Body: Council Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: February 6, 2013 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Document Text
SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA
Date and Time
Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 1:30 p.m.
Place
County of Frontenac Administrative Boardroom 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie
Members: Geoff Sandiford, Chair Ron Hipfner, Vice Chair John McDougall, County Councillor
Don Ross, Community Member Warden Janet Gutowski, Ex-Officio
Page 1.
Call to order
Adoption of the agenda
Disclosure of pecuniary interest and general nature thereof
Adoption of minutes
2-5
•
Minutes of Meeting held November 8, 2012
Deputations and/or presentations
Reports/Topics for Discussion
6-11
•
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee – 2013 Work Plan Update
12-15
•
2013-041 Sustainability Exchange 2012
16-65
Communications •
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Implementation
Other business
Next meeting date •
The next meeting of the Sustainability Advisory Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. at the County Administrative Office.
- Adjournment
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AgendaItem#4•
Minutes of the Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting November 8, 2012 A meeting of the Sustainability Advisory Committee was held in the Frontenac Boardroom of the County Administrative Office, 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. In attendance: Geoff Sandiford, Chair Warden Janet Gutowski Councillor John McDougall Ron Hipfner Don Ross Guest: Sarah Matheson, Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network Staff:
Elizabeth Savill, CAO/Clerk Anne Marie Young, Manager of Economic Sustainability Alison Vandervelde, Communications Officer Angelique Tamblyn, Executive Assistant (Recording Secretary) Louise Dignum, Administrative Assistant Kieran Williams, Municipal Intern
Call to order
The meeting was called to order at 9:32 a.m. 2.
Adoption of the agenda
The agenda was received. 3.
Disclosure of pecuniary interest and general nature thereof
The Chair requested that it be noted that no member of the Committee declared a pecuniary interest. 4.
Closed meeting: Nil
Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes November 8, 2012 Received by Council November 21, 2012
Minutes of Meeting held November 8, 2012
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Adoption of minutes
Committee Recommendation THAT the minutes of the meeting of September 24, 2012 be formally adopted as presented. CARRIED 6.
Business arising from the minutes: Nil
Deputations and/or presentations: Nil
Communications: Nil
Reports/Topics for Discussion 2012 Work Plan Update
Warden Gutowski spoke to the value of meeting with students at our local schools after she and several County staff attended schools during Local Government week. Committee members agreed they should increase efforts during Local Government Week next year and acknowledge it during the discussion of the 2013 work plan. Committee Recommendation THAT the Sustainability Advisory Committee accept the 2012 Work Plan Update report for information. CARRIED 2013 Proposed Work Plan Committee members discussed the proposed work plan at length and reached a number of conclusions:
- There is value to ensuring Council members understand the sustainability budget from the Committee’s perspective each year
- There is a need to expand efforts to reach out and develop partnerships within the community
- Partnerships should be celebrated more including recognition on the DFOF website
- Learning sessions should be explored
- The mandate of the committee must be reviewed Committee members agreed that the February meeting should include further discussion of the work plan to identify the specific activities to be undertaken in 2013. Committee Recommendation THAT the Sustainability Advisory Committee present to Council of the County of Frontenac for approval its the 2013 Proposed Work Plan as presented including the Proposed Planning Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes November 8, 2012 Received by Council November 21, 2012
Minutes of Meeting held November 8, 2012
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Activities for 2013, the Proposed Schedule of Meetings, and the Proposed 2013 Budget with the following additions: • •
Under Proposed Planning Activities for 2013, number 1: Add to the end: “including input into the annual budgeting process” Under Proposed Planning Activities for 2013, number 2: Add as an additional point in the list: “Partnership opportunities” CARRIED
A copy of the 2013 Work Plan is attached. Committee members discussed the upcoming Sustainability Conference and the value it has offered in previous years. Committee members agreed that it is the key event of the year and committee members should look to attend. Committee Recommendation THAT the Sustainability Advisory Committee seek approval from the Council of the County of Frontenac for its members including Chair Sandiford, Deputy Chair Hipfner, Councillor McDougall and Mr. Ross to register and attend the Sustainability Conference presented by FCM and its GMF group to be held in Windsor Ontario from February 13-15, 2013. CARRIED Sustainable Actions 2012 The draft document was circulated to Committee members. The following points were made and acknowledged:
- 33 public meetings held by staff in 2012
- New format/framework works well
- More hyperlinks and taking better advantage of the web should be a future focus
- Changed focus to “pillars” is important – more suggestions made
- Youth element efforts, including the formation of a youth committee has been recognized
- Shifting to guiding statements where appropriate clarifies what is and isn’t a project or activity
- Term “support” requires definition to clarify it can be provided in many ways
- Carpooling is an important element of the transportation management plan Committee members agreed to further review the draft document and provide any additional comments by Tuesday next week. The final draft will then be prepared for circulation to County Council on November 21st. Committee Recommendation THAT the Sustainability Advisory Committee support the Sustainable Actions 2012 document as presented, subject to any further comments received by November 13, 2012, and ask staff to finalize the draft document for presentation to Council of the County of Frontenac at its November meeting. CARRIED
Other business
Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes November 8, 2012 Received by Council November 21, 2012
Minutes of Meeting held November 8, 2012
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AgendaItem#4•
The results of the Survey Monkey from the ICSP Workshop were distributed at the meeting. 11.
