Sustainability Charter

September 11, 2008

Presentation Outline1. What is Sustainability?

2. Sustainability Charter Development Process

3. The Sustainability Vision

4. Sustainability Framework

5. Implementation

What is Sustainability?

• The concept came from the United Nations publication titled Our Common Future.

• The publication was released in 1987 by the UN World Commission on Environment and Development whose mandate was to discuss a global agenda for change.

• The Commission defined Sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

How is Sustainability achieved?• A sustainable community is achieved by the

balanced integration of social responsibility, economic opportunity and environmental stewardship.

• Imagine sustainability as a three-legged stool. Each leg represents an aspect that must be considered if a community is to be sustainable. The three legs are:

– Social/Cultural

– Economic

– Environmental

The Sustainability Stool

Planet, People, Profit

Triple Bottom Line

FinancialCapital

NaturalCapital

HumanCapital

The Sustainability Wheel

• Since 1990: Langley Tomorrow Program

Corporate Mission Statement, Goals and Objectives

Langley Tomorrow Surveys

• 2005: Towards Sustainability

• 2006: Sustainability by Design (SxD)

• 2007: Community Engagement

Sustainability Expert Panel

Sustainability Community Workshop

• 2008: Community Engagement

Sustainability Cafés and Open Houses

Sustainability Charter Process

Sustainability Vision

To build a legacy for future generations by leading and committing the community to a lifestyle that is socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally balanced.

Sustainability Goals

“see-it” Example

“see-it” Example

Provincial Transit Plan

200 Street

264 Street(Highway #13)

Highway #1

Fraser Highway

To Golden Ears Bridge

To Port Mann Bridge

Gloucester

Aldergrove

Langley

To SkyTrain

Rapid Bus Network

Expanded Rapid Transit

Frequent Bus(South of Fraser Area – TransLink)

Possible Transit Nodes

Future Transit Corridor

The Sustainability Framework

Integrate Corporate initiatives on three levels:

1. Sustainability Integration

2. Goals Integration

3. Policy - Action Integration (2-way)

Council:Council:high levelhigh levelcorporatecorporate

and and communitycommunity

goalsgoals

Management:Management:operationaloperationalobjectivesobjectives

Front line:Front line:actionsactions

andandprogramsprograms

Implementation – Immediate Actions

1. Devise a strategy to mainstream the concepts of sustainability

2. Take advantage of Bill 27 (Green Communities)

3. Integrate initiatives, indicators, reports and surveys

4. Consider establishing a Langley Carbon Trust

5. Consider implementing a Sustainability Development Checklist

Implementation – Long Term Actions• The Sustainability Charter is a high-level framework. It is a skeleton.

We will hang the “meat” on the skeleton.

• Start to align Corporate projects in the 2009 Work Program with the new Sustainability Goals.

• Future Five Year Financial Plans would be aligned with the Sustainability Goals and Objectives.

End of Presentation

Thank you!