives were also brought up as something that may be required to help educate the public. Protect and Promote Green Space As seen in the comments received on the environmental vision statement, the word promote was seen to be too passive and a more active word such as enhance was suggested by some participants. Other groups wanted to ensure that Green Space was properly defined and described to include natural areas, open space as well as city parks. Conservation of open space as well as open space connectivity was also noted as an important part of this direction. Transit and Pedestrian-Oriented Planning Groups suggested strategies to reduce dependency on cars and emphasize pedestrian mobility, cycling and using public transit. Many of the groups noted the importance of defining this direction to support multi-modal active transportation such as rollerblading, running and cycling. Sustainable Growth Patterns Many participants agreed this was an important direction, but felt as though this Core Direction needed to include mention of how to control growth. Other comments included defining this direction to include mention of village centres with green areas connecting neighbourhoods. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 110

116 Lead by Example, Learn by Doing Participants pointed out they would like to reverse the title of this direction, to learn first and then lead by example. Participants were very supportive of City leadership in environmental initiatives and saw it is a key part of making the Environmental Master Plan a success. Other groups also wanted to ensure that personal responsibility was highlighted in this direction, encouraging individuals to recognize the impact of their own actions. Sustainable Economics Many of the participants suggested the title of this direction should be modified to make a clearer statement about its intent. Impact on Environmental Master Plan Process The input gathered through these public consultation sessions, as well as comments and opinions received from the Let s Talk Red Deer public engagement website was considered in the July 19th refinement of the Situation Assessment and its Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions. The input and ideas gathered at these sessions and from the on-line participants will continue to inform the Environmental Master Plan process as the project team moves to defining environmental strategies and actions for Red Deer. 111 Environmental master plan

117 Draft Environmental Vision Statement and Core Directions Presented at the Community Meeting June 15th 2010 Draft Environmental Vision Statement Red Deer will conserve its rich natural environment and minimize its ecological footprint through community collaboration and active stewardship. Red Deer will become a leading example of a vibrant, ecologically connected and sustainable community. Draft Core Directions Encourage, Educate, Engage, Enable With support from community organizations and champions, The City of Red Deer can deliver an effective engagement, awareness and constituent building campaign highlighting the importance of environmental stewardship, and foster ongoing dialogue, information and resources that enable The City and individuals improve their ecological footprints. Protect and Promote Green Space The Waskasoo and neighbourhood parks system will grow, both by creating green links with existing and new park spaces, and enhancing habitat for valuable and endangered species. The main spine and new branches of the park network would connect residents with places of work, schools, commercial areas and essential services, and will be well used for transportation, recreation, and surface storm water management. Ecosystems throughout Red Deer will thrive, protected with policies that preserve and enhance regional waterways, fauna, and flora. Transit and Pedestrian- Oriented Planning Red Deer as a walkable, cycle friendly and transit first community, would allow its citizens a full range of mobility options for neighbourhood and city-wide destinations. Public transit and pedestrian routes as well as recreation paths would be a priority in all community design and would connect residential areas with commercial and industrial zones. Revitalization and sensitive intensification of the downtown core would serve to connect residents with their community and its history, strengthening the economic and social heart of the city. Key transit supportive corridors and nodes designed for pedestrians and transit, within convenient walking distance of residential neighbourhoods, would encourage healthy access to local retail, services and workplaces. Future development plans would encourage commuter and visitor travel by public transit, walking, bicycling, in -ine skating, and other low-carbon means. Sustainable Growth Patterns Red Deer will ensure long term environmentally sustainable growth through investment in existing communities and consideration of the development of compact new urban communities. Sustainable growth patterns in Red Deer will be supported by the integration of growth with transit planning and meaningful connections with green and open spaces. Creation of complete, age-friendly and pedestrian friendly communities where design excellence and innovation toward sustainable community building are common expectations will be key considerations for the sustainable development of Red Deer in the future. Lead by Example; Learn by Doing Following The City of Red Deer s Strategic Plan , Red Deer will implement innovative, low-impact development and operations approaches demonstrated to be effective by other municipal leaders. New City initiatives will aim at high triple bottom line performance, and developing the knowledge, skills and expertise of local citizens, businesses and City staff. The City s energy generation, waste processing, transportation, and operational decisions will emphasize renewable and healthy approaches that minimize adverse environmental impacts. New initiatives will be prioritized considering their environmental benefits and life-cycle accounting. Sustainable Economics The City will consider life-cycle fiscal costs and environmental impacts in its fiscal decisions, to maximize the long-term economic health of taxpayers, regional businesses, and its own budgets. The City will consider the impacts of its taxes and fees on decisions made by local businesses and citizens that affect their environmental impacts. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 112

118 Public Consultation Summary October 12th 13th Over October 12th and 13th 2010, the Environmental Master Plan project team hosted a community workshop event, a student workshop at Red Deer College and three stakeholder meetings to gather public input on the development of The City of Red Deer Environmental Master Plan. The consultation focused on gathering feedback and ideas on specific actions and strategies that could be undertaken to implement the goals and core directions of the EMP. The following provides a description of the consultation events and the main themes and ideas that emerged. Community Workshop On October 12th a community workshop was held at the Balmoral Bible Chapel. Attracting approximately 50 participants, the workshop was opened with a presentation by Melanie Hare on the EMP process to date and the current area of focus: metrics, targets and actions. Following the presentation participants were led through roundtable discussions to obtain feedback on the proposed metrics, targets and actions in each focus area. Participants were asked to comment and edit the actions and prioritize actions using green stars. This exercise was followed by a second roundtable discussion to address challenges to success, solutions to those challenges and partnerships to pursue to support EMP implementation. The following is a summary of public comment received at that event. Air Targets were seen as adequate, but questions were raised about how to achieve higher targets. Interest was shown in how the recommended targets compared with other communities Presented actions were commented on as follows: - Capture methane from the landfill received one prioritization star - Emphasis was made on Ongoing education campaign, a comment which received one star - Encourage use of low impact transportation received one prioritization star - Encourage residents to save energy at home by conducting energy audits and implementing changes received one prioritization star - Facilitate opportunities for residents and corporate Red Deer to buy green power or install on-site green power received three prioritization star - Implement and enforce anti-idling bylaws received one prioritization star - Educational awareness campaigns on air quality received two prioritization stars Identify and quantify large emitters, and confirm which The City has control, influence, or no control received one prioritization star - Map point sources for air pollution sources received one prioritization star - Additional actions of: Bike lanes; Online carpool registry; Make it harder to emit GHG s (more costly and easier not to) were added by participants - Participants noted the following gaps: Monitor carcinogens; Localized pollution sources (e.g. Wood burning stoves); Correlating air quality with health issues; Not identifying source of pollutants (monitoring is too basic) 113 Environmental master plan