Next meeting date
February 6, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. 12.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:33 a.m.
Geoff Sandiford, Chair
Elizabeth Savill, Clerk
Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes November 8, 2012 Received by Council November 21, 2012
Minutes of Meeting held November 8, 2012
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AgendaItem#6•
Report 2013-035 SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT To:
Chair and Members of the Sustainability Advisory Committee
From:
Elizabeth Savill CAO
Prepared by:
Louise Dignum, Administration Assistant Alison Vandervelde, Communications Officer
Date prepared:
January 29, 2013
Date of meeting:
February 9, 2013
Re:
Sustainability Advisory Committee – 2013 Work Plan Update
Committee Recommendation THAT the Sustainability Advisory Committee receives this 2013 Work Plan Update report for information only. Background The current year‟s work plan contains a number of measures that warrant further discussion and possible brainstorming. Comment The following are updates and discussion points relevant to the 2013 work plan.
- Maintain expertise in sustainability to ensure valuable advice can be offered to Council as required (strategically support webinars, workshops and conferences) including input into the annual budgeting process On December 14th, Alison Vandervelde, Communications Officer, Louise Dignum, Administrative Assistant and Jennifer Dawson, FPS Executive Assistant sat in on an FCM webinar titled Sustainability in Northern and Remote Communities. A summary of highlights has been emailed to all SAC members. On November 9th, Ms. Vandervelde attended a Sustainability Exchange in Huntsville. summary of highlights is attached to today‟s agenda.
A
On January 24th, Anne Marie Young, Manager of Economic Sustainability attended a Sustainability Breakfast hosted by Sustainable Kingston on bridging the gap between sustainability planning and implementation. The PowerPoint Presentation is attached to today‟s agenda. Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – 2013 Work Plan Update February 6, 2013
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee
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Committee Chair Geoff Sandiford, Committee Member Don Ross, along with Deputy Warden Bud Clayton and Manager of Economic Sustainability, Anne Marie Young, will attend FCM‟s Annual Sustainable Communities Conference on February 13-15 in Windsor. 2. Consider opportunities to further engage and educate communities including: a. Community Sessions and events The Committee has discussed this workplan item a number of times. The following ideas are offered for the Committee‟s consideration: To improve public engagement, the Committee could host a speaker series throughout 2013. This could link to partnership goals, as those who present information, and perhaps any organizations providing free meeting space, could be acknowledged as partners. This may draw people with specific interests and create an opportunity to encourage them to lead/initiate topical projects. Among others, topics could include: The importance of seed banks and heritage foods, Winter food storage and seasonality – how to eat locally in the winter, Wild law, An introduction to car share models, Solar hot water heaters and your home, Local medicinal plants (perhaps from an aboriginal perspective), A history of local hunting and trapping (cultural), Information on the Arch and it‟s designation, Greening local business - hints and tips, Movie nights showing In Transition (about the transition movement), Food Inc, or perhaps Dirt! The Movie (good for families) o there is a great film list at: http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/films_for_action_presents_the_top_100_ documentaries_inspiring_the_shift_to_a_sustainable_paradigm/ Fracking Healthy homes (cleaning products, building materials, etc) Gross Domestic Happiness and how we measure progress Family night – information on local opportunities, kids programs, recreational trails (info from community organizations offering activities) These evenings could occur in an informal fashion, perhaps over pot-luck dinners. b. Annual Breakfast A date for the Annual Breakfast has yet to be set. Potential dates include May 10th and May 24th (Victoria Day falls on May 20th). The Committee is asked to consider proposing a date for the breakfast early, in order to allow sufficient time for County Council‟s approval. c. Partnership Opportunities As committed to in Sustainable Actions 2012, the County will present five new Partnership Agreements at the Annual Breakfast. Anne Marie Young, Manager of Economic Sustainability has prepared the following list of potential partners. With the Committee‟s support and direction, staff will work to confirm five partnerships for acknowledgement at the breakfast. Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – 2013 Work Plan Update February 6, 2013
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee
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Smaller Scale Initiatives: Buck Lake Association Sharbot Lake Farmer‟s Market* Frontenac Stewardship Council Canonto Lake Land Owners Association* Friends of Arden* Sharbot Lake Retirement Centre Sharbot Lake Land Owners Association Small events supported: Frontenac Heritage Festival War of 1812 – Wolfe Island Celebration Verona Cattail Festival* Others: Land O Lakes (Fish TV)* Cataraqui Conservation Authority (Harrowsmith Trail Junction) KFL& A Health Unit (Food Charter)* The following ideas are offered for the Committee‟s consideration: A potential partnership program could focus on engaging volunteers through local businesses. The Committee could seek partnerships with local businesses that would „sponsor‟ employees, allowing them some amount of paid time off per month to volunteer somewhere in the County. This could potentially help to engage the 25-45 age demographic who might wish to volunteer but have trouble doing so in addition to work and life commitments. Local businesses could benefit through promotion as a Local Champion. This could be conceptualized in a similar manner to the existing allowances for volunteer firefighters to attend calls during the work day.
