Flower City

Report Planning, Design & Development Committee

Standing Committee of the Council

of the Corporation of the City of Brampton

Date: February 2, 2009 PLANNING. DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

File: N02 (Environmental Master Plan) DATE:

Subject: Municipal Solutions for a Greener Earth Survey 2007 -Information Report

From: Susan Jorgenson, Manager, Environmental Planning (905-874-2054)

OVERVIEW:

• City of Brampton residents participated in the 2007 'Municipal

Solutions for A Greener Earth' survey undertaken by Ipsos Reid Public

Affairs along with 11 other municipalities;

• The survey concluded that in 2007 the most important issues facing our

community are transportation, crime, healthcare, education, municipal government services, social, growth, taxation-municipal government

spending, revitalization, parks-recreation-cultural facilities & programs,

economy and environment;

• In thinking specifically of the 'environment', residents are concerned

with providing more parks/trees/green space, limiting development and urban sprawl, air quality/pollution, garbage, traffic, and recycling;

• Residents defined that the most pressing environmental priorities for the City include protecting wetlands, habitat, and natural areas,

creating new green spaces and parks, and encouraging alternative

modes of transportation (walking, cycling or public transit);

• Brampton's residents rank first overall amongst the participating

communities in undertaking environmental activities in their homes, and we exceed in the norm in areas of reducing water consumption,

using energy saving light bulbs, and composting food and garden

waste; and

• The 2007 survey will be used as background for the extensive public

consultation process that Brampton will be undertaking to prepare the

Environmental Master Plan and these 2007 survey results will be further

evaluated through the Master Plan consultation paper.

Recommendation:

1. That the information memo entitled "Municipal Solutions for a Greener

Earth Survey 2007" dated February 2, 2009, be received.

Background:

In recognition that the environment has emerged as a key area of public concern,

City of Brampton residents participated in the 2007 'Municipal Solutions for A

Greener Earth' survey undertaken by Ipsos Reid Public Affairs. This syndicated

public survey is intended to provide municipal leaders with tangible information of

their citizens' attitude, behaviour and concerns around local environmental

issues.

Three hundred (300) citizens, aged 18 years or older, participated in this

telephone survey. This size of survey is large enough to allow the results to be

analyzed according to key demographic variables. As a subscriber, Brampton

received detailed tables with cross-tabulations of the major demographics such

as age, gender, length of residence, and families with children under 18, a

PowerPoint presentation, and comparisons of our results to other 11 participating

municipalities, as provided in Attachment 1.

This report provides a brief overview of the key results from the survey and will

be used to inform the upcoming public-stakeholder consultation process, and the

preparation of the City's Environmental Master Plan.

Current Situation:

The survey defined that in 2007 the most important issues facing our community

are transportation, crime, healthcare, education, municipal government services,

social, growth, taxation-municipal government spending, revitalization, parks-

recreation-cultural facilities & programs, economy and environment. In thinking

specifically of the 'environment1, our residents are most concerned with providing

more parks/trees/green space, limiting development and urban sprawl, air

quality/pollution, garbage, traffic, and recycling.

The resident's perceptions of the overall quality of Brampton's environment are

moderately positive; however, citizens are pessimistic about the direction our

environment is taking. The most pressing environmental priorities for the City

include protecting wetlands, habitat, and natural areas, creating new green

spaces and parks, and encouraging alternative modes of transportation (walking,

cycling or public transit). Most people believe that they are doing their part to

preserve and protect the local environment by undertaking environmental

activities such as energy saving, recycling-composting, buying green products,

and reducing consumption and shopping local; and overall, people believe that

the City is doing a good job preserving and protecting the environment. To

encourage environmental behaviour, it is suggested that the City should focus on

recycling-composting-garbage removal programs and transportation activities.

However, many of our citizens do not support increasing property taxes to pay for

environmental initiatives.

Brampton's citizens ranked first overall amongst the 11 participating communities

in the survey, in undertaking environmental activities in their homes, and we

exceed in the norm in areas of reducing water consumption, using energy saving

light bulbs, and composting food and garden waste.

Summary:

The 2007 survey will provide background information to be referenced in the

proposed, extensive public consultation process that Brampton will undertake to

prepare the Environmental Master Plan. To put Brampton's results in greater

context, we also hope to contact other participating municipalities to share and

combine this survey data to add to our general knowledge of what is affecting

residents across the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton.

Regardless of the 2007 survey results, Brampton recognizes that all of these

issues span the environmental, social, cultural and economic responsibilities of

the City and are directly related to a creation and management of a healthy,

liveable city. The Environmental Master Plan is intended to provide a sustainable

environmental framework to address municipal responsibilities related to public

health and safety, corporate operations and services, community (land use)

planning and services, and environmental protection and conservation by

identifying tangible goals, objectives, and sustainable actions that will involve the

corporation as well as our stakeholders and community, and result in

improvements to the health of our human and ecological environments.

Respectfully submitted,

(\ \\ Original Signed By Original Signed By

Adrian^mfrh^MCIP.RPP JbhlJ^Qtrt^' M#IJ>, RPP ~~ Director, Planning and Land Commissioner, Development Services Planning, Design and Development

Authored By: Susan Jorgenson, MCIP, RPP, Manager, Environmental Planning

Attachment 1: Municipal Solutions for a Greener Earth Public Survey, October 2007

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

Municipal Solutions for a Greener Earth

- City of Brampton -

October 2007

Table of Contents

♦ Obiectives and Melhodology 3

♦ Important Issues 5

♦ Assessment ol Iho Local Environment 10

♦ Local Govemmenl Performance and Pfiorilios 14

♦ Environmental Behaviours 17

rva-5

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

Objectives and Methodology

Objectives and Methodology

♦ The primary objective ol this research was lo provide the City of Bramptcn with a batter

understanding of citizens' environmental behaviours, attitudes, and pnorilies.

♦ A total of 300 lelephone interviews were conducted wilh Bramplon residents aged 18 years or

older.

♦ All interviews were conductod between Soplambor 5 and 10, 2007.

♦ Overall results aro accurate to within ±5.7 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

♦ Resuils have been woighled using the 2006 Census to ensure that the sample's age/gender

distnbution reflects that ot Ihe actual Brsmpton population

♦ Where appropnate. results have been compared lo Ipsos Reid's municipal norms fo< added

context and insight.

id Public Affairs ■

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

n unprompted basis, transportation tops the pub! issue agenda - the environment places twelfth overall

tit your view, as a letiaent at Me City at BiamtHott, w/ialliUie <noiU<rti>artant Istu* fatina your community, rfrar is me tyia Jssife you l shank! ncciva Iho gmjtt!5t oltentlon fiom your local ttadcis? Am Ihcrt jiy outer Impo/Ianl local Issues?

■ Fii5f Mmitlon ■SacorlO MenllDn

Norm

Transportation (NET) ■QE^HBH 28"/. 25%

CrliiB(NET) KETM~ ] 19% 11%

Heallhcire (NET) IV,W 9% as

Education (NET) KM 9% G%

Municipal Government Services (N ET) E3 J s% 11%

Social (NET) E3 is-. 12%

Growth (NET) SB 37. ie%

Taxation/Municipal Gov't Spending (NET) EEl7% 10%

Ravitaliiatlon (NET) 3(414 3%

""1-i * L ■- i"T n si O «i i ,^1 Erjn^ir^fi^JfirnjiinnuT L 1 f f .-*aiK5, rd'c i. cultural ^acJIlliDvHrogranB (Nfc 1) I! Y'° 3%

Econonv(NET) 12% 5%

Environment (NET) |2% a%

OHIO'(NET) EC ] fiii 13 V.

Oon't know/nni staled B%

s Reid Public A

When prompted, crime rises to the top - social issues, transports"

li-Hiry of a/I tltt vjvfair* fuuii fjc/iru your corinnunlly. pfeaitt ttll ft vtttlcb qu$ of ins fallowing you wouhimost W«fo s c Ihe CJf/of

iifplan foaii onov*i tfitnort ya.Tr AndwJWth ojre woufcf yoi'[is*lnroit JJXo ro sen r/io CJry of Bramptan focus on over" j/

Ann which oi>o bvoufdyou rjeifjifoar JJ*o ro Me OTd CJry o'&jm/jf&i /ocus ujt a*ri tfto next yvai?

■ Firs Wenltort uStco^J Wtntlon ■TJilril Norm

67%

SoClaMssuos suchii

poverty, hoinQlGssnoss, 62V. 66%

Transportation 55%

The environment 56%

Growth and dovoronmont 5.1%

i III" 3001

Specific environmental issues are diverse and

overall, green space, urban sprawl, and air pollul> n ■ the list

tnyoorvtt*. *h»l!% Ifto moat Important trtviionrnfiylsUiiu*/seine l~>* City of Bnmpton today. Out la tfiton* e l issue you trctivt Uie$reafsl tttenOon from your iocs'tesden? AnyViing ttw?

Mora parXktrnflsjQfoori ipaco 14S

I in,! ;,.| ,\r-- u |i|. ]f!i in ■ |ir i. I 12% Nm ni Top Mentions

K.Mii.r i- iJ.-.il with walor

Air EtujlltyJpoltutlon 10% pollution 15%

Mora parkUlroD^giDDn 5 pacts 14% Toornich QaibjQe a%

LItterrgarbdgs In public placos |G% sprawl

IDS

Alrquallty'pollullon 9 V,

Too nuc^ lufllc 18% KflOd for moro rocycling 8%

N ■ 'l ti,t in i .■ ro eye I Ing s% Too much QJriMQo S%

i'r.iijl' ri.. with drinking water 8V.

qiialliyravalJalilNly

Nooo.'no [fling I 11".

14%

l'<- lull.'il .■,!!■.mint. !nii- |. ( ifi.-(S} 9%

... fiota- Qnty tola'mention* of i\ en mof» ait

Citizens are opposed to increasing property taxes to p ■ -

fore

Would you support or expose rfie Cllr at Biamploti l/icnrn5lng citizens'property rjiis Ittlrelp pay tor In/tiatlvQS aimed at addressing ejmn?nmenraN"55CJes? (Is that strongly or somewhat suppoit-opposo?)

Norm

lronulysupport

32%Somewhat support

Somowhjt oppDSQ

Sbongly oppose

Depends 2%

Don'r kn

slated

: All respondent ln-30Q)

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

Assossmont of the Local Environment

Perceptions of the overall quality of Brampton's environment are moderately positive

tlowwoukj you tattthtoytritt quality of ttrttnvtnxtfn*nl>" m* City or tl'iiriuicn tedj/7 would tvu s*f - 7

Extellsnl ■ ■?•-

E'CflllunKGoorl

SVi 67%

Good Sf/1 57V.

IT!,

5%

Bl»: All nspondinn (n.JOO|

^r-'

Perceptions of Brampton's air and drinking water quali are mixed - water better than air

Howwou.it you ran lit* OYtrjil... In lh* dry of Bmppron today? would you uy ... 7 How a5oyr the overall r-. 7

■ Al< Quality BOiiflliry of Diln^Jng Walpr Norni

Eicolloii! E mo I Ion I (Go ml C.i .-II.'ill C.ii.mF

49% 63%

Eiccllcnli'Gooit

£4%Good

Fab-

Poor

nctstatgd ■ ,]•/„

Citizens are pessimisttc about the direction Brampton' environment is ta''

Right new, da yvu think iftvQwrM quality of lh*6i"jiiQfl'>ie'it in m City of Brampten lz Q ttini/tgtt?', Q$ttii>tj

jOoul Ihosamo?

Norm

13!'.Gotting botlor

Mol Scoro Net ScoreSlaying about Hie same 51%

■9

Getting worso 28'/.

Don1! know'not staled 3%■■

Ipsos Reid Public Affaira «

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

WVJ--II

ll. tio# would ytxmtt Pit pvtonnmn ol tiis Ci^orBran'plon whan II ctvw topitftvltrg and pi>ltict!ng tfrs tacit e

Waula* you iay . . ?

Norm

Verygoodjob I ■ II"

Somomhal gon<i|ob 65% 6?'/,

Somowhalpoofloh 15 V. 18%

Very poor Jgh ■ 5"'.

Don'tknow'nol I ! ltr staled

Siu: All rtiponOf.n (n-SOO|

Citizens are divided as to the most pressing environme, priorities for the City

ian> go'ia to tad j Jnf ol tfMjffl*

tPllmt wftlct} omff of [Atn you ffi/n' lAo a (/to /i/g/i*Upri^vify ffvtn« Cify o'£J/jmpr&i ovw tfta /»■! ypar. And wflJcft ones/iou'dto

priority? And irtfcA »,* sftouW to in» [f|fjj /rJgriesr priority?

■ Fir* MBrdon ■ Sacomt UbjiUofi HThlrd

Protocllng WQlLiniU. habitat, and ji.iiuj.il

aroaa

now groan spaces and parks

iglrnj idoinatJvfi modes of

on such ns walklnQ, cycl[ra,or

public Irans111

o: AU rtspocujenla |n*

sReid Public Aifaiis ">

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

^

Environmental Behaviours

Most believe they are doing their part to preserve andIpsos protect the local environment

J'. fioiv kvchiMyOu rare your own personal perfornranco whan ll comas to atasortlnQ atitlprotecting ihe local e

IVouffl you w/.r. ?

Very good Job 32%

Somewhat good Job

Somcwhal poor job 5n,'n

Vary poorjob 0% 1%

Basa: All [BipandgntS {n=3M|

Ws sos Reid Public Affaire n

9

Citizens are engaged in many different environmental activities

[&r; jiw fro* oFstn you pmit)p$lt in *aeft ot tfio foH p aetfvifft*, Oo you a^a/i, somsiJm&s, <v never .„ 7 fJc

Turn oit lights (o save power

Recycta ijcssih;■. en1, paper, or 1%

Instead oMhrowirgTho

2% Ma^Q an otltiit lo rciluca water consuriptiori

5°'n Use energy savJng IIqIiI bulbs

Quy local foods jiki goods instead or (hosa B%

having to bo shipped over lung dlslancos

Buy household products Ihp[ jiq labelled as 6%

'good for Ihe anvlranrront'

Wash clothes in cold walor lo save power

Composlyour food and gardim

Roducocac use Ely using public Iran sit,

watKlng. biking, or carpoollng

Brampton's Index Score is 75.1 % and ranks first overall

Based on responses lo rv ;■■< ■"' '.

Plaaso Isiln" , or never... ? Hov abort ... ?

Avoraflo

City of Brampton

Municipality 2

Municipality a

Municipality!

Municipality 5

Municipality 6

Municipality 7

Municipality B

Municipality 9

Municipality 11

Base: All respondent* (n

s Reid Public Affaire !0

10

To encourage environmental behaviour, citizens sugg the City focus on recycling/composting/garbage remo programs and transportation initiatives

environ men iTAnyllttng t/»?

Recycling'comp

gubjgo removal (NET)

TranspQilalion (NET) 16ft

Norm Top Mcnlitjns

Recycling/composllrgf 32%

garbage removal (NET}Moro education'Information I ■ 1\ Trans ports Uon (MET) 16%

Morn qdtjf ..iinjv tnlDnnallan 9% Limit/control urban growth/

Encouraging grealor energydevekj p mo nV sprawl 5%

elllclency

ProvLdo economic Protecting welhn

Incentives for peep to to and natural a 5%

mafco envlrortmentalfy

Iriondly choices

Don'I know/not i

Bjw: Ail rm-on linn |n- '--IJ

Idsos Reid Public A

Ipsos Reid Public AffairsIpsos

■■_■-

For more Information, contact:

Jacqueline Boukydis ch Miiuflirh Ipsot

41MT144M

II