119 Water Presented actions were commented on as follows: - Develop educational awareness on water reduction strategies received one prioritization star - Encourage grey water re-use systems for toilet flushing, irrigation and clothes washing received three prioritization stars - Encourage use of xeriscaping and native plantings to reduce irrigation needs received one prioritization star - Provide restrictions to limit water use for irrigation/ water rationing for lawns received two prioritization stars. - Expand water monitoring program to include creeks as well received one prioritization star - Measure and monitor quality, peak flow, and quantity quality of storm water and use this information to inform strategies related to this metric received one prioritization star - Encourage front load laundry and other efficient appliances (rebate program). received two prioritization stars - Additional actions of: Reverse how we charge for water (lower fixed rate/higher consumption rate) (received one star); Discourage bottled water; Provide incentives to those who use less water; Connect water usage + costs more clearly i.e. for instance, if they conserve water it should be evident on their bills. (received three prioritization stars); Recover costs from those who use the resource the greatest were added by participants Ecology Targets appear too high and would have to be in line with the Alberta Planning Act. Presented actions were commented on as follows: - Increase the amount of land dedicated to wetland and wilderness areas work and count on this / be specific to features or systems received three prioritization stars - Provide incentives for developers to protect additional land when communities are developed / no roadways through natural areas - Work with developers and land owners to explore new means of land acquisition consider the form of growth received one prioritization star - Implement tree protection measures received one prioritization star - Implement tree planting requirements for new developments received two prioritization stars - Develop community education and awareness campaigns to inform residential pest control users received one prioritization star - Education for the public with respect to all strategies/ actions received two prioritization stars - Additional actions of: Prime agriculture land to prairie; Dark skies policy; Work with County ; Connected systems i.e. habitat corridors (habitat and species) living roofs incentives ; more garden plots and community gardens; - Sensitive community designs ; Allow greater density to compensate for environmental land; Identify areas of biodiversity (Bower Woods) and Link to water conservation were added by participants. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 114

120 Transportation Presented actions were commented on as follows: - Further develop alternative transportation infrastructure (sidewalks, bike paths/racks) throughout the City - priority order: pedestrians, biker, buses/trains, multivehicle, single person vehicle (long boards, etc) received five prioritization stars - Develop education and awareness campaigns related to reducing automobile use received one prioritization star - Provide incentives to businesses and schools to encourage public transit (received one prioritization star - Planned congested (accepted) received one prioritization star - Make transit/buses the preferred mode (luxury) wifi/ hot chocolate, TV, etc received one prioritization star - Require bike baths and safe pedestrian routes on all new roadways and community developments including across Hwy 2 received one prioritization star - Mandate design of new communities to include walkability to transit, community facilities and small scale commercial businesses received one prioritization star - Establish a build up, not out policy received one prioritization star Built Environment Presented actions were commented on as follows: - Identify potential properties for infill development received one prioritization star - Look at innovative ways to provide smaller units received one prioritization star - Create community gardens in higher-density communities received one prioritization star - Encourage garden sharing received one prioritization star - Balcony planters received one prioritization star - Increase minimum density received three prioritization stars - Smart density not just big houses on small lots received four prioritization stars - Additional actions identified by participants included: Need to look at density differently; Look at other communities which do density well; Establish minimum density to provide economical services; Focus on public realm + amenities - high density can still have open space/natural areas; Providing quality public space can encourage density; More mixed use development; Urban Harvest share produce; Garden as interim use on lands to be developed; Find way to connect people who want produce with those who have extra; Establish community gardens in each neighbourhood; Look at providing for Granny Flats above garage or secondary structure 115 Environmental master plan

121 Energy Presented actions were commented on as follows: Explore financial incentives for energy reductions received one prioritization star Implement renewable technology programs received one prioritization star Relate to power costs (bills) received one prioritization star Implement educational awareness campaigns on green energy and waste energy to encourage on-site green power generation for buildings received two prioritization stars Additional actions identified by participants included: provide a break for citizens living lighter on the earth Waste Presented actions were commented on as follows: Reduce residential weekly garbage bag limit and charge for the quantity of residential waste disposal beyond this allowance received one prioritization star and was noted as being discouraging to large families Limit the amount of construction waste permitted received two prioritization stars Review solid waste generation by type (residential, industrial, construction etc) on at least an annual basis and set strategies to target high waste producers received one prioritization star Develop green procurement policies for City operations (i.e. food services suppliers) received one prioritization star Expand the yard waste pick-up program to include condos and apartments buildings received one prioritization star Educate people on what they are producing and what the impact is and how to recycle, compost more received one prioritization star Provide kitchen waste compost collection for residential homes and businesses received three prioritization stars Increase what is allowable in recyclables received one prioritization star Additional comments made by participants includes: Bottled water is an issue; kick it to the curb not effective title for give away garbage days; Increase in recyclable receptacles in the Park system; Add Edmonton comparison for target benchmark for waste management Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 116

122 Discussion of Challenges, Strengths and Partnerships Challenges In general the major challenges identified by participants focuses around engagement and participation of the community at large in environmental initiatives, particularly around transportation and housing options. Financial balance of implementing changes and fear of adopting new technology without a full understanding of the long term success of that technology were also noted as challenges. Solutions The discussion of how to address challenges evoked inspired and passionate responses from participants. Key to environmental progress included The City leading by example and demonstrating environmental excellence, using incentives to encourage not punish people to change their behaviors and providing ongoing education and awareness. The following is a selection of comments about challenges recorded during the community workshop: Trying to keep up with the tech. and trends. What is best? Public not aware/interested Change of mindset around use of resources Economics costs of programs & initiatives Transportation issue- people aren t using the public transit system The following is a selection of comments about solutions recorded during the community workshop: Make the environment EVERYONE S responsibility Empower the public with information about energy reduction what they can do to help reach environmental goals Fact Reporting and regular updates linked to environmental goal achievements on utility bills, City s web site, on back of buses Introduce time of use rates for water/electricity Make taking transit a more user-focused experience Partners There was a strong recognition that The City could not undertake the Environmental Master Plan alone. A number of potential partners were identified by the participants including developers, youth and sports clubs, schools and teachers, Red Deer County, Provincial and Federal governments, Red Deer College, business communities and large regional employers. 117 Environmental master plan