d. Awards Events Continuing to acknowledge new partnerships at public events, like the Annual Breakfast and Workshop will strengthen our commitment to community partnerships. The following ideas are offered for the Committee‟s consideration: The Committee could develop an award to celebrate community-nominated sustainability heroes. The award could be given out as worthy recipients are nominated, instead of at set intervals to preserve the prestige of the award and avoid the obligation of announcing a winner regularly. The Committee could hold a contest in County schools asking students to generate sustainability ideas that they could implement as a class. Contest winners could get some sort of support in starting their project. Youth Retention and Attraction Working Group Following the Committee‟s discussions on and interest in youth attraction and retention, staff suggests that first steps in this area include: Evaluating the draft mandate and terms of reference (see attached) Recommending a resolution to Council to support the creation of a working group Some contacts have been made to gather insights and evaluate interest. Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – 2013 Work Plan Update February 6, 2013
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee
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Research of existing programming in the County has found that many programs exist to support and engage high school-aged youth. There is little aimed at the 20-35 age range, which is the critical post-education phase during which young people could be attracted back to the area. Youth in this age range could also benefit from supports during this major transition period. Contacts made to date include: Maribeth Scott, Child Care Center, Sharbot Lake. Programs are targeted at pre- and young-teens (12 through 16). Ms. Scott made a general offer of support if there are opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration. Joyce Bigelow, Northern Connections Adult Learning Centre, Sharbot Lake. Ms. Bigelow uses Census 2006 data for education. Depending on how the project develops, Ms. Bigelow suggested she has some youth contacts who might be interested in being involved in some way. Anne Pritchard, Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, Harrowsmith. Contacted for youth employment statistics. Karen McGregor, St. Lawrence College Employment Service, Sharbot Lake. Contacted for suggestions of youth who might be interested in becoming involved. Dianne Dowling, National Farmers Union, Wolfe Island. Depending on how the project develops, Ms. Dowling suggested she has some youth contacts who might be interested in being involved in some way. Chief Doreen Davis, Shabot Obaadjiwan, Sharbot Lake. Contacted for suggestions of youth who might be interested in being involved. KFL&A Children Youth Services, Kingston. Contacted for information on any existing initiatives and relevant information. Rachael Hardesty, Land O‟Lakes Tourism Association. Ms. Hardesty could not offer suggestions for youth who might be interested in being involved. Has offered to ask the LOLTA membership for suggestions. Geoff Murray, Sharbot Lake High School. Mr. Murray could not offer suggestions for youth who might be interested in being involved. Dan Hendry and Mike Sewell, Limestone District School Board. The school board‟s efforts in this area focus on youth under the age of 19. They have some initiatives in place to bridge the gap between curriculum and skill sets required for success in the workplace. Mr. Hendry and Mr. Sewell offered the use of school board property throughout the County for meeting space. Matt Hutcheon, Kingston Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is initiating a youth group as a sub-committee of their Board. A new Young Professionals Group has recently started in Kingston (though not affiliated with the Chamber). Potential Youth Retention/Attraction Working Group members contacted include: o Jeremy Neff, Frontenac Islands Resident o Joanne Sortberg, South Frontenac Resident o Dan Hendry, City of Kingston resident o Katie Ohlke, Arts Teacher, North Addington Education Centre, Cloyne Other contacts suggested include: o Lily Roebuck, former Frontenac County intern o Billy Young, North Frontenac Telephone Service o Jonathan Desroche, North Frontenac Telephone Service o William Trousdale, South Frontenac Resident Anne Marie Young, Manager of Economic Sustainability recently met with Mr. Frank O‟Hearn from the 1000 Islands Region Workforce Development Board and Ms. Carey Bidtnes from KEDCO for preliminary discussions regarding a potential Labour Market Partnership application to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for a project within Frontenac County. Ms. Young will provide a verbal summary of that meeting. Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – 2013 Work Plan Update February 6, 2013
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee
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- Liaise with other like-minded groups to gain insights and share expertise There are many groups in our region concerned generally with sustainability and specific aspects thereof. With the Committee‟s direction, staff could compile research and/or arrange meetings with such groups.
- Stimulate relationships and synergies with the Townships by presenting at Council meetings and through other meeting opportunities The Committee has discussed the merit of presenting to individual Township Councils. Possible meeting dates include: South Frontenac: First and Third Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. Mar 5 & 19, Apr 2 & 16, May 7 & 21, June 4 & 18 Central Frontenac: Second & Fourth Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Mar 12 & 26, Apr 9 & 23, May 14 & 28, June 11, Jul 9, Aug 13, Sep 10 Frontenac Islands: Second Monday Mar 11, Apr 8, May 13, June 10, Jul 8, Aug 12, Sep 9 North Frontenac: Inconsistent pattern, 9:00 a.m. Feb 4, Feb 28, Mar 18, Apr 8 & 29, May 21, June 10, Jul 2 & 22, Aug 12, Sep 3 With the Committee‟s support and direction, staff will arrange for SAC members to present at Township Council meetings. Bi-monthly presentations would allow for presentation preparation and follow-up information to be submitted to County Council. With direction from the Committee, staff will prepare a short PowerPoint Presentation to accompany SAC members during presentations to Council.
