the EarthCare Sudbury LOCAL ACTION PLAN 2008 PROGRESS REPORT Message from the Mayor Greater Sudbury is striving to become a sustainable community, and our EarthCare Sudbury Local Action Plan is charting a course for us to get there. The Plan has become a recognized model for others, and our achievements in environmental stewardship are recognized worldwide. Our collective efforts have resulted in great strides in economic, social and environmental sustainability, and continue to inspire others. This progress report is an opportunity to reflect on our achievements and chart a new course for further action. Environmental leadership is a priority for the City of Greater Sudbury, and has been made possible through the collective commitment of EarthCare Sudbury partners and the many other individuals and organizations who have come together to implement solutions to our environmental challenges. There is a challenging agenda ahead for all EarthCare Sudbury partners. You should be proud of your success to date. Together we will continue to break ground and identify opportunities to move the sustainability agenda forward. I encourage all residents of Greater Sudbury to get involved and sustain the momentum that is creating a cleaner, greener, healthier community for all of us. On behalf of City Council, I congratulate you on your efforts. Mayor John Rodriguez EarthCare Sudbury Steering Committee A special thank you to our EarthCare Sudbury Steering Committee members: John Hood, Chair, Cambrian College Joscelyne Landry-Altmann, Councillor Ward 12, City of Greater Sudbury Claude Berthiaume, Councillor Ward 3, City of Greater Sudbury Tony Cecutti, EarthTech (Canada) Inc. Bruce Fortin, Sudbury & District Health Unit Terry Fortin, FedNor Aaron Gervais, student, Laurentian University Bill Lautenbach, City of Greater Sudbury Les Lisk, Greater Sudbury Utilities Franco Mariotti, Science North Dougal McCreath, Laurentian University Barb McDougall-Murdoch, City of Greater Sudbury Stephen Monet, City of Greater Sudbury David Pearson, Science North/Laurentian University Chris Perry, Perry & Perry Architects Inc. Natalie Poulin-Lehoux, Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario Bob Rogers, chair of the City of Greater Sudbury Healthy Community Cabinet Arik Theijsmeijer, FedNor Pat Thompson, independent (formerly Vale Inco) ii Message from the Chair I am pleased to present you with this report, which measures our progress against the goals and objectives that were established in the 2003 EarthCare Sudbury Local Action Plan. The report looks at everything from waste management, land use planning, to sustainable transportation, and improving our environment and the health of residents in Greater Sudbury, through improved quality of life. Through the effort of nearly 100E arthCare Sudbury Partners and through community action, we have made some real, measurable progress in a number of areas. That is not to say, however, that there are no challenges left. This report establishes a baseline from which to gauge our current successes and challenges and to help us set the stage for identifying future priorities. I am confident that through partnerships with government, our business and industrial community, educational institutions, local organizations and our residents, that we can continue to create a more sustainable Sudbury. John Hood Chair EarthCare Sudbury iii Contents Message from the Mayor i EarthCare Sudbury Steering Committee ii Message from the Chair iii Progress Reports Partner Profiles Land Use Planning 1 Caisse populaire Lasalle Inc. 22 Energy 2 Cambrian College 22 Transportation 3 Canadian Mining Industry Research Organization (CAMIRO) 22 Solid Waste 4 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) 23 Landscape Recovery & Biological Integrity 5 Canada Revenue Agency 23 Soils 7 Canadian Shield Wind Power 23 Air Quality 8 CanSpec Inspection Services 24 Water Resources 9 Castellan James + Partners Architects Inc. 24 Wastewater 10 Canadian Climate Impacts Food 11 and Adaptation Research Network (C-CIARN) 24 Pesticides 12 Centre de santé communautaire de Sudbury 25 Eco-Procurement 13 City of Greater Sudbury 25 Economy 14 Collège Boréal 25 Community Projects 15 Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario 26 Industrial, Commercial & Institutional Sector 18 Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario 26 The Residential Sector 19 Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit 26 Youth and the Environment 21 Custom Bio-Gas 27 D&J Filter Service 27 Dalron Construction Ltd. 27 Dawn’s Images Nature Photography 28 Day Construction Ltd. 28 Dearness Environmental Society 28 Dennis Consultants, a division of R.V. Anderson Associates Limited 29 Dinosaur Valley Mini Golf 29 EarthTech (Canada) Inc. 29 Eat Local Sudbury 30 Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) FCM