Plan for Burnaby’s Green Future Wins Award of Excellence

Mayor Calls on Residents and Businesses to Take Green Pledge

The Planning Institute of British Columbia has awarded Burnaby’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy (ESS) an Excellence in Policy Planning award in the City and Urban Areas category, recognizing it as an outstanding plan that is a great example for others in the planning profession.
“We’re so pleased to have received this award,” says Mayor Derek Corrigan, “particularly because the plan was developed with extensive participation and input from the community.”
Led by the Mayor’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy Steering Committee, the ESS process that informed the Plan was one of the largest and most creative public consultation programs the City has ever undertaken. The three-phase process engaged more than 2,500 people and collected over 8,000 ideas. It was extensive, inclusive and creative and the response from the public and stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive, setting a solid foundation of community support that will help to ensure the future success of the ESS.
The 16 “Big Moves” and 25 “Quick Starts” within the approved plan will be the City’s focus for the first wave of implementation.
“Now that the City has committed to taking action on our award-winning Plan for Burnaby’s Green Future, we are asking our residents and businesses to also take action in support of the Plan’s 10 goals, by taking the My Green Pledge at www.burnaby.ca/ess,” says Mayor Corrigan.

“Environment week is a great time to tell us about the things you are already doing and to commit to take even more action! I invite everyone to take up the challenge to be a leader – whether in your household, school, business or social network – and help us to show the world how a ‘green’ city flourishes and supports the health, well-being and prosperity of its people.”

ESS Background
The Environmental Sustainability Strategy (ESS) is a plan for Burnaby’s “green” future. It completes the trilogy of sustainable city policies – environmental, social and economic – and will help to define how the city can evolve and build on its strengths to become an even more vibrant, resilient and sustainable community, integrated with healthy ecosystems.
Burnaby Council adopted the ESS on November 7, 2016, as a city-wide policy that sets a long term vision for the City to become a leader in protecting and regenerating healthy ecosystems, and supporting a healthy and prosperous community. The ESS is intended to set directions for environmental protection, stewardship, enhancement, and resilience in the city. As a city-wide strategy, it will influence many other city-wide plans, community plans, development approvals, City programs, City bylaws, City regulations, and City operations.
The ESS also supports regional environmental goals like compact and complete communities, green transportation, water conservation, reducing pollutants, reducing GHGs, and reducing solid waste; and provincial and national environmental goals like species at risk, improving aquatic ecosystems, green buildings, and electric vehicles.

What is PIBC?
The Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) is the professional association of planners in British Columbia and the Yukon. PIBC is the westernmost affiliate of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) – the national association.
The “Excellence in Policy Planning – City and Urban Areas” (Silver) award was issued to the City of Burnaby by PIBC on June 1, 2017, at their annual conference, hosted this year in Prince George, BC.

More Information
More information on the ESS and to take the “My Green Pledge”:
www.burnaby.ca/ess
www.burnaby.ca/ess+you
For further information, contact:
Office of the Mayor
Mayor@burnaby.ca