- Assist with the preparations for the Annual Workshop The Annual Workshop will be hosted in the fall. Planning will begin in the summer months.
- Contribute to the development and presentation of the annual Sustainable Actions report to Council County Council accepted Sustainable Actions 2012 at their November 2012 regular meeting. The document has been published and is available both in hardcopy and online at www.directionsforourfuture.ca. Staff will begin drafting Sustainable Actions 2013 in the fall.
Comment on the draft Communications Plan being developed for Council’s approval in 2013
In order to move the Communications Plan efficiently though the internal approval process, it will be created and attached as an appendix to a Communications Policy. A Policy Working Group has been identified and the first steps of policy creation have begun. The Communications Policy and Plan is expected to be complete by July, 2013. The Committee will have the opportunity to comment on the draft plan before then. Updated Statistics on Current Communications Initiatives: Facebook 46 Likes (up from 37 at October Meeting) 1 Person “talking about” the page Weekly Total Reach: As high as 167 in the week of Jan 9 – 15. Currently around 14. Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – 2013 Work Plan Update February 6, 2013
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee
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Twitter Following 114 (up from 105 at October Meeting) 297 Followers (up from 233 at October Meeting) 138 Tweets (In total) E-Newsletter Date Sent
Email Name 1/21/2013 January 2013 1/3/2013 December 2012 12/21/2012 Happy Holidays 11/27/2012 November 2012
Sent 609 664 675 618
Bounces Optouts 3.1% 1 (19) 3.5% 3 (23) 5.8% 0 (39) 5.3% 0 (33)
Opens
Clicks
Forwards
40.7% (240)
4.6% (11)
0
41.2% (264)
15.9% (42)
0
39.2% (249)
3.6% (9)
0
40.0% (234)
9.0% (21)
1
Financial Implications None.
Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – 2013 Work Plan Update February 6, 2013
2013-035 Sustainability Advisory Committee
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Report 2013-041 SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT To:
Chair and Members of the Sustainability Advisory Committee
From:
Elizabeth Savill CAO
Prepared by:
Alison Vandervelde, Communications Officer
Date prepared:
January 31, 2013
Date of meeting:
February 6, 2013
Re:
Sustainability Exchange 2012
Committee Recommendation THAT the Sustainability Advisory Committee receives this Sustainability Exchange 2012 report for information only.
Background A Sustainability Exchange was held in Huntsville on November 9th, 2012. The Exchange was intended to bring together those working in the sustainability field, providing opportunities to collaborate and exchange ideas on the subject on implementation. The Exchange was an opportunity to investigate and identify the opportunities and challenges connected with implementing sustainability and climate action plans. Comment Alison Vandervelde, Communications Officer attended the Exchange on behalf of the County of Frontenac. Attached is a Note to File summarizing the highlights of the event.
Financial Implications None.
Sustainability Advisory Committee Report – Sustainability Exchange 2012 February 6, 2013
2013-041 Sustainability Exchange 2012
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NOTE TO FILE:
Event / Activity: Date: Location: County Reps in Attendance: Opportunities / Benefits for the County: (Use this space to briefly describe and explain the ways in which the County benefits from having a presence there)
Sustainability Exchange 2012
Sustainability Exchange Friday, November 9, 2012 Waterloo Summit Centre, Huntsville Ontario (Co-hosted by Town of Huntsville and Lura Consulting) Alison Vandervelde, Communications Officer Highlights and Takeaways from the day as follows: Keynote Speaker #1: Don Grant Successful implementation of Sustainability Plans Having a Coordinator is almost essential. Iqaluit’s Plan shares the sustainability values of residents and provides guidance to all community partners for the alignment of future plans with these values. Activities of High Implementation Success Communities: o 91% report back to the community o 61% have partner programs o 74% use indicators. Mississauga and Shelburne were cited as good examples. o 73% use committees o 39% host events with partners o 39% have active involvement from Council 100% of communities agreed that CAO buy-in was required; only 87% thought Council buy-in was required – sustainability plans must transcend Councils. A Sustainability plan is a differentiator when marketing your region to businesses, visitors and residents. Tools for living sustainability in the day-to-day: o Imbed sustainability sections into all budgets and plans o Include sustainability sections in all RFPs and RFQs o Include a sustainability expectation in all job descriptions: “To support all sustainability efforts in such a manner as is appropriate for [Department]” o Balance ScoreCards o Bancroft uses a checklist! o Spoke to Frontenac’s evaluation FGT criteria o The Town of Halton Hills has a successful internal initiative to recognize sustainable actions amongst their staff Make good use of interns.