Centre for Sustainable Community Development 30 FedNor 30 v Fisher-Wavy 31 Northern Initiative for Social Action 40 The Foodshed Project 31 Northern Life 40 Gagnon Renewable Resources 31 Novenco Consultants Ltd. 40 Golder Associates Ltd. 32 Nutri-Lawn 41 Grassroots Economic Opportunity Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition 41 Development Evaluation (GEODE) 32 Partners in Eco-Adventure Tourism 41 Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce 32 Penguin ASI (Automated Systems Inc.) 42 Greater Sudbury Development Corporation 33 Rainbow District School Board 42 Greater Sudbury Environmental Network 33 Rainbow Routes 42 Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation 33 Renewed Computer Technology 43 Greater Sudbury Lake Improvement Advisory Panel (GSLIAP) 34 Rogers Sudbury Radio Group 43 Greater Sudbury Utilities Inc. (GSU) 34 Science North 43 The Home Depot 34 Sudbury and Manitoulin Workforce Partnerships Board 44 Hôpital régional de Sudbury Regional Hospital (HRSRH) 35 Sudbury and District Health Unit 44 ICLEI – International Council for Sudbury Catholic District School Board (SCDBS) 44 Local Environmental Initiatives 35 Sudbury Community Foundation 45 J.L. Richards & Associates Limited 35 Sudbury Horticultural Society 45 Josephine’s Vegetables 36 Sudbury Naturalists Club 45 Junction Creek Stewardship Committee 36 Sudbury Social Planning Council 46 K.R. Thompson Inc. (KRT INC.) 36 Sundog Outfitters 46 Kal-Davies Energy Technologies 37 Toromont Energy Inc. 46 Kukagami Lodge 37 Union Gas Limited 47 Laurentian University 37 Vale Inco 47 Manitoulin Transport 38 Valley Growers 47 Mining, Innovation, Rehabilitation Valley Nursery Sod 48 and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO) 38 Vegetation Enhancement N.J. Robbins Consultants 38 Technical Advisory Committee (VETAC) 48 National Car Rental, The Murdoch Group 39 Wahnapitae First Nation 48 Nickel District Conservation Authority 39 Waters Environmental Geosciences Ltd. 49 NORCAT (Northern Centre for Advanced Technology Inc.) 39 Xstrata Nickel 49 v Progress Report Introduction The City of Greater Sudbury believes that every one of its citizens can play a role in creating a healthier environment and a better quality of life for local residents. That philosophy is being put into action through ‘EarthCare Sudbury’ an ambitious and visionary initiative, aimed at making Greater Sudbury cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable. It has been nearly five years now since theE arthCare Sudbury Local Action Plan was launched in the community. The plan ‘Becoming a Sustainable Community’ was the culmination of several years of work by EarthCare Sudbury – a unique partnership of nearly 100 community agencies, organizations and businesses and hundreds of Sudburians. In October 2003, the EarthCare Sudbury Partners and City Council formally adopted the Local Action Plan. Greater Sudbury collectively voiced a commitment to work together to implement this visionary plan, and the messages were clear – “we need to act now, we need to protect and enhance the natural environment, we need to all be involved, and we need to work together.” Partner commitment to a formal declaration of shared responsibility for building a stronger, more sustainable community was extremely valuable. Now well into the implementation phase of the plan, there have been numerous strides made by the EarthCare Sudbury Partners in meeting the goals and objectives of the Local Action Plan. This document provides a clear overview of the progress that has been made over the past 5 years towards meeting the goals and objectives of the EarthCare Sudbury Local Action Plan. It also highlights the numerous achievements of EarthCare Sudbury Partners. The Progress Report is presented in two parts: 1) report on issues; and 2) Partner briefs. The first part of the ProgressR eport is an update on the issues, and rates the efforts and achievements towards the goals and objectives in the form of a report card. The second part of the Report highlights EarthCare Sudbury Partner achievements since 2003. These findings will be used as a basis for launching discussions that focus on identifying priorities and exploring ways for the community to collectively work together to create a more sustainable city. On behalf of the City of Greater Sudbury, we would like to thank you for your unfailing efforts in helping to make this community more sustainable. Achieving the goal of sustainability will require the combined efforts of everyone. We look forward to working with all ourE arthCare Sudbury Partners in making even greater achievements towards sustainability over the next five years Stephen Monet, Manager of Environmental Planning Initiatives Barb McDougall-Murdoch, Coordinator of EarthCare Sudbury Victoria Morrow, EarthCare Sudbury