News Releases & Media Advisories

PREVIEW EVENT - CANADA'S FIRST 100-YEAR PLAN FOR A SUSTAINABLE REGION

February 11, 2002

Vancouver - Team Canada is about to launch an exciting project that will plan for Greater Vancouver to achieve sustainability by 2100-cities^PLUS. Led by the Honorable Lloyd Axworthy, National Chair, and Michael Harcourt, Vice-Chair and former premier of British Columbia, cities^PLUS will develop Canada's first 100-year plan for a sustainable metropolitan area-incorporating economic, social and environmental priorities in a systems approach.

The project has two main objectives: to showcase Canada's expertise in sustainable innovation and to submit Team Canada's winning entry for the World Gas Conference's sustainable urban systems design competition in 2003.

Canada is one of eight countries asked to participate in the competition. The Team Canada submission is being developed by a public/private partnership. Organizations involved to date are the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the Sheltair Group, Canadian Gas Association, the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues, BC Gas, Westcoast Energy, SaskEnergy and BC Hydro. cities^PLUS will also become the cornerstone for revising the GVRD's Livable Region Strategic Plan, recognized internationally as a model of sustainable planning.

Cities^PLUS will involve sustainable urban systems experts, government leaders and community members from BC and Canada. The process for the project will involve envisioning a sustainable future, brainstorming how to achieve sustainability through participatory events and drafting a model plan and toolkit for urban systems design. Upcoming events will include roundtable discussions, networking breakfasts, design workshops and community engagement events in the GVRD's Livable Region Strategic Plan review.

This project will link with other national and regional initiatives such as the C5, a consortium of mayors representing Canada's five largest cities; the Federation of Canadian Municipalities sustainable projects; the federal Sustainable Cities Initiative; the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative; Georgia Basin Futures Project; ongoing research at colleges universities; and a number of demonstration projects.

Media are invited to attend the preview and speak with the Honorable Lloyd Axworthy, Michael Harcourt or other team members. The event is taking place:

cities^PLUS Preview
Westcoast Energy Building February 11th, 2002
1333 West Georgia, 10th Floor 4-6 p.m.
Vancouver

Media Contact: Kim Savage, 604-669-7900, 604-519-6340 or ksavage@irispr.com

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