123 Stakeholder Meetings Red Deer College A stakeholder session was held with a group of approximately 15 Red Deer College students on the afternoon of October 13th. After a brief presentation from Leigh McGrath about the Environmental Master Plan and its component parts the students were asked to contribute their thoughts to defining specific actions to implement the EMP. Students were asked to split into groups, choose their top three environmental focus areas and prepare a list of at least ten actions related to achieving environmental progress in their chosen focus areas. The first group chose waste, energy and transportation noting that these categories were chosen because the group believed in their life time there would be major advances in technology related to these categories and therefore a greater opportunity to create positive change. The following provides a selection of the actions presented by the students: Increase recycling in public areas Mandatory composting in residential areas Greenhouse gas capture from landfills Invest in wind energies Timer on lights in public buildings Paint roofs white Use bio diesel in busses Encourage use of bicycles The second group of students selected ecology, air/energy and built environment as their top focus area. The top actions identified by this group included: Create policy that require natural areas to be interspersed with residential development Collect storm water to be used in other ways (water reclaiming) City-wide ban on bottled water Improve walkability by improving mixed use of land Provide programming to increase bus use among students The final college group selected ecology, energy and waste as their priority focus areas. Their top actions included: Create awareness through education Protect green areas from human impact i.e. stricter laws on littering Incentive program for residential solar energy production. Promote wind power Increase The City s use of green energy More recycling options Tax over the limit of bags of garbage City composting program Encourage composting Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 118

124 Business Group On October 13th a group of 17 representatives from Red Deer s business and industrial community participated in a stakeholder session. This group included representatives from the major local mall, Parkland Mall, industrial employers such as Permolex and Olymel, dairy processer Saputo and the Red Deer College Centre for Innovation and Advanced Technology. Strong themes emerging from this session included the need for quick wins to come out of the Environmental Master Plan including actions that businesses could undertake within a 5-year horizon. Additionally the group was interested in finding ways to encourage and publicly showcase businesses that were making environmental progress. Consistent messaging from The City regarding expectations for environmental performance as well as consistency in any new by-laws or policies was also highlighted by this stakeholder group. Developers Group Approximately ten representatives from different elements of the development industry participated an October 13th stakeholder session. The comments gathered from this group touched on the need for leadership from The City to set environmental development guidelines and noted that the industry is making strides in what they are producing. Densities in the residential markets are coming down, and it was noted that there is a growing trend for lots and family homes to become smaller. The group also noted the need for flexibility in the development process, but also mentioned the city should be more aggressive in setting guidelines for development if they expect change. The nature of the residential housing market and its relationship to planning policy was also noted as a challenge; the policy guidelines and what the marketplace are dictating are often at odds with each other. Community Leaders Group A group of community leaders was invited to attend a stakeholder session the morning of October 14th. Approximately 17 people attended the discussion representing a range of community groups including environmental groups, senior s groups, the school boards and social service agencies. This group was provided an overview of the Environmental Master Plan and its component parts. Subsequently an extended question, answer and discussion was held among the group and the consultant team. Topics addressed included the importance of ongoing education and engagement of the public and the role that they and other community groups can play in connecting to the public; the need to engage residents across cultural lines; proving clear example of what a mother, a child, a father, a student, all segments of Red Deer s community could do to implement the goals of the EMP; the importance of a regular reporting mechanism to tell Red Deer s stories of environmental success and what it has been undertaking to achieve its goals. The participants noted the strong volunteer culture in Red Deer and suggested that with the right cooperative attitude and support from The City that many community groups would be interested in partnering with The City of Red Deer to achieve its environmental goals. 119 Environmental master plan

125 Council Orientation December 10, 2011 Community Consultation February During this event the project team met with the new Council to provide an orientation to what is the Environmental Master Plan, what had been achieved and what were the next steps. The goal of this final round of public consultation was to determine whether the citizens of Red Deer thought the targets set out in the draft Environmental Master Plan (EMP) were achievable, and if the corresponding actions would take Red Deer in the right direction. Council members also had the opportunity to review the actions recommended for each focus area of the Plan, and provide feedback on which actions resonated the most and the least for them. Finally, Council brainstormed on what they thought would be the biggest challenges and barriers to implementation of the Plan, and what would be the biggest wins or opportunities. From February 1st through 5th, 2011 The City s Environmental Initiatives team visited five separate locations at seven different times, including: Red Deer College, Collicutt Centre, City Roast Coffee, Red Deer Public Library, and Parkland Mall. Participants were asked to complete a survey about their choice of one of the seven focus areas: Water, Ecology, Transportation, Built Environment, Air, Energy or Waste. 198 surveys were completed. The City s Environmental Initiatives team also conducted a workshop with 24 students in a Leadership class at École Secondaire Notre Dame High School. The students completed 12 surveys, for a final total of 210. Overall Red Deerians agreed with the steps being taken to achieve The City s Environmental goals. They felt positive about the direction the community is headed and offered comments on a variety of topics. The following are key messages from the community in regards to overall City leadership: It is important to develop long term planning in all focus areas of air, water, built environment, energy, ecology, transportation and waste Create a balance between: The City setting an example of environmental leadership and the Community taking responsibility for their actions towards the environment The City is moving in the right direction, the areas identified and targets set will help The City achieve its environmental goals Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 120

126 Education is the key to achieving goals, especially for children learning good environmental principles Concerned over raised taxes and/or fees to accomplish goals In addition to these comments, Red Deerians also commented on focus areas of their choosing. The following comments outline the most talked about topics: AIR Vehicle idling Industry outputs Too many vehicles on road Allergens/pollutants in air (wood smoke, cigarettes, particles, pollution, etc.) Need a GHG reduction plan Turning a blind eye to GHG issues many are not informed Smell, smog issues WATER Taking clean water availability for granted Involve community more Set higher targets than proposed we can decrease more Storm water management plan why aren t we doing this better? Concerned about future water supply Concerned about agricultural run-off, industry run-off, golf course and ski hill run-off How clean is the water? What chemicals are being used to treat it? Fluoride is a big concern. Too much lawn watering Implement extra taxes on things that run-off that we can control (washer fluid, car washing supplies, lawn chemicals, etc.) Monitor river levels and water quality better Re-use of rain and waste water Reporting by industry on what they put into the water stream Concern over how wild life are affected Construction near water and use of watercraft contribute to water pollution limit/monitor them Control how land is altered (large parking lots, buildings, etc.) to ensure storm water run-off water is handled properly BUILT ENVIRONMENT Community gardens, etc. promote healthier lifestyle. Consider greenhouses for year round food crops. Brownfield cleanup should be responsibility of owner not taxpayers Safety of downtown (many boarded up sites, not enough people/businesses) More economical use of land and facilities Higher density/lower density debate more respondents support high density, a few support low density Higher density in downtown to stimulate neighbourhood life Preserve heritage buildings Poor planning of sub-divisions and overall city many living in the south and working in the north Save farm land Buildings built too fast, not made to last. Like to see more eco friendly buildings. Make better use of public spaces (i.e.: outdoor concerts, activities, etc.) WASTE More garbage and recycling cans downtown and in public areas Incineration of waste More items included in residential recycling Allow public access to construction and/or demolition waste for reuse 121 Environmental master plan

