TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of Edmonton's Report on the Environment is to keep citizens informed about the larger state of the environment within the city boundaries and the City of Edmonton’s corporate environmental performance. It is hoped that this report will contribute to informed decision making amongst City administrators and citizens alike.
Check out the green measures on the Citizen Dashboard at:
A MESSAGE FROM MAYOR DON IVESON
City Council has set the goal of being the nation's leader in setting and achieving the highest standards of environmental preservation and sustainability. Edmonton's Report on the Environment is intended to communicate to citizens and decision makers the progress being made towards that goal, both at a City operations and at a community level. The environmental impacts of daily activities must be measured, evaluated and reported if they are to be effectively managed. Understanding the condition of our environment helps us make choices to lessen our impact and implement systems and programs to mitigate adverse effects. A healthy urban environment contributes to a rich quality of life for all Edmontonians. Monitoring the overall environmental condition of Edmonton and measuring the successes of City programs that have been designed to protect and preserve the environment are crucial to becoming a sustainable community. Reporting on the state of our environment on a continual basis communicates movement towards improvements to Edmonton's environment. While Edmonton's environment has changed significantly for the better since the 1990s, continual improvements are always necessary. This report provides the opportunity to better the environmental management of the City and ensure the necessary progress is being made. It is Council’s hope that this report will not only contribute to informed decision making amongst City administrators but also engage citizens to take action to improve Edmonton’s environment and reduce their own ecological footprint. The state of Edmonton's natural environment is integral to the citizens of Edmonton, as it directly impacts the health, quality of life and resiliency of our citizens and our city. Everybody in our city has a role to play in improving the state of Edmonton’s environment.
WHAT IS THE WAY WE GREEN?
The Way We Green is the City of Edmonton’s environmental strategic plan. It sets out principles, goals, objectives, policies and approaches for Edmonton to live in balance with nature.
The Way We Green’s two main focuses are: (a) sustainability: our society’s ability to endure over a prolonged period as an integral part of Earth’s natural systems and (b) resilience: the capacity of our city to withstand and bounce back intact from environmental disturbances.
DYNAMIC AND ADAPTIVE: What the City of Edmonton currently reports on is not final or exhaustive in character; the report needs to be regularly refined as scientific knowledge improves, programs are developed, policies shift and data availability increases. Edmonton's Report on the Environment reports on both community and City Operation measures. The legend to the right outlines symbols that differentiate between the community and City Operations information presented throughout this report.
This symbol refers to measures that belong to the City of Edmonton and relate to City Operations.
This symbol refers to community measures, those that broadly measure the state of the environment within Edmonton and which all citizens have an impact on.
CITY OF EDMONTON'S ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
The City of Edmonton is committed to environmental sustainability and effective environmental management. To do this we need many tools. The Way We Green is the City of Edmonton’s environmental strategic plan. The plan was approved by City Council in 2011 and outlines principles, goals, objectives, policies and approaches to preserve and sustain Edmonton’s environment. The Way We Green encourages Edmontonians to understand nature’s limits and live within them. It also encourages Edmontonians to pursue a vision of sustainability, defined as “society’s ability to endure over a prolonged period as an integral part of Earth’s natural systems” and resiliency, defined as “having the capacity to withstand and bounce back intact from environmental disturbances”. This strategic plan presents a holistic approach to Edmonton’s environment and includes the themes of Land, Water, Air, Energy and Climate Change, Food and Solid Waste.
The Way We Green is Edmonton’s overarching strategy on the environment. Supporting the strategy are detailed initiatives and plans focused on specific environmental challenges that Edmonton faces, such as:
Urban Parks Management Plan
City of Edmonton Wetland Strategy
River for Life Strategy
Green Building Plan
City Operations Greenhouse Gas Management Plan
Sustainable Fleet Management Plan
Sustainable Purchasing Plan
fresh – Edmonton’s Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy
Waste Management Strategic Plan
And many more
The work outlined in all of these strategies, plans and initiatives, as well as others currently being developed, is needed for effective environmental management and sustainable development in Edmonton.
The City of Edmonton also has an Environmental Policy (C512) that commits the City to prevent pollution; to continually improve its environmental performance; and to meet or exceed environmental legal requirements. One way the City does this is through Enviso, the City’s ISO 14001 environmental management systems.
ISO 14001 is the International Standard for Environmental Management Systems. It identifies the process of building an environmental management system, and requires that each system be governed by a Plan-Do-Check-Act model, in order to ensure continual improvement and adaptive management. The City has annual independent third-party audits and certification of each system. In 2014, twelve areas of City operations received and maintained ISO 14001 certification for their Enviso Systems: Community and Recreation Facilities; Community Standards; Fire Rescue Services; Neighbourhoods Branch; Fleet Services; Drainage Services; Waste Management Services; LRT Design and Construction; Roads Design and Construction; Buildings Design and Construction; Transportation Operations; and Transportation Planning.
Leading the City’s continual environmental improvement is the Environmental Management Steering Committee, made up of leaders from different areas of City operations. This committee develops, executes and oversees the City operation’s Environmental Management Business Plan, which drives and governs various environmental initiatives throughout City operations.
The City seeks input from a range of sources. Since 1995, the City has received guidance from a citizen Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC). The citizens on the EAC meet monthly to provide insight and advice to the City on environmental issues, representing a community voice in City decision-making. The EAC has advised the City on several different subject areas, including:
Green Building Policy
Energy Transition Plan
Community Engagement: Neighborhood Level
Permitting/Zoning Alternative Energy Technology
City of Edmonton Internal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
River Access Strategy
Neighborhood Action Plan
Brownfield Redevelopment Grant
and many more.
The EAC has also provided advice to the City for the continual improvement of this report.
Edmonton’s Report on the Environment is intended to report on the performance of the City of Edmonton’s overall environmental management. Monitoring, understanding and reporting on the state of Edmonton’s environment and progress are important for continual environmental improvement. Measuring and tracking changes in our environment can help decision makers and citizens understand issues of concern, priorities, successes or failures, and is a step towards raising environmental awareness.
As part of this continual improvement process, the City of Edmonton encourages feedback from citizens on the report. If you have any feedback or comments you would like to share, please send them to thewaywegreen@edmonton.ca.