City of Edmonton Strategic Approach to Environmental Management Office of the Environment.

City of EdmontonStrategic Approach to

Environmental Management

Office of the Environment

October 21, 2003 APEGGA District Luncheon

Presentation Outline

• City’s Approach to Environmental Management

• Environmental Strategic Plan

• City’s Environmental Performance


Approach to Environmental ManagementCorporate Mission Statement

“The City of Edmonton is committed to conscientious and responsible environmental management, practices and stewardship in all aspects of its corporate activities.”


Approach to Environmental ManagementDepartmental Responsibility

• Environmental responsibility remains with

operating areas

• Reliance on interdepartmental co-operation, sharing of expertise and responsibilities


Approach to Environmental Management

Office of the Environment Mandate

• Office of the Environment is a “small” corporate entity

• Currency in broader environmental issues• A focal point for environmental information

& provide status reports• Develop/facilitate/monitor environmental

goals & policies


Environmental Strategic PlanEnvironmental Vision Statement

“Edmontonians sustain and enhance their environment for present and future citizens, in harmony with the global community.”


Environmental Strategic PlanMandate & Purpose

• Mandate: Plan Edmonton includes, as a priority, “Protection of the

Natural Environment”

• Purpose: Provide long-term direction through policies and

programs to maintain and enhance the natural environment


Environmental Strategic PlanDeveloped In Three Parts

• Part 1: Policy Document … Approved by Council in 1999

• Part 2: Environmental Strategic Plan Implementation … “Reports on Environmental Performance”

• Part 3: State of the Environment Reporting … “Edmonton’s Environment: A Snapshot 2002”


Environmental Strategic PlanWhat Is It?

• Defines overall strategic direction for wide-ranging environmental issues ... 19 areas

• Provides a focus for environmental improvement in Edmonton

• Long term in nature ... but also addresses short and medium term issues

• Plan is developed in concert with stakeholders


Environmental Strategic Plan

Linkage To Other Plans

– Plan Edmonton

– Drainage Master Plan

– Transportation Master Plan

– Waste Management Strategic Plan

– Infrastructure Strategy

– Long Range Financial Plan

– Corporate Business Plan


Environmental Strategic Plan

19 Environmental Topics

ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTALRECEPTORSRECEPTORS• Drinking WaterDrinking Water• Surface WaterSurface Water• Indoor AirIndoor Air• Ambient AirAmbient Air• Ozone LayerOzone Layer

CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION• Climate ChangeClimate Change• Natural HeritageNatural Heritage• Sustainable Urban FormSustainable Urban Form• Agricultural LandsAgricultural Lands• Waste ManagementWaste Management• Energy ManagementEnergy Management

STRESSORSSTRESSORS• Industrial ReleasesIndustrial Releases• Hazardous MaterialsHazardous Materials• Contaminated LandsContaminated Lands• PesticidesPesticides• NoiseNoise• Light PollutionLight Pollution• Electric & Magnetic Electric & Magnetic FieldsFields• Acid RainAcid Rain


Environmental Strategic Plan Plan Details For Each Topic

• topic overview

• current approach and approved policy

• strategic direction

• objective

• key strategies

• recommended level of action


Strategic Directions for Topic Areas• Climate Change - Reduce community wide greenhouse

gas emissions.• Natural Heritage - Protect natural heritage.• Sustainable Urban Form - Plan for an urban form that is

environmentally and fiscally sustainable in the long term.• Agricultural Lands - Continue to preserve agricultural

lands in balance with other land uses.• Waste Management - Improve waste management

practices.• Energy Management - Improve energy efficiency.


Strategic Directions for Topic Areas

• Drinking Water - Maintain a safe and reliable potable water supply.

• Surface Water - Improve surface water quality.• Indoor Air - Improve indoor air quality.• Ambient Air - Maintain and improve ambient

air quality.• Ozone Layer - Reduce emissions of ozone

depleting substance from City operations.



• Industrial Releases - Continue to prevent and mitigate harmful industrial releases.

• Hazardous Material - Continue to reduce exposure to hazardous materials.

• Contaminated Lands - Reduce land contamination.

• Pesticides - Continue to minimize exposure to pesticides.



• Noise - Continue to mitigate and reduce exposure to excessive noise.

• Light Pollution - Monitor and assess the situation regarding light pollution.

• Electric & Magnetic Fields - Monitor and assess the situation regarding electric & magnetic fields.

• Acid Rain - Monitor and assess the situation regarding acid deposition.


City’s Environmental Performance

Implementing the Plan

• Plan - Strategic Plan Policy

• Do - Reports on Environmental Performance

• Measure - State of the Environment Report

• Continuous Improvement


• Provides timely updates of progress in the 19 topic areas to City Council

• Development of performance measures

• Identifies emerging issues

• Identifies resource requirements to achieve strategic direction


Reporting on Environmental Performance


• Provides a snapshot of the state of the environment in Edmonton

• Organized on the basis of the 19 topic areas

• Identifies areas where we are doing well and also where more effort is required

City’s Environmental PerformanceState of the Environment Reporting

(the big picture)



Highlights of Environmental Leadership• Waste Management

– Recycling, composting, hazardous materials

• Surface Water– BNR, UV disinfection, treated water reuse,

constructed wetlands

• Drinking Water (EPCOR)– UV disinfection, watershed protection



Highlights of Environmental Leadership• Climate Change

– CO2RE Initiative, City Operations Plan

• Natural Heritage– Natural Areas Policy, Conservation Coordinator

• Sustainable Urban Form– ‘Smart Choices’ initiative, High Speed Transit

Corridors



Highlights of Environmental Leadership• Ambient Air

– Participate in Edmonton Air Shed, Vehicle Emissions Testing Clinics, Anti-Idling Campaign

• Pesticides– Reduction through IPM, public awareness

campaign planning


Summary• A great variety and number of

environmental issues for municipalities

• Environment pillar in ‘Quality of Life’

Quality of Life

Envir onm

ent

Econom

ic

Socia l


Closing Comments• Great challenges for all of us in moving to a

sustainable society

• All orders of government, institutions, business, industry and individuals must work together to achieve this

• Edmonton’s Environmental Strategic Plan provides a good framework to move our community in this direction

City of EdmontonStrategic Approach to

Environmental Management

Mark Brostrom, Senior Environmental EngineerOffice of the Environment, City of Edmonton

Phone (780) 496-5992E-mail: [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.edmonton.ca/am_pw/office_of_the_environment

City of Edmonton Strategic Approach to Environmental Management Office of the Environment.

Documents

Transcript of City of Edmonton Strategic Approach to Environmental Management Office of the Environment.