127 Set bag limits but be flexible for times like Christmas, 5 bag limit is too high Construction sites need regulation Organics likely to get more response if there was residential curb-side pickup rather than drop off locations Set higher targets than proposed Concerned we will fill up the landfill too quickly Increasing the fee for dumping may cause people to dump where they shouldn t Implement incentives to reduce waste Landfill should accept larger pieces of yard waste (trees, etc.) Implement fines for not recycling or composting and for exceeding the bag limits (many other cities doing this effectively) Undue care by collection staff damage to containers, leftover waste More recycling options for apartment buildings and condominiums ENERGY Alternative energy from waste and other renewable energy sources Planning infrastructure for the future Reduce energy to save money Become more self reliant as a city Use LED bulbs for lighting Encourage industrial (and other) high energy users to be more efficient Too much development close to the river Capture energy from City facilities and share cost savings with community Reduce impact of oil and gas development on the environment More information on energy consumption and environmental outcomes needed Too many things like billboards and buildings are lit all night it is a waste of energy ECOLOGY Pollution to creeks and forests by residential/ commercial/industrial areas Too many forested areas being developed Need more treed areas Protect existing land and set aside land for new green areas Safety of path system a concern Make more room for animals, help increase their populations Trails are hard to find at times. The use of maps, mobile applications, etc. would be helpful. Conservation of threatened/endangered species TRANSPORTATION Too many traffic lights Traffic lights need to be better timed Not enough pedestrian and cyclist friendly/safe areas More convenient transit service means likely more ridership (longer hours, more frequent) Keep fees down More subsidized programs in businesses to encourage transit Accessibility and safety of alternative transportation types are not addressed enough, not enough busses are accessible Smaller buses running outside of peak hours Fix sidewalks and pathways reduces jaywalking and encourages pedestrians Encourage carpooling Some transit operators treat teenagers unfairly, others talk and text on their cell phones, some drive recklessly Major road infrastructure is already in place and Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 122

128 changes to this infrastructure would be expensive and time consuming. Focussing on individual car drivers would be more effective to accomplishing transit goals. Implement better systems to serve students ridership will increase Mobile applications for next bus and other scheduling items More bicycle parking and bike lanes Buses often run late or early causing many to miss them Improve bus shelters for cold weather Online Consultation & Community Outreach Events Public consultation was also held throughout the project process through an on-line forum as well as through information booths at various community events. The online consultation was live during four periods during the project process in order to collect targeted feedback from the public. From June 17-28, 2010 the website shared general information about the Environmental Master Plan, described the purpose and intent of the Plan and asked general opinion questions about Red Deer's environmental priorities. 231 unique users visited during this period. From September 27-October 21, the website was updated with new information, questions and materials for the public to review including the draft Situation Assessment and FAQs about the project. 323 unique visitors came to the page during this period. From October 22-November 1st, the website was refreshed with the environmental vision and core directions and the public was given an additional opportunity to download and review project documents and comment on ways in which the people of Red Deer could contribute to the city's overall environmental performance. 289 unique users visited the page during this time. Finally, from January 17- February 7 of 2011, the site hosted a final opportunity for public input. Attracting 450 unique users the site, questions focused on ensuring the emerging recommendations and actions were on the right track. Representatives from Environmental Services also attended a number of community events to ask questions of the public, engage them about the topics addressed in the EMP, and encourage them to participate further at open houses and online. Information about the EMP, its principles and objectives, were shared at the following community events: Great Neighbourhoods BBQ May 16, 2010 & Dance Party Alberta Environment s June 1, 2010 EnviroFair AquaVan event at Kerry June 5, 2010 Wood Nature Centre Red Deer River Cleanup June 6, 2010 Farmers Market June 12, 2010 Farmers Market June 19, 2010 Mayor s Garden Party June 23, 2010 Alexander Way Art Festival September 18, 2010 GH Dawe grand opening September 25, 2010 Farmers Market October 2, 2010 Farmers Market October 9, 2010 Going Green at Parkland October 23, 2010 Mall 123 Environmental master plan

129 Appendix C: Environmental Impact Categories Descriptors Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 124

130 Environmental Impact Categories The Environmental Impact Categories provide a way to organize and categorize many environmental issues. The proposed Categories allow priorities to be assigned to them that respond to their space and time scales, threats to human and ecosystem health, the momentum behind their underlying drivers, and the influence a local government has to address them. Indicators are proposed for each Impact Category described below; the proposed priorities are drawn from research done by the US EPA and other environmental agencies. Climate change Land Pollution Air Pollution Water Pollution Water Consumption Persistent Bioaccumulative Pollution Biodiversity Health Productive Land Area Loss Each of these Environmental Impact Categories will have a set of indicators which allow The City to measure, monitor and manage its Environmental Performance Indicators. 125 Environmental master plan

131 Climate Change An average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Climate change is influenced by both natural and human induced drivers, such as increased emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities. Land Pollution The contamination of land by excessive concentrations of materials that can damage ecosystems or humans, beyond the capacity of natural systems to render them harmless. Such materials include toxic or hazardous wastes that are dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment, including hormone-mimicking pollutants, heavy metals, petroleum by-products, etc. However, natural materials that are not in themselves toxic can also be pollutants, if they accumulate in concentrations that damage habitat or people. One example is mine overburden, which may not be toxic, but if improperly handled can severely damage local ecosystems. Air Pollution The contamination of air by excessive concentrations of materials that can damage ecosystems or humans, beyond the capacity of natural systems to render them harmless. Air pollutants include sulfur compounds (S0x, H2S), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (dust), and nitrogen compounds (NOx). Water Pollution The contamination of water including lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, estuaries, other coastal waters, and ground water by excessive concentrations of materials that can damage ecosystems or humans, beyond the capacity of natural systems to render them harmless. Water pollutants include nitrogen compounds, silts, oils, etc. from direct or nonpoint sources. Water Consumption Water used by humans and returned to the ecosystem in a degraded form. This includes water use for drinking, cleaning, toilet flushing, irrigation and agriculture, food production, manufacturing, industrial uses, etc. Persistent Bioaccumulative Pollution Refers to the release of materials that are toxic, persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in food chains and, thus, pose risks to human health and ecosystems. The biggest concerns about Persistent Bioaccumulative Pollutants are that they transfer rather easily among air, water, and land, and span boundaries of programs, geography, and generations. They include aldrin/dieldrin, benzo(a)pyrene, chlordane, DDT and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene, alkyl-lead, mercury and its compounds, mirex, octachlorostyrene, PCBs, dioxins and furans, and toxaphene. Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 126

