Environmental Sustainability Policy

Policy statement

The Corporation of the Town of Oakville (the town) shall promote environmental initiatives advancing Oakville as a sustainable community.

Purpose

In recognition of the importance of the quality of our sustainable environment, individual and collective actions are encouraged to protect and enhance our ecological environment while maintaining a vibrant cultural, social and economic base.

Such actions shall encompass the core sustainability elements of: living within the limits, understanding the interconnections among environment, culture, society and economy, and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.

Scope

The town shall incorporate the following goals from the Environmental Strategic Plan (ESP, 2011 update) in all corporate initiatives and shall encourage respect for these within the community:

1. To sustain and enhance our natural resources – airsheds, watersheds, shoreline, landscapes, flora and fauna
2. To reduce consumption and increase efficiency in resource and material use
3. To establish an environmentally friendly transportation system that improves mobility
4. To maintain and improve the health, cleanliness, safety and vitality of our neighbourhoods
5. To foster an educated, aware and engaged community acting as responsible stewards for the environment
6. To create, adapt and apply best environmental and risk minimization practices.

The following Guiding Principles, established in the Environmental Strategic Plan (ESP), version 2011, endorsed by Council on December 5, 2005, will be considered when developing and implementing sustainable environmental initiatives, services and programs:

1. Build partnerships to work towards solutions to environmental challenges and opportunities that span geographic and administrative boundaries.
2. Use education, communication and capacity building to engage the community in implementing the ESP.
3. Anticipate the environmental needs of our community and commit to the use of innovative and best practices to facilitate continuous improvement.
4. Work together to meet our environmental goals within a responsible fiscal, cultural and social framework, evaluating life-cycle costs and benefits as well as social implications of proposed actions.
5. Act openly and transparently in planning, decision-making and implementation.
6. Include accountability measures to ensure we meet present and future needs of Oakville for a healthy environment.
7. Act as both advocates and stewards for Oakville’s environment.
8. Ensure that our local actions contribute to the resolution of regional and global environmental issues.
9. Ensure that all residents have an equal opportunity to contribute to the implementation of the ESP.
10. Embrace adaptive management as a key component of our planning cycle to ensure Oakville is a resilient community.

Definitions

For the purpose of this policy and related procedures Environment means the community’s natural and human surroundings. A community’s environment extends from the local community to the global system, and includes air, water, land, built form, and design, infrastructure, flora, fauna, as well as human beings.