Background

The City of Pickering launched its Sustainable Pickering journey in September, 2005.

Sustainable Pickering is a better way of doing business requiring the City to integrate economic, social and environmental objectives to achieve a distinctive community that is a desired place to live, work, invest and raise a family. Sustainability will only be achieved through partnerships between all levels of government, our private sector and most importantly the community who see this as an investment for future generations.

The journey can generally be divided into three phases.

• Phase One: Building Local Understanding and Capacity
• Phase Two: Developing a Solid Foundation and Framework
• Phase Three: Creating the Sustainable City

We are now entering Phase Three of the journey.

Office of Sustainability

The City of Pickering is the first municipality in the Province of Ontario to establish an Office of Sustainability.  A key role of the Office is to oversee and coordinate the City's Sustainable Pickering program.  Working closely with others, the Office of Sustainability is involved in a broad range of initiatives that help make Pickering a more sustainable City - environmentally, socially and economically.

Creating an Office of Sustainability sends a strong and clear message that the City is serious about continuing its Sustainable Pickering journey, and furthers our intent of becoming a leader in sustainable community development.

Measuring Sustainability

In 2007 the City of Pickering furthered its Sustainable Pickering journey by embarking on a benchmarking initiative “Measuring Sustainability”.

This process is important for reasons such as:

• Anything worth doing is worth measuring;
• We need to know where we are as a City, in relation to sustainability, so that we can determine whether we're making progress or falling behind;
• The City should regularly inform the public, in a clear and concise manner, about the status of the Sustainable Pickering program.

Measuring sustainability is an important means of evaluating the City's level of development, revealing trends in citizens' satisfaction, offering a fair and objective assessment of Pickering residents' quality of life, and helping municipal leaders evaluate the impact of their policies and actions.

Sustainability indicators help cities draw conclusions about social, economic, and environmental progress.  Moreover, as part of a region that is one of the fastest growing in Canada, the City of Pickering wants to ensure it develops in a way that meets the needs and wishes of its residents and businesses, those that are here today as well as those that will come to Pickering in the future.

Pickering, ON, June 5, 2008 - At a recognition ceremony held at the 71st Annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference and Municipal Expo in Quebec City, the City of Pickering took home arguably the most prestigious award, when it was presented with the 2008 FCM-CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Award in Planning.

This nationwide competition recognizes the very best of Canadian municipalities' efforts to create more environmentally responsible, livable and sustainable communities.  The Planning award is held in such high regard, because it is not focused on a single project or outcome.  Rather, it recognizes a municipality's long term vision and corresponding action plan that will balance the multifaceted needs of its residents, businesses and stakeholders today within the framework of tomorrow.  Pickering's groundbreaking Sustainable City Project was deemed the absolute best of its kind amongst all Canadian cities and towns.

“The City of Pickering is both thrilled and honoured to win FCM's premier Sustainability Award.  Being recognized as one of the country's foremost sustainability leaders will empower the City to reach out and engage a broader and more diverse audience with our sustainability message,” said Mayor Dave Ryan.  “We embarked on this journey to become the most sustainable community in North America, and this award affirms the progress we are making.”

As Chair of Sustainable Pickering, Councillor Doug Dickerson believes that what has been learned by visiting and observing the best of what other cities are doing with respect to the environment and sustainability has really propelled Pickering forward.  “We have combined the best practices of others with our own innovations to engage our community's residents and businesses,” said Councillor Dickerson.  “In large measure, it is their enthusiasm and support for the sustainable projects we have undertaken that has led to and made this award possible.”

As the gateway city to the east GTA, Pickering (population 94,000) is strategically located between Toronto and Durham Region.  Pickering is an affluent community that is steeped in history, natural beauty and small town charm with all the amenities and services that a big city has to offer.  The City of Pickering is considered a municipal leader in fiscal management, service delivery, sustainability and the environment; and offers a wealth of sports, leisure and recreation opportunities for its residents.  Pickering has been recognized by Profit magazine as one of the ten best cities in Canada for growth companies and received the 2008 FCM-CH2M Sustainable Community Planning Award.