2013-041 Sustainability Exchange 2012
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Solution Session #1: Measurement Helen Ng, Global City Indicators Facility Developing standardized indicators for cities around the world. At www.cityindicators.ca, cities can upload their data and compare themselves to other cities through a standard set of indicators. It is essential that the list of indicators be comprehensive, but not overwhelming to those who must maintain it. Developing a list of core indicators with a secondary group of supporting indicators could create a more manageable system. Sally Leppard, The Blue Mountain Sustainable Path Since many indicators deal with complex or abstract ideas, symbols will be used to represent indicator progress and report to the public. What is the difference between measuring progress and monitoring indicators? Actions should stem from indicators rather than the other way around. Solution Session #2: Organizational Change The discussion focused mainly on the internal staff organization. Kelly Pender, Town of Huntsville Leadership is at every level of the organization. New recruits must buy-in to sustainability theme – look to Disney’s customer service for examples. Include sustainability implications in all process reviews. A Sustainability Coordinator should be the scorekeeper, but not the driver of the process. Susan Dixon, Kimberly-Clark Hold vendors accountable. Drive waste out of the process. Start with building experiences, which in turn will ingrain beliefs, generate actions and create results. Paul Graham, Retired Municipal Executive Include sustainability requirements in all job descriptions and in performance appraisals. All organizations should have professional development plans for all employees that include management, leadership and technical skills. Solution Session #3: Engagement and Partnerships Melanie Kawelec, City of Peterborough Sustainability by-law ensures the sustainability plan transcends the current Council: “NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Peterborough commit to the on-going pursuit of greater environmental, economic, and socio-cultural sustainability by adopting the Greater Peterborough Area Community Sustainable Plan”. Colin Yates, University of Waterloo For successful student placements, appropriate standards maintain consistency. An agreement of responsibilities is important.
2013-041 Sustainability Exchange 2012
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Attachments:
Follow-Up (If Required): Next Steps / Briefings Required / Timelines / Other:
Create a log of volunteers – a database where like-minded people can connect and discover volunteer opportunities. The “mix and mingle” can be an effective way to bring people together on sustainability matters. Three minute allocations for “testimonials”. Upon registering partners, have them identify an action they will undertake.
Event Logistical Notes Attendance of about 50 Group photo outside at lunch Offered a candy buffet at the mid afternoon break and a group hike at the end of the day Three 1-hour long breakout sessions throughout the day allowed for a change in scenery and pace. During breakout sessions, three people spoke for about 7 minutes each and then there was discussion for the last half hour. One or maybe two speakers at 7 minutes each would allow for more discussion among attendees. Agenda and Program Halton Hills’ Caught you Green Handed Program (saved on County server) Bancroft Sustainability Checklist (saved on County server) The City of Peterborough’s Sustainability By-Law
Have followed-up with a couple of attendees for further information.
Expecting this will become an annual event and suggest an increased attendance in the future would benefit the County greatly.
2013-041 Sustainability Exchange 2012
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Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
SO YOU’VE GOT A COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY PLAN – NOW WHAT? Leading practices for bridging the gap between planning and implementation 8:00-10:00am, January 23 & 24, 2013
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Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Facilitator Chris Lindberg, Senior Sustainability Specialist A recognized national authority in sustainable community planning and development. Focussed on helping communities to move successfully from planning to implementation.
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More than twelve years of experience delivering strategic planning, sustainability, stakeholder engagement and management services.
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Municipal clients include Cochrane, Fort Saskatchewan, Hinton, Kingston, Morinville, Ottawa, Regina, Richmond & Whitehorse.
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January 23 & 24, 2013
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Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
About Golder Golder Associates has a fifty year global history of providing consulting, design, and construction services in our specialist areas of earth, environment, and the related areas of energy. Our Sustainable Communities Group provides a full service “sustainability solutions” workshop staffed with planners, landscape architects and related professionals. We work at all levels of project and community visioning, planning, implementation, engagement and management.
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Sample project and research experience Development & Implementation of Sustainability Plans
Research & Guides
Black Diamond, Cochrane, Hinton and Fort Saskatchewan Sustainability Implementation “Check In” Sustainability Plans for Campbell River, Comox, Ladysmith, Markham, Morinville, National Capital Region (Ottawa), Prince George, Regina, Revelstoke, Lake Country, Sooke, Parksville. Sustainability implementation workshops for FCM, AUMA, UNSM and various communities
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A Guide to Implementing Community Sustainability Plans (in progress) Sustainable Community Planning in Canada: Status and Best Practices (in progress) BC Climate Action Toolkit (toolkit.bc.ca) Catalyzing Change: Leading Practices in Municipal Sustainability Planning (Stratos) Integrating Sustainability into Municipal Decision-Making (Stratos)
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Workshop objectives
Introduce the concept of the planningimplementation gap and its root causes
Provide a framework for integrating sustainability (and other new approaches) into decision-making at every level of your organization
Share stories and lessons learned from regional municipal practitioners
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January 23 & 24, 2013
A great plan isn’t enough to create a great community: it’s how you implement it that matters
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Workshop schedule Item
Time
Informal networking and breakfast
8:00-8:20am
- Welcome, Introductions and Objectives
8:20-8:35am
- Presentation & Discussion: The “Planning-Implementation Gap” and sustainability
8:35-9:10am
- Presentation & Discussion: Bridging the Gap: Integrating sustainability into municipal culture and decision-Making
9:10-9:50am
- Closing Reflections
9:50-10:00am
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Welcome!