132 Biodiversity Health Biodiversity includes: the number of different native species and individuals in a habitat or geographical area; the variety of different habitats within an area; the variety of interactions that occur between different species in a habitat; and the range of genetic variation among individuals within a species. In general, healthy ecosystems exhibit greater biodiversity. Productive Land Area Loss Loss of land that provides habitat for non-human species (including wetlands), or loss of land devoted to food production. 127 Environmental master plan

133 Appendix D: Criteria for Selecting Metrics Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 128

134 Criteria for Good Indicators One of the biggest difficulties in managing environmental issues is that their breadth tends to spawn large indicator sets which make it difficult or expensive to gather reliable data, and/or that tie directly to desired outcomes and agents that could make them happen. Donella Meadows, in her seminal Indicators and Information Systems for Sustainable Development, outlined characteristics of ideal indicators - and pointed out that good indicators are hard to develop and maintain. Her characteristics are: Clear in Value: no uncertainty about which is good and which is bad. Clear in Content: easily understandable, with units that make sense, expressed in imaginable, not eye-glazing numbers. Compelling: interesting, exciting, suggestive of effective action Policy relevant: for all stakeholders in the system, including the least powerful. Feasible: measurable at reasonable cost. Sufficient: not too much information to comprehend, not too little to give an adequate picture of the situation. Timely: compile information without long delays. Appropriate in Scale: not over- or under-aggregated. Democratic: people should have input to indicator choice and have access to results. Supplementary: should include what people can t measure for themselves (such as radioactive emissions, or satellite imagery) Participatory: should make use of what people can measure for themselves (such as river water quality or local biodiversity) and compile it to provide geographic or time overviews. Hierarchical: a user can delve down to details if desired, but can also get the general message quickly. Physical: money and prices are noisy, inflatable, slippery, and unstably exchangeable. Since sustainable development is to a large extent concerned with physical things food, water, pollutants, forests, houses, health it s best whenever possible to measure it in physical units. (Tons of oil, not dollars worth of oil; years of healthy life, not expenditures in health care) Leading: they can provide information in time to act on it. Flexible: up for discussion, learning, and change. (We should have replaced the GNP index years ago, for example, but it became too institutionalized to do so.) Information Resources Indicators and Information Systems for Sustainable Development. Donella Meadows, The Sustainability Institute, Environmental master plan

135 Appendix E: Benchmarking tool Halsall Associates Ltd. & Urban Strategies Inc. 130

136 Water What are we measuring Water Consumption Potable water consumption provided through municipal water supply, per capita (L/cap/day) Where is Red Deer today Overall Community and Corporate 424 L/per capita/per day Community Consumption Residential: 242 L/per capita/per day Industrial, Commercial, Institutional (ICI): 130 L/per capita/per day Unmetered Water Use: 47 L/per capita/per day What is Red Deer s target For all categories By 2015 reduce by 8% from 2009 levels By 2020 reduce by 15% from 2009 levels By 2035 reduce by 25% from 2009 levels Rationale This indicator serves to decrease the amount of potable water being consumed. Water is vital to the community and there has been direction by The City of Red Deer to further monitor and measure this metric. The Water Conservation Plan targets a 20% reduction in treated water consumption by Targets have been set based on best practices, achievable targets and considered estimates. Corporate Consumption Municipal: 5 L/per capita/per day

137 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range St. Albert, AB 8 : Reduce residential water consumption to 200 litres per person per day by % by % by % by 2015 LEED ND - GIBc4 32 : Reduce water consumption for outdoor landscape irrigation by 50% from a calculated mid-summer baseline case. LEED H - SSc2 33 : Design the landscape and irrigation system to reduce overall irrigation water usage by 20 to 60%. LEED NC - WEc1 39 : 10-20% potable water use reduction LEED EB-OM - WEc3 40 : Water efficient landscaping of % Red Deer: reduce 20% of treated water by September 2012

138 Water What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale Water Quality of Receiving Waterbodies Number of times Red Deer s rivers, creeks and waterbodies exceeds provincial/ federal thresholds for: phosphorus or nitrogen concentrations, metals, bacteria, and water clarity (upstream and downstream of city boundaries) Unknown River monitoring will start in 2011 and targets established in 2015 in conjunction with Alberta Environment To be determined Recommended to reduce number of water quality exceedences to zero at the monitoring station downstream of the City Reduce the impact of The City on the health of Red Deer s waterways. Understand the impact of other municipalities on The City s water resources. The target has been set at zero based on not exceeding the provinical and federal thresholds for water quality. As the region around The City of Red Deer grows, the number of water quality exceedences in the Red Deer River will rise. Maintaining a zero exceedence level will be a challenge.

139 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target.

140 Ecology What are we measuring Natural Areas Land within the urban boundary devoted to native natural features (native tree stands, wetlands, seasonal streams, grasslands and associated biodiversity) Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target 863 hectares By 2015 increase by 5% from 2009 levels By 2020 increase by 10% from 2009 levels By 2035 increase by 20% from 2009 levels Rationale This is an indicator for biodiversity. How much of the city supports the original flora and fauna of the region. The Parks section and current City of Red Deer practices have largely informed the metric and targets Man-Made Green Areas Land devoted to man-made natural features (city parks, turf areas, shrub beds and re-naturalization areas) 809 hectares By 2015 increase by 5% from 2009 levels By 2020 increase by 10% from 2009 levels By 2035 increase by 20% from 2009 levels To provide land dedicated for community recreation and encourage planting of native species. The Parks section and current City of Red Deer practices have largely informed the metric and targets.