PICKERING -- Pickering does more than just talk about its sustainable initiatives, and that's what helped the City win a prestigious award last weekend, says a Pickering City Councillor.

“Our way: talk a little bit and do a little bit,” Ward 2 City Councilllor Doug Dickerson said in an interview.

Pickering was named Canada's leading municipality in sustainable planning for 2008 at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) 71st Annual Conference and Municipal Expo.  The Quebec City conference was from May 29 to June 2 and honoured Pickering with the CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Award, which recognizes planning that demonstrates environmental excellence.  All members of council and Mayor Dave Ryan accepted the award before 2,100 conference delegates.   “It's the only award given for that,” Councillor Dickerson said.  “We hope it spurs us on to maybe get a few more.”

Councillor Dickerson, along with Ward 1 City Councillor Jennifer O'Connell and Ward 3 City Councillor David Pickles, are members of the Sustainable Pickering Advisory Committee and determined to help Pickering remain a leader in sustainability.  All three also believe both the federal and provincial governments have to provide more funding for sustainbable initiatives.

Councillor Dickerson said FCM representatives spoke to him and the City's director of the office of sustainability, Tom Melymuk, about possibly featuring Pickering as a model in sustainability.

PICKERING - A Pickering City councillor with a home fairly representative of other Durham houses opened his doors Monday for an energy audit.

“At least when we talk about energy audits in the future I'll know what they're all about,“ said Ward 3 Councillor David Pickles.

“Based on what I've seen, this is probably going to be your biggest potential for energy savings,” he told Councillor Pickles.

And he was right.  Mr. Drodge put his findings into a software system the next day and Winddfall's program manager, Jen Atkinson, was able to give the results.  She said Mr. Drodge found the Pickles family could decrease its energy consumption by about 25 per cent.  The three biggest ways to do this are: getting a high-efficiency furnace; adding more insultaion in the basement walls; and improving air tightness through draft-proofing.

“If he completes them all he can save 2.4 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year,” Ms. Atkinson said.

Councillor Pickles has taken other small steps to improve his household's energy consumption.  For example, he uses LED tube lights at Christmas with a timer, and as his regular light bulbs burn out he replaces them with energy-efficient ones.  Councillor Pickles got the Peaksaver program installed about a year ago, which Veridian customers can get if they have an electric water heater or air conditioner.  The installed thermometer will reduce air conditioning electricity use during peak hours, usually between noon and 6 p.m. on weekdays, and it's free.

The audit costs $325, and the Province will refund $150.  To book an audit or for more information call 905-427-0061 or e-mail info@sustain-ability.ca.  For Peaksaver information call 1-866-323-0206.

The City of Pickering is on a path to becoming a leader in sustainable community development with the launching of Sustainable Pickering.

I believe that a Sustainable Pickering means a new way of doing business, by balancing economic, social and environmental objectives to achieve a more distinctive community.  This enhances an already good City, as an even more desirable place to live, work and raise a family.

In order to ensure that our community has a bright future, providing benefits over the long term, we are benchmarking standards for sustainability in Pickering and measuring our progress along the way.

Our five objectives are:

• Healthy Environment
• Healthy Society
• Healthy Economy
• Responsible Development
• Responsible Consumption

We are committed to ongoing consultation with the community as well as developing indicators and targets that can be measured.  In early 2006 we held three Town Hall Meetings - I was pleased to attend the meeting in Claremont - to hear the views and ideas of residents.  I look forward to continuing to work with the residents, businesses and community groups.