Please introduce yourself and state your role in your community
Please briefly share one objective you have for today with the group
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Presentation & Discussion: The Planning-Implementation Gap: Barriers, Enablers and Root Causes 8
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Sustainability planning in Ontario
Federal Gas Tax Agreement requirement for Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSPs) A long-term plan, developed in consultation with community members that provides direction for the community to realize sustainability objectives, including environmental, culture, social and economic objectives. In Ontario, an Official Plan is sufficient to meet this requirement; however many communities have opted to create ICSPs and/or related plans
Integrates and focuses activities across all community dimensions
Community Led by the municipallity but endorsed and owned by the community
Sustainability Long-term vision and goals grounded in sustainability principles
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Integrated
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Common sustainability goal areas Environment
Society
Culture
Economy
Governance
Solid Waste
Health
Arts & Culture
Local economy
Land-Use Planning
Water & Sewerage
Safety
Recreation
Business & Industry
Accountable Leadership
Air Quality
Poverty and Affordability
Community Identity
Workforce & Employment
Sound Management
Ambient Light & Noise
Food Security
Diversity & Inclusion
Transportation
Civic Engagement
Natural Ecosystems & Biodiversity
Desirable Community
Education
Buildings, Infrastructure & Housing
Climate Change
Heritage
Targeted sectors (Agriculture, Tourism etc.)
Energy 10
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
The role of community sustainability plans Community Sustainability Plan Long-term vision, goals and targets grounded in sustainability principles Municipal Government Vision, goals and targets
Community Partners Community Community Organizations & Partners Institutions Community Organizations & Community Institutions Members
Key Plans & Strategies Municipal Official Plan, Development Capital Plan, Plan, CapitalStrategic Plan, Strategic Plan etc. Plan etc.
Local Businesses Community Members Local Businesses Regional organizations and other levels of government
Implementation Activities Programs, Services, Regulations, Expenditure, Financial Levers
Community Outcomes 11
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Benefits of community sustainability planning
Cost savings Enhanced capacity to meet community needs A strong and creative community Managing change more effectively More effective policy development Greater community cohesion Stronger regional links Staying relevant 12
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
The “Planning-Implementation Gap” Planning
Implementation
■ What we plan to do…
■ What we actually do…
■ Our commitment…
The Gap
■ Our long-term visions and values…
■ Our accountability… ■ Our short term operational targets and objectives…
Potential Consequences ■ Eroded trust ■ Lost momentum ■ Missed opportunities 13
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Most communities experience a gap QUICK POLL Do you think that the planning-implementation gap is significant in your municipality? Poll Results (single answer required)
Source: Stratos webinar, December 1, 2011. 14
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January 23 & 24, 2013
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Root causes of the gap?
Do you think that the planning-implementation gap is significant in your community? (Yes, Somewhat, No, Don’t Know)
What is driving this gap? What barriers are you encountering with moving new, innovative and sustainability initiatives forward in your community?
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Bridging the gap: a systemic issue
“Vision Gap” It’s too ambitious, it’s not realistic, we don’t have the time, money or resources. Lack of alignment and integration of planning and implementation systems
“Accountability Gap” We always say we’ll do something but we don’t follow through: we could do it if we only had the commitment.
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When everything is aligned, the gap is small…
Plan A
Planning System
Plan B
Implementation System
Outcomes
Plan C
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…but when not aligned, the gap is significant
Planning System
Outcomes
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Plan B
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
The Planning-Implementation Gap and Sustainability Sustainability plans are predisposed towards significant implementation challenges…
…and often end up feeling like an added responsibility/ cost/ expectation on the side of your desk
■ Extensive planning and engagement processes can lead to burnout, loss of momentum and unrealistic expectations
■ Long-term goals can be challenging to translate into short-term actions
Green Roofs Climate Change
■ Broad scope impacts all aspects of community life and government
Affordable housing
■ Sets a new direction, new way of doing things – but the same system is responsible for implementation
Health Care
Community Engagement
Peak Oil
Infrastructure Deficit
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Population
Local FOOD
CITIZEN EXPECTATION January 23 & 24, 2013
Aging
WATER
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Integration and systems thinking are key for success Add-on Costs
Shared Goals Integrated Process
Efficient fixtures
Creative Design
Renewable Energy
Installation Efficiency
Triple-Glaze Windows
Green Building Project
Right Sized Systems
Life cycle costing
Insulation 20
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System Savings
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Making the transition requires a change in culture
Research has shown that as many as three quarters of organizational change programs achieve no success. The primary reason why is that they fail to change the underlying thought patterns, outlooks and behavior of employees
To avoid failure, sustainability initiatives must explicitly focus on altering the culture of the organization
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”
Albert Einstein
Bob Doppelt, Leading Change Toward Sustainability 2003
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A framework for integration and implementation
VISION
• What we want to achieve: The sustainability vision and long-term goals and targets
PLAN
• How we plan to achieve it: Community plans integrate sustainability and are aligned with the long-term goals
ACT
• What we actually do: Sustainability is integrated into programs, services, regulations and advocacy work
ENGAGE
• How we engage, collaborate and communicate: Council, staff, community members and stakeholders are key partners in planning and implementation
MANAGE
• How we manage our organization to achieve our goals: Sustainability is embedded in corporate structures, processes, policies and management systems 22
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A framework for integration and implementation
Questions? Comments? Reflections? 23
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Presentation & Discussion: Integrating Sustainability into Municipal Culture and Decision-Making 24
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Implementing Sustainability Plans
Make it part of every decision and the culture of your organization
Vision
Plan
Change how and what you do
Act Engage
Mobilize staff and community members
Manage
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Vision
Vision Plan Act Engage Manage
■ Clear sustainability framework ■ SMART goals, targets and indicators ■ Comprehensive and holistic vision ■ Ongoing maintenance and renewal ■ Clear and consistent commitment ■ Transparent public reporting 26
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Commit to a clear, long-term sustainability vision with specific goals, targets and indicators
■ Fourteen municipal sustainability plans in Alberta
Process & Framework
Analysis Strategic Framework
■ Each plan assessed on nine areas of an effective plan
Community Engagement
■ Strongest areas: ■ Community engagement ■ Action planning ■ Sustainability framework
Sustainability Framework Vision, Goals and Targets
Implementation Mechanisms
Strategic Direction
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example - Sustainability Plan Scorecard
Reporting and Indicators
■ Weakest areas: ■ Integration ■ Vision, goals and targets ■ Strategic framework
Action Planning
Integration
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Comprehensiveness
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – Cochrane, Alberta Sample Goals and Targets
- We are a socially responsible and empowered community. By 2030, 80% of eligible voters will vote in all elections. By 2029, increase volunteer hours and charitable donations by 20%.
