Urban IssuesLesson 2

Learning Goals• Learn about the concept of sustainability and apply it to urban areas;• Examine the criteria used to identify a sustainable city;• Consider the main issues of urban sustainability in Canada;• Compare the differences between sustainable cities and those that

are not;

• Cities are becoming the centre of national economic growth• Globalization, population growth, consumerism, inequitable

distribution of wealth and other societal demands are having a signification effect on cities• The Sustainability of cities is under pressure• Decision-makers at all levels are faced with the task of how

to resolve urban problems from transportation to waste management, from drinking water supply to the preservation of urban green space

What is a Sustainable City?•Makes economic, environmental, cultural and social

development decisions that do not interfere with the long-term operation of a city•Maintains the well-being of the current and future

generations• Sustainable development:• Development that meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Sustainable City• A city is considered to be sustainable when:

It follows a development path where the present progress does not take place at the expense of future generations (i.e. bad

planning, debt, environmental degradation…)

There is an equilibrium between different issues. In other words, the goal is an across-the-board development, instead of handling issues one by one.

A more sustainable city has… A less sustainable city has…

More compact forms of residential development Low-density, spread-out residential development

Mixed land use; home, jobs and shopping in close proximity Segregation of land uses

Employment based primarily on education and skills Employment based primarily on environment polluting or non-renewable resourced based industry

Environmental friendly ways of transport: walking and bicycle and transit

Heavy dependence on private cars

Low impact energy sources such as wing and solar energy Thermal and nuclear energy

Tertiary treatment of sewage; use of natural means of sewage treatment

Discharge of sewage into water bodies with low treatment level

Protection and use of natural hydrologic systems Hard surfaces preventing infiltration

Protection of wetlands, woodlands, stream valleys.Use of manure, compost, integrated pest management

Destruction of natural landscape: use of fertilizers, manicured lawns

Reduction of waste Landfills, incinerators

Advantages of Sustainable Cities• Cities become healthy, viable communities• Help protect the surrounding area ecosystems • Good quality of life, natural open spaces, reduced waste, equality,

access, lower crime, sense of community, clean air and water quality, and environmental diversity• Meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs

Sustainability of Sioux Lookout• 1. Environmental Sustainability Goal: To reduce the negative environmental impact of municipal

service delivery and to respect the ecological integrity of our environment. To be an example of responsible environmental practices and encourage environmental responsibility.

• 2. Economic Sustainability Goal: a. Municipal -- To provide efficient and cost effective services that meet changing local needs, and will provide long-term service, while maintaining the flexibility needed to address future challenges and opportunities. • b. Community -- To encourage the development of a diverse economy with a range of

employment opportunities where “local” and “value-added” are supported and valued and Sioux Lookout’s place in the changing regional and global economy is understood and optimized.

• 3. Community Sustainability Goal: To live and work together with respect, harmony, and collaboration so that everyone can enjoy a quality of life that meets their diverse needs and encourages their learning.

Check Your Understanding1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a sustainable city? a) Wind and solar energyb) Low density, residential developmentc) Recycling of waste materialsd) Mixed land use; homes, jobs and shopping in close proximity

2. Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of ________________________ to meet their own needs.

Issues of Urban Sustainability in Canada• Land use• Compact (minimal urban sprawl) • Transportation (roads, trains)• Green areas• Buildings (including a section on the successes and potential of "green building"

projects)• Industrial sites / eco-industrial parks• Ecological footprint• Zoning/planning• Landfills

Urban Sprawl• Poor land use policies are often a result of unplanned

growth• This leads to cities growing outwards and using the

land that was used for agriculture. This is known as urban sprawl• Urban sprawl is responsible for abandoned buildings,

run down neighbourhoods, poor schools, pot-holed roads, the separation of economic/social groups and feelings of alienation and disconnection among residents and their communities in the city core

Urban Problems• the lack of provision of affordable housing;• the lack of sustainable transportation planning;• the need to maintain and extend basic infrastructure;• the need to protect and restore the environment in and around cities;• the need for more sustainable use of resources through changes in consumption

patterns;• the loss of agricultural land; and• the increasing income disparity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzLWk0mORiQ

Social problems, such as poverty and crime, are mainly located in urban areas, and air pollution is now an immense health problem in some of Canada's larger cities - a problem that is expected to worsen.

Questions1. What urban issue was identified as being the most important in Canada?

a) Pollutionb) Transportationc) Economyd) Land Use

2. The expansive growth of a city over a large area surrounding the city is known as...

a) Urban sprawlb) Rural fringec) Light pollutiond) Bad planning

Questions to discuss•How might the draining of marshland for urban development

affect drainage patterns, the climate, and/or wildlife?•What impact might an increase in population density have on

sewage treatment processes and on nearby bodies of water?•How have bodies of water been affected by increased runoff

from paved areas? How might communities who use the water be affected?•How do paved areas affect temperature?

Questions to Discuss• In what ways might urban growth influence the type

of policing in a community?•What types of health care services might be needed in

a large urban community? Why might they be different from those needed in a small town?•How might the increased migration of First Nations

people from reserves to urban centres have an impact on both communities?

Ways to Control Urban Sprawl•Green Belts•High density residential infill

Green belts• Policy and land use designation to retain areas of largely

undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas• Invisible line, designating a border around a certain area, preventing

development of the area and allowing wildlife to return and be established

Green Belt Purposes•Protect natural environments• Improve air quality within urban areas•People use them for recreational purposes

Sometimes development can “jump” over the green belt

Residential Infill•Rededication of land in an urban environment, usually open space, to new construction•Also known as “land recycling”•The use of land within a built-up area for further construction

Curriculum• E2.1• E2.2• E2.3