Transcript Sustainable Development in Atlantic Canada

Sustainable Development in
Atlantic Canada
About ACOA, visit:
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Presentation by Yvonne Devine, ACOA
November 18, 2005
Overview
1. Sustainable Development
2. 2003 Consultations
3. Update
4. What’s next?
Three Pillars of SD
Economy
Environment
Society
SDS Consultations - 2003
Federal departments and agencies preparing three-year
sustainable development strategies since 1997. (SDS I – 19982000, SDS II – 2001-2003, SDS III – 2004-2006)
In preparation for SDS III - what did Atlantic Canadians feel were
the major issues and challenges facing the region.
Partners – ACOA, Environment Canada, Industry Canada,
NRCan, PWGSC
Four Consultation sessions held –
– St. John’s, Halifax, Moncton, Charlottetown
109 participants in total
11 priorities identified as important issues and challenges to
sustainable development in the region.
Issues & Challenges - Atlantic Canada 2003
Define
Education
Sus.
Comm.
Energy
Best Practices
Economy
Skills
Gov. Interaction
11 priorities
Infrastructure
Incentives
Economy
Community
Perception Empowerment
R&D
R&D
1. Define Sustainable Community
A sustainable community is one that:
 Acknowledges economic, environmental and social issues are
interrelated.
 Recognizes sensitive interface between the natural and built
environments.
 Understands begins to shift away from polluting and wasteful
practices.
 Considers environmental, economic and social impacts.
 Understands its natural, cultural, historical and human assets.
 Fosters multi-stakeholder collaboration.
 Promotes resource conservation and pollution prevention.
 Focuses on improving community health and quality of life.
 Acts to create value-added products and services in the local
economy.
2. Education
Access to Education – better access to skills
development opportunities, both youth and adult
levels – improving
Literacy rate (five million adult Canadians (approximately
22 per cent of the population) – remains a huge issue
Wider range of programs and broad range of
career opportunities – technical, industrial and trades
programs for youth within communities – community and
specialized colleges thriving.
Skills pertaining to sustainable development –
degree programs in environmental studies, environmental
engineering and environmental health increasing
Increased awareness of SD – school programs and
community initiatives through campaigns, TV ads, etc.
3. Recruitment and Retention of
Skilled Labor
Successful youth efforts
– active & direct approach to inform about local bus. startup &
employment opportunities.
– provide apprenticeship & mentorship opportunities
– local govs. provide info. about housing, services, etc.
– work with the education sys. on entrepreneurship-related
curriculum
Seed capital Program, The Centre for Entrepreneurship
Education and Dev., Young Entrepreneur Dev. Initiative (YEDI) Junior Chamber International
Successful immigration activities
– multi-stakeholder committee - “welcoming committees”.
4. Infrastructural Improvement
Infrastructure Canada Program
Broadband – high speed internet is now more widely
available in the region.
Energy - Wind energy gaining popularity; hydro energy
being explored again; natural gas access extended.
HR infrastructure -Atlantic Canada has excellent
universities, colleges and institutes to accommodate
students.
HRSDC’s Skills Development Employment Benefit
helps the unemployed learn new skills.
5. Promote Research and
Development
ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
National Research Council grants
Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED)
Tax Incentive Program
The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
Canada Research Chairs
Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC)
Genome Canada
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada (NSERC)
Networks of Centres of Excellence
Precarn
Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council of Canada (SSHRC)
6. Community Empowerment
The Green Municipal Funds program
Infrastructure Canada Program
Community Futures Program
The Natural Step to Sustainable Communities
CMHC Community Planning Tools Program
Green Communities Canada (GCC)
http://www.gca.ca
The Partners for Climate Protection (PCP)
program
The Centre for Sustainable Community
Development
7. Improve perception of Atlantic
Canada
Council of Atlantic Premiers Building on Progress: Atlantic
Action Plan 2005–08 (http://www.cap-cpma.ca/)
Vision
– Encourage a climate in which Atlantic Canadians can
fully participate and compete in the global economy,
benefit from similar levels of quality public services as
other Canadians, and continue to enjoy the quality of
life and environment that is unique to the region.
The four provinces in Atlantic Canada cover 505,000
square km (195,000 sq mi) of land or 5% of the area of
Canada. Working together just makes sense
8. Opportunities for government
interaction & partnerships
CIPEC Atlantic
Team Atlantic Environment
Environmental Industries Associations
Environmental Technology Working Group
National Round Table on the Environment and the
Economy
Canadian Environmental Network (CEN)
9. Incentives for sustainable
Choices
NRCan programs.
Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC)
Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP)
Commercial Transportation Energy Efficiency and Fuels
Initiative
EnerGuide for Existing Buildings (EEB) Retrofit Incentives
Energy efficient equipment
Renewable Energy Deployment Initiative (REDI)
ENERGY STAR® qualified products
Home energy efficiency retrofit grants
Industrial Building Incentive Program (IBIP)
New housing
9. Incentives for sustainable
Choices - more
Environment Canada
Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP)
Community Interaction Funding Program
EcoAction Community Funding Program
Endangered Species Recovery Fund
Environmental Damages Fund
Habitat Stewardship Program
Interdepartmental Recovery Fund
Technology Early Action Measures (TEAM)
10. Enhance long-term thinking
in economic management
Ongoing process
Budget 2005
Cross-Canada Workshops on Smart Regulations *
Competitiveness and Environmental Sustainability
Framework (CESF)
Benefits of energy efficiency and waste reduction
Atlantic Premiers Commitment
Increased awareness of climate change and
environment issues
More grassroots initiatives
11. Make use of best practices
Many federal/provincial/municipal groups are
partnering on SD initiatives
Best practices abound in Canada and around
the world.
Web sites carry more information than you
can read in a lifetime.
Pick the best and leave the rest!
Share.
What’s next
SDS IV due December 2006
Discussions
Feedback
Federal
Agenda
Strategic
Priorities
Where to from here?
• Are all these issues and challenges still
relevant?
• Are there new issues and challenges?
• Are there success stories to tell?