- We treat water as a precious resource. By 2029, per capita water use in Cochrane has decreased by 15% from 2008 levels.
- We use energy responsibly and innovatively. By 2029, 30% of Cochrane’s energy derives from low-impact renewable sources. By 2029, per capita energy use in Cochrane has decreased by 30% from 2009 levels.
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Plan
Vision
Integrate sustainability goals and priorities into new and existing plans
Plan Act Engage Manage
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■ Integrated planning framework and cycle ■ Aligned municipal and community plans ■ Aligned strategic plan ■ New plans developed for key action areas ■ “Back-casting” and ongoing analysis
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – Morinville, Alberta
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Example – City of Calgary Backcasting
Business Plan and Budget (3 year revolving)
2020 Sustainability Direction (10 year plan)
January 23 & 24, 2013
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Graphic from The Natural Step Canada Sustainability Primer,2009;
Imagine Calgary (100 year vision)
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Act
Vision Plan Act Engage Manage
■ Take early action ■ Change design and decision-making criteria ■ Review and align programs and incentives ■ Efficient operations and utilities ■ Enable sustainability through regulations, standards and guidelines 32
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Use programs, services, regulations and advocacy to achieve sustainability goals
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – Sustainable Purchasing Policies Municipal Collaboration for Sustainable Purchasing 2012 report “The State of Municipal Sustainable Procurement in Canada: Best Practices & Current Trends”
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Example – Sustainability Checklist
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Engage
Vision Plan Act Engage Manage
■ Community oversight and partners ■ Regional collaboration ■ Constant communication ■ Connect and celebrate champions ■ Educate and train decision-makers
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Engage Council, staff, community members and stakeholders as partners in implementation
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – Sustainable Kingston
• Community-owned • Coordinate implementation • Communication & Outreach • Engage & mobilize community • Reporting
• Community Partners (businesses, institutions, NGOs, organizations) • Citizen’s Commitment (individuals) • Volunteers
• One of many partners • Key implementing agent • Funding and support
Sustainable Kingston
Sustainability Partners
City of Kingston
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Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – Whistler 2020 Whistler Centre for sustainability • •
Actions Whistler 2020 Task Forces
Assigned and Reported
Whistler 2020 Partners • • •
iShift Take Action Challenge Online monitoring & reporting Annual action workshops Ongoing communication Events
Individuals
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Manage Embed sustainability in corporate structures, processes, policies and management systems Vision Plan Act Engage Manage
Develop a transition or change plan Establish municipal structures and teams Align employee responsibilities and incentives Embed sustainability in management systems Align decision-making tools Align and develop administrative policies Transparent, long-term budgets Internal monitoring and reporting Assessment and evaluation 38
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■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
DECISIONMAKING
Role
COORDINATION
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – Municipal Structure Municipal Structure
Responsibilities
SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM and COUNCIL
SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR / COORDINATOR(S)
PARTNERS
SUSTAINABILITY (“GREEN”) TEAM
Support municipal decision-making (e.g. coordinate meetings, notes, research, grants) Ensure good communication Collect monitoring information and prepare progress reports Engage and educate municipal employees Liaise with the community ICSP coordinator and implementing partners Build sustainability awareness and understanding Identifying and promoting actions to improve the sustainability of municipal office operations (such as recycling, paperless meetings etc.) Promote ICSP priorities within their respective departments Eligible for recognition and awards 39
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Oversee municipally-led implementation efforts Identify and recommend short-term priorities and actions Facilitate internal networking Monitor progress Coordinate with and support the ICSP Advisory Committee
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Example – www.GoldSET.com A simple five step approach Project Description
Indicator Selection
Evaluation of Options
Interpretation & Decision Making
Option Development
Leading to graphical results
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Discussion Work with a partner to discuss how this framework applies to your community, such as: Where is your community stronger / weaker? How could it help to advance current plans / address challenges you’re currently facing? Insights from the discussion so far?
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Closing Reflections
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Applying the Framework: Principles
Integrate over initiate Use the full range of tools at your disposal Do a few things well – start small and build Don’t be paralyzed by funding or analysis – innovate with what you have Partner with your community and build on their strengths Recognize that sustainability = change
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Assess your sustainability plan and policy framework.
