Halton Hills' practical Green Plan and commitment to sustainability reach 1.8 million subscribers

The Town’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and to promoting a high quality of life has been recognized through an article in Business Review Canada and Energy Digital Magazine. Combined, the two publications have about 1.8 million subscribers.

Focused on the Town’s practical Green Plan which charted a course for implementing 70 recommendations and leadership in improving the natural environment, the publication highlights a few of the Town’s many initiatives. First, it notes the fact that the Green Plan is based on the “PAREE Principle”, coined by Mayor Bonnette, requiring its recommendations to be practical, affordable, reasonable, educational and enforceable. Next, the creation of the Office of Sustainability and the ‘Planning, Development and Sustainability’ department is noted as a means of establishing an internal champion of sustainability.

The publication then highlights a sample of sustainable projects, including:

• Construction of the Acton Branch Library to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver standard.
• Use of energy efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting technology.
• Innovative green design of the Edith Street parking lot with LED lighting and permeable paving stones.
• Award-winning Green Development Evaluation Checklist which elevates the environmental performance of new residential development in Halton Hills.
• Use of the Sustainability Implications Worksheet to better evaluate Town decisions through a ‘sustainability lens’.
• Reporting on Green Plan implementation through the annual Green Plan Progress Report Card.

Commenting on the publication and the Town’s commitment to sustainability, Mayor Bonnette said: “It all started in 2007 with the Mayor’s Green Plan Task Force and the resulting Green Plan. Today, we continue to build upon the Green Plan and take actions that move us toward a more sustainable future – a future with a high quality of life for all. This publication is just one example of how Halton Hills is being recognized for leading by example.”

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