No surprise that the federal government is underperforming in the creation of jobs for the future. While we continue to float above some of the rest of western economies on a sea of oil, building a more sustainable future at all levels, doesn't seem to be on the Harper agenda.
See the story in the Vancouver Sun:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Canada+green+creation+falling+behind+bureaucrats/4441324/story.html
We have locally taken some of the stimulus funding to create our own green infrastructure, so credit is due to the feds for the investment in our Johnson St. Bridge project. The new bridge will improve conditions for cycling and walking dramatically, inviting people to shift their trips to more sustainable modes.
Still there is more to the green economy that our transportation systems design, and we have other initiatives underway that should help us meet environmental objectives, particularly reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Elements of our sewage treatment options for the Capital Region include, potentially, recovering heat from waste and distributing it through a district energy system - one plant or heat source for many buildings and businesses.
If the energy centre comes to Victoria, we could link the system to yet to be developed brownfield sites at Rock Bay in the Upper Harbour area. One of the directions we have been investigating might be to target the neighbourhood for a hi-tech park that would cluster knowledge and skills in a near downtown location and use the heat and energy from wastewater treatment to help support the industry. The more central location would invite, as well, more sustainable travel choices and support greening of our local, light industrial sector. At this point, it's an idea, not yet a plan, but something worth exploring further as various projects come into focus.
One of the initiatives the city has undertaken of late is to sign on with Mayor Gregor Robertson of Vancouver and Mike McGinn in a "Cascadia" sustainability initiative to try and attract complementary green business and industry to the northwest. Kudos to Victoria Mayor Fortin for leading the charge on behalf of the city.
See:
http://www.victoria.ca/contentmanager/press/110208_mr.pdf
Hi-tech is already our biggest industry locally - it generates more dollars than tourism and other industries usually seen as staples of Victoria's economy. Hi-tech is a fluid, mobile industry, and not just the clean energy supports will be important to attracting business. The things we are doing to support active transportation - cycling and walking, and an active, outdoors lifestyle, are big attractions to businesses that can locate anywhere. Building a better transit system will need to happen too.
The future of our region, economically and environmentally, will depend on how we respond to the climate change challenge and on the social ledger, creating a vibrant place to live, invest and work will also help us to address the other account on our triple bottom line. It's something every level of government needs to tackle with us.
See the story in the Vancouver Sun:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Canada+green+creation+falling+behind+bureaucrats/4441324/story.html
We have locally taken some of the stimulus funding to create our own green infrastructure, so credit is due to the feds for the investment in our Johnson St. Bridge project. The new bridge will improve conditions for cycling and walking dramatically, inviting people to shift their trips to more sustainable modes.
Still there is more to the green economy that our transportation systems design, and we have other initiatives underway that should help us meet environmental objectives, particularly reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Elements of our sewage treatment options for the Capital Region include, potentially, recovering heat from waste and distributing it through a district energy system - one plant or heat source for many buildings and businesses.
If the energy centre comes to Victoria, we could link the system to yet to be developed brownfield sites at Rock Bay in the Upper Harbour area. One of the directions we have been investigating might be to target the neighbourhood for a hi-tech park that would cluster knowledge and skills in a near downtown location and use the heat and energy from wastewater treatment to help support the industry. The more central location would invite, as well, more sustainable travel choices and support greening of our local, light industrial sector. At this point, it's an idea, not yet a plan, but something worth exploring further as various projects come into focus.
One of the initiatives the city has undertaken of late is to sign on with Mayor Gregor Robertson of Vancouver and Mike McGinn in a "Cascadia" sustainability initiative to try and attract complementary green business and industry to the northwest. Kudos to Victoria Mayor Fortin for leading the charge on behalf of the city.
See:
http://www.victoria.ca/contentmanager/press/110208_mr.pdf
Hi-tech is already our biggest industry locally - it generates more dollars than tourism and other industries usually seen as staples of Victoria's economy. Hi-tech is a fluid, mobile industry, and not just the clean energy supports will be important to attracting business. The things we are doing to support active transportation - cycling and walking, and an active, outdoors lifestyle, are big attractions to businesses that can locate anywhere. Building a better transit system will need to happen too.
The future of our region, economically and environmentally, will depend on how we respond to the climate change challenge and on the social ledger, creating a vibrant place to live, invest and work will also help us to address the other account on our triple bottom line. It's something every level of government needs to tackle with us.
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