AT the last executive policy committee and city council meetings before summer prorogue, the Our Winnipeg plan and its supporting documents (complete communities, sustainable transportation, sustainable water and waste, a sustainable Winnipeg) were passed.
This means the city has completed the first phase of an exhaustive process to create a plan and a vision for the next 20-plus years. I say first phase, because these are living and breathing documents. They need to be rigid enough to outline a mission and goals, but flexible enough to acknowledge that there are many ways to get there.
Three of the documents dealt directly with sustainability. This column will review each in terms of the residential construction industry.
Sustainable transportation lists as a primary goal to create a transportation system that is dynamically integrated with land use and supports active, accessible and healthy lifestyle options. The incorporation of the best housing options into the mixed use of rapid-transit stops will make these both appealing and efficient. The financial benefits of less automobile traffic as a result of transit-oriented development should be enjoyed by all. The pending transportation master plan will undoubtedly look at incorporating the most logical housing mix into an efficient system of travel.
Sustainable water and waste dealt with a myriad of issues regarding our water supply. These included quality and supply, wastewater, solid waste management, stormwater and flood protection, and the policies that will support this most valuable resource.
The members of the Manitoba Home Builders Association have been at the forefront of a number of issues related to water conservation. For example, the MHBA made low-flow and dual-flush toilets the industry standard long before any government legislation.
The same holds true for tap and faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads. In fact, the MHBA made a formal presentation to the province suggesting that these measures become mandatory in new homes and renovations a few years ago.
A sustainable Winnipeg brings together all of the principles discussed in these documents and attempts to make them key factors in any city decision-making process.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