141 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. 2ha/1,000 population 4 ha/1,000 population 9 ha/1,000 population Oakville, ON 12 : target 664 ha based on 166,000 population Ottawa, ON 9 : target 2,340 ha, based on 1,064,000 population Red Deer: Parks or Open Space should be clarified as being an area of 2.5 ha or greater

142 Ecology What are we measuring Pest Control Volume of toxic pest control product used per acre of municipal owned land (ml/per acre) Where is Red Deer today 210 ml/per acre Corporate What is Red Deer s target By 2015 decrease by 2% from 2009 levels By 2020 decrease by 5% from 2009 levels By 2035 decrease by 10% from 2009 levels Rationale To reduce air, water and ground contamination, and species health risks due to toxins from pest control application. The Parks section and current City of Red Deer practices have largely informed the metric and targets. Urban Forestry Urban forest coverage (percentage of area within City Boundaries covered by tree canopy) A Red Deer baseline is unknown By 2014, determine percentage of canopy area within City boundaries and refine targets. By 2020, increase canopy to 20% By 2030, increase canopy to 30% To connect habitat corridors and green space throughout Red Deer while providing a cooling effect to prevent urban heat islands. The Parks section and current City of Red Deer practices have largely informed the metric and targets.

143 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range There is limited precedent information available for this target. LEED EB+OM 40 : implement an integrated pest management plan There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. Red Deer: implementing an Integrated Pest Management Plan Hamilton, ON 1 : Target 30% of municipal area 25% 30% 40% Lloyd Crossing, Oregon 6 : Implement 2 acres of mixed conifer forest patches with 1-2 acres of habitat corridor connecting the patches.increase tree coverage from 14.5% to 25-30% by Portland, Oregon 6 : 2030 target: increase urban forestry canopy to cover 33% of city; Oakville, ON 12 : Target 40% canopy coverage by 2057 Ottawa, ON 11 : Target 40% tree cover American Forests: Recommends 25 to 40% canopy cover

144 Transportation What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale VKT Vehicle Kilometers Travelled (VKT) per capita/ per day by car A Red Deer baseline is unknown. By 2012, determine VKT/per capita/per day and refine targets. Community By 2015, 5% reduction from 2012 levels By 2020, 10% reduction from 2012 levels Given the significant impact that automobile use has on GHG emissions, air quality, storm water requirements, green space, and walkability, VKT is a critical metric. Awareness of travel patterns is the first step in developing reduction strategies. BY 2035, 20% reduction from 2012 levels Given that there is no baseline data, targets have been set low as a starting point and would be refined once baseline data is known. Modal Split Percentage of different modes of transportation used to travel to work. Based on data from Statistics Canada (23) for 2006, the modal split of Red Deer s labour force is: 88% Car 4% Transit 7% Pedestrian/Bicycle 1% Other 2016 modal split of labour force to be: 86% Car 5% Transit 8% Pedestrian/Bicycle 1% Other 2021 modal split of labour force to be: The objective of any transportation policy is not to limit travel, but to increase options and to make it simpler to travel by means other than a single occupant car. The modal split provides an understanding as to how this shift is occuring. 84% Car 6% Transit 9% Pedestrian/Bicycle 1% Other

145 What are the precedents? Hamilton, ON 13 : Low Range Mid Range 10% 15 20% High Range low target: 10% reduction: 4.3 million KM high target: 20% reduction:: 3.8 million KM Portland, Oregon 6 : 2030 target: 28% reduction, 13.4 mi (21.6 km) 2050 target: 63% reduction, 6.8 mi (10.9 km) There is limited precedent information to inform targets. However, the following data of existing modal split baseline levels in comparable communities is provided for reference: Lethbridge, AB 23 : Modal Split of labour force: 90% Car, 2% Transit, 7% Pedestrian/Bicycle, 1% Other There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. Waterloo, ON 23 : Modal Split of labour force: 84% Car, 5% Transit, 11% Pedestrian/Bicycle, <1% Other Kamloops, BC 23 : Modal Split of labour force: 88% Car, 4% Transit, 7% Pedestrian/Bicycle, 1% Other

146 Transportation What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale Dwelling units (DU s) within 400 metres from: 1. Public trails, parks or other green space; 2. At least 5 basic amenities 3. Transit stops with 20 minute service An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown, however we have the following information: % 2. Unknown (however, 92% are within commercial or public areas, but not always 10 basic amenities) 3. Unknown (however, 98% are within transit stops, though 0% are within stops with 15 minute service intervals)" By 2012, determine the percentage of dwelling units within 400m of all categories and refine targets. By 2020, 50% of residents within 400m of amenities By 2035, 75% of residents within 400m of amenities The metrics and targets are based on other municipalities' successful neighbourhood development guidelines as well as on the urban shift to accessible, complete communities, which provide residents with the required amenities and opportunities to live, work and play locally. Given the fast growth rate of The City of Red Deer and the opportunity to develop complete communities we have set targets in the mid to high range. Length of all bicycle/ pedestrian routes (kilometer/ per capita) for bike lanes, mixed use trails and pedestrian-only trails. Overall: 1km/672 pop 1. Bike Lanes (part of roadway) 10km 2. Mixed Use Trails 124km 3. Pedestrian-only Trails 0km By 2015 increase routes by 5% from 2009 levels By 2020 increase routes by 10% from 2009 levels By 2035 increase routes by 20% from 2009 levels The metric will further develop and celebrate Red Deer s network of active transportation routes. Current City of Red Deer practices and City feedback have informed the metric and targets. Though The City has exceeded other municipalities for number of bicycle/ pedestrian routes, there is a need to continue to set targets here that will also help achieve alternative transportation targets.

