Sustainable Vancouver

A sustainable Vancouver is a community that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

It is a place where people live, work, and prosper in a vibrant community of communities.

In such a community, sustainability is achieved through community participation and the reconciliation of short and long term economic, social, and ecological well-being.

Principles

Sustainability is a direction rather than a destination. A sustainable city is one that protects and enhances the immediate and long-term well being of a city and its citizens, while providing the highest quality of life possible. Sustainability requires integrated decision-making that takes into account economic, ecological, and social impacts as a whole.

A Sustainable Vancouver embraces all of the following principles:

1. Today's decisions must not compromise the choices of our children and future generations.

2. We are all accountable for our individual and collective actions.

3. Resources must be used fairly and efficiently without compromising the sustainability of one community for another.

4. Using renewable resources is encouraged and supported, while the use of non-renewable resources should be minimized.

5. Renewable resource consumption should not exceed the rate of regeneration.

6. Strong collaboration and open communication between the public, the business sector, and all levels of government are important.

7. We value cultural, economic, and environmental diversity.

8. A community should provide a safe, healthy, and viable setting for human interaction, education, employment, recreation, and cultural development.

9. A sustainable Vancouver contributes to, and provides leadership towards, regional, provincial, national, and global sustainability.

10. The Vancouver economy should move from its dependence on non-renewable carbon-based fuels, particularly for transportation, which are likely to fluctuate dramatically in price and supply.