Our current sustainability initiatives include (but are not limited to):

• Anti-Idling
• Hybrid Vehicle
• Eyes on the Street
• Environmental Education
• Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge
• Partners for Climate Protection
• Sustainable Neighbourhood Plan
• Energy Reduction Measures
• Communities Against Violence Everywhere (CAVE)

I was pleased to recently attend both the 2006 Smog Summit with GTA Municipalities and the 2006 Sustainability Conference with experts and municipalities to bring ideas back to use here in Pickering.  I am looking for ways we can help protect the environment, make our community better and perhaps save us all some money.  For more information on this exciting initiative please log on to www.sustainablepickering.com

As Councillor Pickles has a young family, wife Brenda and their two daughters, and has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies - Honours Geography Degree from the University of Waterloo, he has a particular interest and involvement in protecting our environment.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss Seaton and Pickering's Growth Management Study with Premier Dalton McGuinty.  I have found that the best way to represent residents' and the City's interests is to maintain a good working relationship with our representatives at Queen's Park and in Ottawa.

Councillor Pickles sits as the City's representative on the Toronto Region Conservation Authority's Taskforce on the Duffins and Carruthers Creeks Watershed Plans and on the City's Steering Committee for the Growth Management Study.  The objectives of the Plan include protecting water courses environmentally sensitive areas, rehabilitating altered areas such as former gravel pits and fish habitat, and creating trails.

Councillor Pickles, a member of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority's Duffins Creek Watershed Task Force, releases Atlantic salmon into the creek as part of the re-introduction of the native salmon into the watershed

For further information, visit www.bringbackthesalmon.ca

Councillor Pickles has emphasized that any new urban development in north Pickering, including Seaton, must protect environmentally significant areas.  He has participated in the City's on-going growth management study on the basis that we need a "made in Pickering plan" to ensure that we the residents get to shape our community.  He has not supported all aspects of the study (including the inclusion of the lands west of West Duffins Creek) and he is emphasizing the need for public participation, openness and accountability in addressing these land use issues, and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas.

Councillor Pickles has represented residents' interests and has been an active participant in the Growth Management Study on the steering committee and public open houses.  He took the time to participate with other interested residents in the Growth Management Workshop to hear their views.  His approach is that the best way to get his views and the views of those that he represents heard is to be at the table.

"It is important that we do the proper environmental studies to guide us in protecting the most sensitive environments and in planning the type of communities we want in Pickering" notes Councillor Pickles.

Pickering's study will be the most complete environmental and planning study with the most public input that has yet been undertaken for the area.  This study will provide useful information to assist Pickering in making future decisions on possible development.

"I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss Seaton and Pickering's Growth Management Study with Dalton McGuinty, the new Premier of Ontario" notes Councillor Pickles.  Councillor Pickles is interested in hearing from the Provincial Government about the status of the "land swap" and their approach to north Pickering and Seaton.

He does not support locating an airport in Pickering. I have been the loudest, clearest, and most consistent voice on Council in this regard.  He is participating and representing residents in meetings with Transport Canada, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and interested community groups and associations discussing matters regarding the federal lands in north Pickering.  He remains un-convinced that an airport is needed or makes economic sense.

There are other environmental issues to be addressed such as recycling and waste.  Councillor Pickles was pleased to support expanding our recycling program and opening a hazardous waste depot in Pickering.  He treats environmental issues with importance.

Councillor Pickles has represented the interests of the City including the residents of our hamlets Claremont, Greenwood, Brougham, Whitevale, Green River, Kinsale, and Cherrywood on these issues.

The E. coli contamination of Walkerton's water and the resulting illness and death is a tragedy.  I know many Pickering residents' thoughts were with the people of Walkerton and with our own water.

The majority of residents in Pickering receive their water from the Ajax Water Supply Plant operated by the Region of Durham.  I have personally spoken with Region of Durham officials whom assure that the water system maintained by the Region remains safe. Water testing is done regularly by both the Regional Works Department and the Regional Health Department and there is no contamination of the water.

Other residents, particularly in north Pickering draw their water from wells.  Some wells may experience problems from time to time and should be maintained and tested regularly.