Sustainable Cities: Canadian Reality or Urban Myth? Robert Hilton and Chris Stoney Facing Forward -Looking Back October 19th 2007

Key Arguments Cities are crucial to sustainability Municipal government & local communities hold the key Clear blueprint for action Political, Cultural and Economic barriers Hilton and Stoney 2007

Structure What was to be done? What has been done? What needs to be done? Hilton and Stoney 2007

What was to be done? Bruntland Agenda 21 ICLEI Smart Growth Hilton and Stoney 2007

Bruntland….. 20 years ago! …local governments have not been given the political power, decision making capacity, and access to revenues needed to carry out their functions. This leads to frustration, to continuing criticism of local governments for insufficient and ineffective services, and to a downward spiral of weakness feeding on frustration …To become key agents of development, city governments need enhanced political, institutional, and financial capacity, notably access to more of the wealth generated in the city. Only in this way can cities adapt and deploy some of the vast array of tools available to address urban problems.

Agenda 21…. ‘local matters’ Because so many of the problems and solutions being addressed by Agenda 21 have their roots in local activities, the participation and cooperation of local authorities will be a determining factor in fulfilling its objectives. Local authorities construct, operate and maintain economic, social and environmental infrastructure, oversee planning processes, establish local environmental policies and regulations, and assist in implementing national and subnational environmental policies. As the level of governance closest to the people, they play a vital role in educating, mobilizing and responding to the public to promote sustainable development …Each local authority should enter into a dialogue with its citizens, local organizations, and private enterprises and adopt a local Agenda 21.

Agenda 21: Towards sustainable human settlement… Infrastructure focus: Shelter Land use planning Water, waste, drainage sanitation Protect the atmosphere Energy and transport systems Sustainable construction Local capacity building Hilton and Stoney 2007

Barriers to Change Economic Imperative Constitutional wrangling Recession (1990s) Minority governments Federal fragmentation F-P-M uncoordinated Municipalities weakened No clear urban targets Funds ‘scattered’ not strategic Weak commitment to capacity building Hilton and Stoney 2007

Local difficulties… Ottawa’s 20-20 Vision and LRT Federal and Provincial involvement Ward centric councillors Lack of regional perspective Secrecy and lack of transparency Failure to engage Hilton and Stoney 2007

The next 20 years….? Municipal revenues? Flexible working? Better use of infrastructure? Mixed use facilities? Standard reporting? Governance reform? Public engagement? Hilton and Stoney 2007