Diagnose your organization’s implementation strengths and challenges.
Prescribe actions and a change strategy to mitigate challenges and accelerate implementation.
BENEFITS
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Applying the Framework: The Sustainability Check In
Develop strategies and tools to help overcome challenges.
Optimize staff time, flag high-priority actions, streamline municipal activities and inspire action. Identify and discuss key implementation challenges and solutions.
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- Clayton Kittlitz, Director of Planning, Fort Saskatchewan
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Organize staff to share critiques on the current state and identify untapped opportunities.
“The workshop was really like a bloodtransfusion for the sustainability plan. It opened people’s eyes to how important the plan is and how it applies to their area of work.”
Process & Framework
Analysis Strategic Framework
■ We assess your plan using our nine-part framework
Community Engagement
■ We benchmark your performance against our municipal database
Sustainability Framework Vision, Goals and Targets
Implementation Mechanisms
Strategic Direction
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Sustainability Plan Scorecard
■ We provide recommendations for strengthening your policies to facilitate implementation
Reporting and Indicators Action Planning
Integration
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Comprehensiveness
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Sample Implementation Assessment Results 3) STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK: My municipality has a strategic planning framework that connects all levels of planning with a common language, structure and approach. I understand how key plans relate to each other.
9
- CLEAR VISION: My municipality has established a clear vision and set of sustainability goals with specific, measurable, and time-bound targets and indicators.
15
3
- ALIGN POLICIES: My municipality is actively reviewing new and existing policies and plans to ensure they align with our sustainability plan.
5
21
7
2
13
3
1
3
5
Strongly Agree
- BALANCE: Our sustainability plan balances ambition and realism and is scoped to match the financial and human resources of the municipality and its partners.
2
8
1
Somewhat Agree
5
Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree Don’t Know
- EARLY ACTION: My municipality has begun to implement the sustainability plan by taking early action towards sustainability.
3
0
21
5
46
10
2 1 2
15
20
25
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Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Sample Implementation Assessment Results Areas where participants strongly agreed that action has or is taking place
Areas where participants somewhat agreed that action has or is taking place
Areas where participants somewhat disagreed that action has or is taking place
Areas where participants strongly disagreed that action has or is taking place
70% Strongly or Somewhat Agree
50-70% Strongly or Somewhat Agree
30-50% Strongly or Somewhat agree
<30% Strongly or Somewhat Agree
76%
3E) EARLY ACTION
69%
3A) STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
48%
7C) EVENTS AND AWARDS
26%
4D) ADEQUATE RESOURCES
74%
5D) INTERNAL MANAGEMENT
63%
3C) ALIGN POLICIES
48%
6A) SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
10%
5C) PUBLIC REPORTING
63%
5A) BUSINESS PLANS & BUDGETS
44%
6C) REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP
6%
7B) STAFF TRAINING
62%
3B) CLEAR VISION
44%
4A) CONSISTENT COMMITMENT
61%
4B) RESPONSIBILITIES
40%
6B) FORMAL MECHANISMS
54%
7A) EDUCATION
39%
7D) COMMUNICATION
52%
4C) CROSS CUTTING TEAMS 3D) BALANCED AMBITION & REALISM
36%
5E) DECISION-MAKING TOOLS 5B) STAFF PERFORMANCE AND INCENTIVES
52%
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30%
Community Sustainability Plan Leading Practices for Bridging the
Golder Sustainability Services VISION
PLAN
ACT
ENGAGE
MANAGE
• Corporate and community visioning and goal setting • Sustainability plan development and implementation
• Community and regional landuse planning • Transportation and growth management plans • Environmental, cultural, food and economic strategies • Energy management and climate change adaptation • Landscape architecture and urban design
• Program and service design • Public works project management • Site assessment and permitting • Green infrastructure and building strategies • GMF funding applications
• Consultation • Workshops & facilitation • Events & charrettes • Digital engagement • Aboriginal engagement • Training & capacity building
• Change management • Sustainable procurement • Strategic planning • Governance • Decisionmaking tools • Performance management and reporting
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Top Ten Ideas for Action 1.
IDENTIFY STAFF CHAMPIONS and assign a senior individual to be accountable (e.g. CAO)
“WALK THE TALK” by aligning key processes, land-use plans and bylaws with sustainability
“DUST OFF” THE PLAN and establish targets and short-term priorities for action
MEASURE AND REPORT ON PERFORMANCE annually to Council and the community
CREATE A FORMAL PROCESS for reviewing and renewing the sustainability plan
QUANTIFY COSTS and integrate sustainability funding and priorities into budget processes
UPDATE REPORT TEMPLATES to add sustainability priorities and criteria, including budget documents, quarterly reports and funding applications
DEVELOP FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS with community members and stakeholders
WORK REGIONALLY to access funding and identify joint initiatives for collaboration
COMMUNICATE the plan and its importance (through workshops and forums, for example) to Council, staff and stakeholders 49
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Thank You
Chris Lindberg Senior Sustainability Specialist T: (613) 592 9600 ext. 4295 E: Chris_Lindberg@golder.com
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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS
