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6. Shifting Gears: Sustainable Mobility for Western Municipalities

Shifting Gears: Sustainable Mobility for Western Municipalities

It has become apparent that today's pattern of development is not sustainable in the long term. The social, environmental and economic costs of development that focuses on mobility via the automobile, often to the exclusion of alternative forms of transportation, are too high to be sustainable. In many residential and commercial developments, it is impractical to move around without the use of an automobile. Design features commonly work against transit service, pedestrians, bicycles, and any number of alternative forms of transportation. The end result is an urban footprint that spreads rapidly in size, quickly absorbing green-field space, and leaves an urban landscape that hampers mobility and is ultimately unsustainable.

Climate Change Central (CCC) is a non-profit organization focused on the development of innovative responses to global climate change and its impacts. CCC provides analysis, engagement and policy advice; promotes innovation through the exchange of knowledge, ideas and best practices; and provides outreach services to further the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

What are they doing?

Climate Change Central and its partners held a two-day conference focusing on transportation related issues in Prairie cities. Shifting Gears was an opportunity for municipal decision makers (city councilors, senior managers, department officials), NGOs focused on sustainable transportation issues, and professionals in the transportation and land use planning industry to learn, contribute knowledge and take action on current transportation challenges facing Prairie cities.

The prairie focus of the conference is necessary due to the region's unique situation. Unlike urban centres in other regions in Canada, prairie cities have few natural barriers to outward expansion. Prairie cities also tend to be young cities, and therefore are lacking urban developments from the pre-automobile era that are less intensive in regards to land use and energy consumption, and more conducive to auto-alternative forms of transportation. Because of this, prairie cities require strong policy development to achieve the type of urban landscape that will enhance mobility through multiple transportation modes, and be less land and energy intensive over the long term. This policy development must be led by well-informed decision makers, and implemented by equally well-informed municipal planners and developers.

Prairie cities are currently dealing with a variety of issues regarding the development of their transportation networks, ranging from rapid growth to a demographic shift that creates a need for different services. Cities are spreading outwards, and the pressures on the transportation systems are increasing. With the growth occurring in these cities, auto-alternative transportation and land use patterns that support alternative transportation modes will be required. The cities cannot afford to simply build their way out of congestion by adding road capacity, nor can they expand indefinitely without placing undo pressure on the environment.

However, larger cities are not the only municipalities that can benefit from sustainable development practices. Small to mid-size municipalities can reap the rewards of enhanced mobility for the young and elderly by, for example, incorporating direct route walking paths between residential developments and population destination, such as schools, stores, and recreational services. Vehicle traffic can be reduced via innovative design and encouraging mixed land-use development where appropriate, thus avoiding noise and air pollution, and potential congestion in high-traffic areas. Adopting sustainable development principles, and therefore sustainable transportation principles, will lead to better and more sustainable communities in the future. The conference focused on how this can be achieved, by showcasing the type of planning, funding strategies and policy support that has proven successful.

What did the project accomplish?

Shifting Gears: Sustainable Mobility for Western Municipalities was a two-day conference held in Edmonton, Alberta. Organized by Climate Change Central the conference focused on innovative and cost-effective solutions to mobility problems that Western Canadian Municipalities are currently facing. Notable results include:

• Over 100 municipal and NGO participants from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
• Over 20 postsecondary institutions and 52 municipal and private sector organizations represented
• Conference included 23 sessions on various sustainable transportation planning and design topics, four site visits and tours and a small trade show
• 2,000+ unique hits to conference website
• 88% of post-conference survey respondents reported improved understanding of issues facing sustainable transportation systems
• Over 17 organizations involved on planning committee or as sponsors
• Ongoing partnerships with Alberta Municipal Affairs, Cities of Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta Transportation, Sierra Club of Canada-Prairie Chapter and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
• First sustainable transportation conference focusing on western Canada
• Carbon neutral conference - GHG emissions from associated travel, materials and accommodation offset by donation to Tree Canada Foundation
• 88% of participants claimed better understanding of sustainable mobility issues
• 89% of participants felt better prepared to implement sustainable transportation initiatives in their communities

Where can you find more information?

Climate Change Central

Date modified:

2010-02-03

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