147 What are the precedents? Pickering, ON 15 : Low Range Mid Range 25% 50% 90% High Range Target: residential development is located within 800m (10 min. walking distance) of existing jobs equal to or greater than 50% of the proposed number of DUs. OR A commercial or employment related development is located within 800m or 10 min. walking distance of existing dwelling units. The number of jobs provided in the new development must equal at least 50% of the number of existing dwelling units. Portland, Oregon 6 : by 2030 achieve 90% easy access to meet all basic daily, non-work needs LEED ND - NPDc9 32 : Locate and/or design project so that a civic or passive use space such as a square, park, paseo, or plaza at least 1/6 acre in area, lies within a ¼ mile (400m) walk distance of 90% of planned and existing dwelling units and non-residential building entrances. LEED ND - NPDc3 32 : 50% of DUs are within a 1/4-mile (400m) walk distance of a number of diverse uses. There is limited precedent information available. 1km: 1km: 1km: 5,227 pop 1,941 pop 1,000 pop Hamilton, ON 13 : 1km:1,941people: 120km new bike paths; 140km multi-use paths Brampton, ON 36 : 1km:5,227people: 83km of trailsr

148 Built Environment What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale Development density Total development density by type: 1. Residential (dwelling units per gross hectare) 2. Other (Floor Space Index) An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown, however we have the following information: Residential: 14.8 DU/ha (overall) Other: Commercial Mixed Use/ Downtown: unknown By 2012, determine Floor Space Index for ii. Other and refine target for each of the categories. By 2015, increase to: Residential: 17DU/ha Other: TBD To promote community densification with new developments and infill properties. Parkland Community Planning Services and current City of Red Deer practices have provided information for the metric and residential target. Commercial Mixed Use/ Town Centre: unknown Major Urban Corridor: unknown Industrial: unknown Municipal: unknown Community gardens The land devoted to community gardens and urban agriculture in area(m 2 ) per capita An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown; however, there are 160 plots (9 acres) of community gardens or 0.4m 2 / per capita. By 2012, determine the area of land devoted to community gardens and urban agriculture and refine targets. By 2015, 0.5 m 2 /per capita By 2020, 0.75 m 2 /per capita By 2035, 1.5 m 2 /per capita To promote local food growth and purchase, including community gardens and farmers markets. This indicator is just beginning to be explored by other municipalities. The targets are set within easy reach as The City develops the indicator.

149 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range St. Albert, AB 8 : Achieve a minimum density of 12 DU/ ha residential hectare for new neighbourhoods. Achieve a minimum of 30% for medium and/or high-density residential units for new neighbourhoods. LEED ND - NPDp2 32 : Build any residential components of the project at a density of seven or more dwelling units per acre of buildable land available for residential uses. (17DU s/ha) LEED H - SSc6 33 : Density between 17 to 46 DU s/ Ha. Residential: 12DU s/ha Residential: 17DU s/ha Residential: 46 DU s/ha Although there is limited percent information that directly applies to this target, many cities are promoting local food growth and purchase, including community gardens and farmers markets. San Francisco, Calofornia 38 : Turned City Hall lawn into an organic garden Multnomah County, Oregon 6 : Supports agricultural food growth for the Municipality of Portland, and others. LEED ND - NPDc13 32 : Dedicate permanent and viable growing space and/or related facilities Canada 34 : 1.83 hectares/person of cropland, has the biocapacity for 4.89 hectares/person There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target. There is limited precedent information available for this target.

150 Air What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale Greenhouse gas emissions per capita in tonnes (C0 2 equivalent) An overall Red Deer baseline is unknown. In 2009, the annual CO 2 e emissions for the Waste Management Facility were calculated as 29,200 tonnes CO 2 e. For the closed landfill the annual emissions were calculated as 43,395 CO 2 e tonnes. These values include methane and nitrous oxides, but exclude carbon dioxide since it is biogenic (absorbed by the soil). By 2012, determine GHG emissions baseline and refine targets for each of the categories. Community By 2020 reduce by 8% from 2010 levels By 2035 reduce by 15% from 2010 levels Corporate By 2020 reduce by 20% from 2010 levels By 2035 reduce by 30% from 2010 levels To reduce the negative impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As regulations increase both federally and provincially, it will likely be a requirement to monitor and report on this indicator. Understand how to measure and how to decrease GHG emissions will be an asset when confronting related regulations. Targets have been set in the mid to high range of the precedent targets to reflect the importance of the indicator.

151 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range Ottawa 9 : Corporate: reduce 20% by 2012 (1990 levels) corporate 6% by 2012 corporate 12% by 2012 corporate 20% by 2012 Calgary 2 : Corporate: reduce 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 (2005 levels) Hamilton 1 : target reductions by 2020 (compared to 2005) Community: 6 %; Corporate: 20% community 6% by 2020 community 15% by 2020 community 30% by 2020 Yellowknife 3 : target reductions by 2014 (compared to 2004) Community: reduce by 6%; Corporate: 20% Saskatoon 4 : target reductions by 2013 (compared to 1990) Community: 6% (1.4 million tonnes of GHGs) Corporate: 10% (27,600 tonnes of GHGs) Vancouver 37 : 6% decrease by 2012, 33% decrease by 2020 (compared to 2007), 80% by 2050 Portland/Multnomah County 6 : 2030 target: Reduce by 40% from 1990 levels, 2050 target: reduce by 80% from 1990 levels Toronto 5 : Compared to 22 million tonnes emitted in 1990, reduce by 6% by 2012, 30% by 2020, 80% by 2050 Ontario 7 : corporate reduce 19% by 2014 and 27% by 2020 (compared to 2006 levels) St. Albert 8 : Achieve 20% reduction of total corporate greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by Achieve 6% reduction of total community greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020.

152 Air What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale Air Quality Maintain and lower ambient concentrations of airborne pollutants, not exceeding maximums defined by the Canada Wide Standard and Alberta Environment PM2.5: 15.9 μg/m3 ( ), Canada Wide Standard metric Ozone: 57.5 ppb ( ), Canada Wide Standard metric Sulphur Dioxide: 0.44 ppb, ( ) 5 year annual average Nitrogen Dioxide: 12.1 ppb, ( ) 5 year annual average Carbon Monoxide: 0.25 ppm, ( ) 5 year annual average By 2015 PM2.5: 20 μg/m3 (CASA management plan trigger) Ozone: 58 ppb, (CASA management plan trigger) Sulphur Dioxide: 0.42 ppb (reduce by 5% of year annual average) Nitrogen Dioxide: 11.5 ppb (reduce by 5% of year annual average) Carbon Monoxide: 0.24 ppm, (reduce by 5% of year annual average) To monitor local air quality and identify trends in air quality issues. Air quality data and targets were provided by PAMZ and Alberta Environment. As The City of Red Deer grows, ambient concentrations of airborne pollutants are expected to rise and maintaining The City s current baseline will be a challenge. Targets are set with this in mind. By 2020 PM2.5: 20 μg/m3 (CASA management plan trigger) Ozone: 58 ppb (CASA management plan trigger) Sulphur Dioxide: 0.40 ppb (reduce by 10% of year annual average) Nitrogen Dioxide: 10.9 ppb (reduce by 10% of year annual average) Carbon Monoxide: 0.23 ppm, (reduce by 10% of year annual average)

153 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range Canada Wide Standard 35 : Ozone: 65ppb, 8 hour average PM2.5: 35 μg/m3 PM2.5: 30 μg/m3 PM2.5: 20 μg/m3 PM2.5: 30 μg/m3, 24 hour average Clean Air Strategic Alliance 36 : Ozone: 75 ppb Ozone: 65ppb Ozone: 58 ppb Management Plan Triggers Ozone: 58ppb, 8 hour average PM2.5: 20 μg/m3, 24 hour average Carbon Monoxide: 5 ppm Sulphur Dioxide: 14 ppb Sulphur Dioxide: 11 ppb Sulphur Dioxide: 3 ppb Alberta Environment 24 : Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives and Guidelines: Nitrogen Dioxide: 32 ppb Nitrogen Dioxide: 32 ppb Nitrogen Dioxide: 16 ppb PM2.5: Guideline 80 μg/m3 as a 1-hour average concentration Ozone: Objective 82 ppb (160 μg/m3) 1-hour daily maximum Sulphur Dioxide: SO2 Annual Objective 11 ppb Nitrogen Dioxide: NO2 Annual Objective 32 ppb Carbon Monoxide: 5 ppm Carbon Monoxide: 5 ppm Carbon Monoxide: 5 ppm Hydrogen Sulphide: H2S 24 hour Objective 3 ppb US EPA 29 : EPA Air Quality Index and National Ambient Air Quality Standards PM2.5: 35ug/m3 (24 hour) Carbon Monoxide: 9ppm Sulphur Dioxide: 0.14ppm Ozone: 0.075ppm Nitrogen Dioxide: 100ppb (1 hour)

154 Energy What are we measuring Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target Rationale Building energy Average building energy intensity (Equivalent kwh/m 2 ) A Red Deer baseline is unknown Community Residential: unknown Industrial, Commercial, Institutional (ICI): unknown Corporate Municipal: unknown By 2012, determine the average building energy intensity and refine target for each of the categories. Community By 2015, 5% reduction from 2012 levels By 2020, 20% reduction from 2012 levels By 2035, 50% reduction from 2012 levels There is a lot of work being done in the industry to establish energy intensity data to better understand when and how much energy is being consumed by the largest energy consumers - buildings. Electric Light and Power and the precedents have helped inform the metric and targets. Coporate By 2015, 5% reduction from 2012 levels By 2020, 20% reduction from 2012 levels By 2035, 50% reduction from 2012 levels Renewable energy sources Percentage of energy utilized by The City Red Deer that is produced through green sources (such as renewable resources and energy captured from waste) Corporate 15% energy purchased from green sources <1% generated from methane capture Corporate By 2015, 30% of total corporate energy supply from green sources By 2020, 40% of total corporate energy supply from green sources By 2035, 60% of total corporate energy supply from green sources To increase use of green power sources and decrease reliance on non-renewable resources by The Corporation of The City of Red Deer. Electric Light and Power and current City of Red Deer practices have informed the metric and targets. The target has been set according to The City s commitment to purchase green power and initiatives like the wastewater treatment plant energy generated from methane.

155 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range Hamilton, ON 17 : corporate energy intensity reduction target: 7.5% by 2012, 20% by 2020 (compared to 2005) Guelph, ON 18 : corporate 12% by 2020 corporate 20% by 2020 new buildings 70% by 2015 target 175 ekwh/m2 (through energy efficiency improvements of 1.5%/yr from ) Sudbury, ON 19 : By 2015, achieve 70% energy reductions in all major new buildings. existing buildings 25% by 2030" Achieve 50% energy reductions in buildings under renovation. Portland, Oregon 6 : achieve 25% reduction by 2030 in all buildings built before 2010 LEED ND - GIBp2 32 : New buildings constructed as part of the project must, on average, demonstrate a 10% improvement over ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard GIBc2: Buildings need to meet 18% or 26% improvement. Toronto, ON 22 : commitment to purchase 25% of corporate energy needs with green power; 25% 40% 100% Calgary, AB 2 : 100% corporate green energy by 2012 Portland, Oregon 6 : 9% of community energy purchase is green power; 100% corporate green power purchase by 2010

156 Waste What are we measuring Residential Solid waste Total weight of solid waste generation by single-family residences (in kilograms/ per capita/ per year) Where is Red Deer today What is Red Deer s target 183 kg/ per capita/ year Residential By 2015, 10% reduction from 2009 levels By 2020, 20% reduction from 2009 levels By 2035, 40% reduction from 2009 levels Rationale This metric will help decrease the amount of waste being generated. Waste Management and current City of Red Deer practices have largely informed the metric and targets. Waste Diverted Percentage of waste diverted per year per tonne of waste landfilled 10% per year per tonne of waste landfilled By 2015, 20% diversion rate By 2020, 30% diversion rate By 2035, 50% diversion rate This metric will increase the amount of waste being diverted from the landfill and reduce the impact of virgin material use. Waste Management and current City of Red Deer practices have largely informed the metric and targets.

157 What are the precedents? Low Range Mid Range High Range St. Albert, AB 8 : Residential target: reduce from 195kg to 125kg/cap/yr (35%) by % by % by % by 2020 Sudbury, ON 19 : Reduced annual amount by community; No future need for additional landfill space; Portland, Oregon 6 : By 2030: reduce total solid waste generated by 25% Alberta 8 : Residential waste disposal average of 288 kg per capita Alberta 8 : 25% of waste in Alberta is generated by Construction and Demolition Statistics Canada 23 : 971 kg per person - of total waste landfilled Markham, ON 25 : Target: 100% (Zero waste) in all City buildings Hamilton, ON 26 : Target 65% by 2010 Edmonton, AB 27 : Target 90% by 2012 (Currently 60%) St. Albert, AB 8 : Target: 65% by 2020 Pickering, ON 15 : Divert from landfill a minimum of 50% of all waste generated on site. 50% 65% All City buildings 100% Community 90% by 2012 Portland, Oregon 6 : 2030 target: recover 90% of all waste generated (64% in 2008) Sudbury, ON 19 : Target 65% diversion of residential solid waste Oakville, ON 12 : Target 60% diversion rate for residential waste Toronto, ON 28 : 70% for City facilities Guelph, ON 18 : 55% by 2011; 65% by 2016; 70% by 2021; LEED ND - GIBc16 32 : Recycle and/or salvage at least 50% of nonhazardous construction and demolition debris. LEED ND - GIBc16 32 : Include litter receptacles on mixed use and nonresidential streets, with recycle containers adjacent to other receptacles or recycled containers integrated into the design of the receptacle, on every block or at least every 800 feet, whichever is shorter.