The Greater Peterborough Area has embarked on an exciting and important journey – the development of its first Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP). The City and County of Peterborough, the eight surrounding townships and the two First Nations that make up the County of Peterborough will design a regionally integrated sustainability plan.
Coordinated by the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation (GPA EDC), the aim is to coordinate a holistic regional plan with the vertical integration of related plans over the three tiers of government in the Peterborough area as well as First Nations Band Councils. It will address areas of mutual responsibility, present a strong environmental focus and ensure that recommendations are financially sustainable.
Six key areas have been identified as the focus: energy consumption, water quality and control, land-use planning, transportation, culture and heritage, and waste management. Already a provincial and national leader in environmental awareness, the community’s reputation only will be further strengthened with the development of its Sustainability Plan.
Funding for the Greater Peterborough Area’s Sustainability Plan has been provided through a $200,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, as well as grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Rural Secretariat (via the County of Peterborough), and through financial contributions from the City of Peterborough and the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough. All organizations represented on our Steering and Community Committees have been generous enough to contribute through their staff’s time spent on this project.
Residents, organizations, businesses, and municipalities will be invited to collaborate to develop the Greater Peterborough Area’s Sustainability Plan. Lura Consulting, contracted to facilitate the Plan’s development, will be visiting your community to find out what you value about the Greater Peterborough Area and what your vision is for a sustainable future in our community.
to find a session close to you. The Sustainability Plan is expected to be completed by February 2012.
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“With this contribution to the Peterborough County, our government is supporting the economic future of the region,” said the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture), who is also responsible for rural affairs and co-operatives. “Investing in sustainability plans will ultimately create jobs for people in the area, further develop local businesses to become more competitive and is just one more example of what our government is doing to secure a better future for all of us.”
“FCM’s Green Municipal Fund offers a range of resources and services that specifically address the sustainable community development needs of municipal governments,” said Pam McConnell, Toronto City Councillor and member of FCM’s National Board of Directors “The financing and knowledge provided by the Fund supports the development of communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”
“The Government of Canada is assisting municipalities across the country in achieving their goal of a cleaner and healthier environment for Canadians through the Green Municipal Fund,” said MP Dean Del Mastro “Today’s announcement is another example of how our government — in partnership with FCM — is helping the Greater Peterborough Area build a greener future for our citizens.”
“It is vital to the growth and economic health of our community that we have a plan for Sustainable Peterborough; a plan to engage relevant stakeholders and organizations; a plan that will develop and grow our financial sector. The Ontario Trillium Foundation grant being announced today will provide resources needed to create a Sustainable Peterborough for the future,” said Jeff Leal, MPP for Peterborough.
“I am delighted with the level of financial support awarded from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and the Rural Secretariat to the development of our Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. Their support is tangible recognition of our collective community’s innovative approach to environmental sustainability” stated Ken Doherty, Co-Chair of the Sustainable Peterborough Steering Committee.
Our Funders:
Rural Secretariat
The Rural Secretariat funds are being provided under the Community Development Program, Building Rural and Northern Partnerships. This program is aimed at supporting projects that help stakeholders find solutions that reflect their needs, while sharing information and best practices with other communities. It also contributes to development of activities in which a number of communities and partners participate. The County of Peterborough was the applicant for these funds to support the Sustainable Peterborough program.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund
The Government of Canada endowed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) with $550 million to establish the Green Municipal Fund. The Fund supports partnerships and leveraging of both public and private-sector funding to reach higher standards of air, water and soil quality, and climate protection.
Trillium Foundation
A leading grantmaker in Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation strengthens the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. An agency of the Government of Ontario, OTF builds healthy and vibrant communities.
City of Peterborough
The City of Peterborough has been working towards sustainable development since 1991. As lead municipality in this initiative, the City of Peterborough is committed to working with the County, Townships and First Nations on the development of the plan and its successful integration across departments and jurisdictions. The City and County have already begun to pursue joint planning in areas such as waste transportation land use planning and environment. Areas in which the potential for, and benefits of collaboration are transparent and attractive to other jurisdictional partners.
