Challenges and Opportunities in Measuring Success in Community Sustainability Planning Sandra K. Znajda, PhD, Independent Consultant & Associate Lura Consulting.

1

Challenges and Opportunities in Measuring Success in Community Sustainability Planning

Sandra K. Znajda, PhD, Independent Consultant & Associate Lura Consulting

(Dr. Liette Vasseur, Brock University; Liz Nield, CEO, Lura Consulting)

October17, 2013CIC Impact Summit, Chicago

2

Presentation Overview

1. Community Sustainability Plans

2. Key Challenges

3. Opportunities

4. Next Steps

3

1. Community Sustainability Plans

4

Concept: Planning for Sustainability

5

IntentionsTo create a long-term plan or framework

that works towards a Vision of sustainability - an “umbrella” document

To increase awareness about sustainability

To engage stakeholders and public as partners in change

To provide strategic guidance

6

Community Collaboration

Process

Implementation and Monitoring

Strategic Directions and Actions

How will you reach your vision? Goals

Where do you want to go? Vision

Where are you Today?

Develop Process Framework

7

InvolvementGovernment-ledMultiple stakeholdersCommunity engagement

8

StructureVisionGoalsStrategiesList of ActionsImplementation PlanMonitoring/

Evaluation Plan

Land Use Planning

Water

Waste

Transportation

Energy

Natural and Cultural Assets

Typically structured around identifiable themes

9

Example: Niagara Region Goal Statement: In

2060,Niagara will be an inclusive, engaged community that values culture, learning, and social development.

Sample Action: Conduct a needs assessment of knowledge or skills in the community by consulting businesses, industry, educational institutions, and the public8 Theme-based Goals

Indicators: Patchwork Quilt

10

11

Example: Niagara RegionVision Statement Elements Indicators

• Integrated community• Ample green space• Clean air and water• Learning community• Leader in technology,

innovation, research, economic development

• Culturally inclusive and welcoming

• Region of opportunity• Proud of its values• Food banks and homeless

shelters not needed• Vibrant, vital, accessible cores

Indicator species abundanceAverage daily vehicular travel distance

WalkabilityGreenhouse gas emissionsAnnual gross farm receipts

Access to nutritious food basketEconomic diversification

Living wageParticipation in community activities

VolunteerismVoter turnout in municipal elections

Physical and mental health

12

Example: KingstonVision – Canada’s Most Sustainable City

Cultural Indicators

Employment in occupations related to arts/culture/recreation/sportAssets in city’s Heritage Register

Voter turnoutResidents by ethnic background

Economic indicators

Unemployment rateJob creationEmployment by sector, occupation Entrepreneurship

Infrastructure conditionTransit & commuting modeTourism revenuePreservation of agricultural land

Environ-mental indicators

Energy useGHG emissionsAir quality indexResidential water consumptionBeach water quality

Waste diversion ratesGreenspaceDense treed areasMix of land useDwelling unit density

Social Indicators

Composite learning indexEducational attainmentHigh school graduation rateAccess to physicians% population overweightRecreation program hours

Community gardensSpending on nutritious foods number low income householdsHousing affordabilityCrime rates

13

2. Key Challenges

Indicator Selection Process

14

Which indicators?How many indicators?What resources are available to collect

data?

Role of Indicators

15

Can the indicators fill multiple roles?◦ Informing Council◦ Identifying areas for improvement◦Communicating status to public

Can indicators developed for other purposes be used for measuring sustainability in a community?

Annual Gross Farm Receipts

Living Wage

16

Characteristics of What is Being MeasuredDynamic and non-linearInter-connectedLong-term horizonInfluenced by outside factors beyond

control of communityMultiple layers of responsibility

Christmas Bird Counts

17

What is “Sustainability”?Each community has their own interpretation

outlined in Vision. E.g.,:

“A sustainable community is active, inclusive, safe, well planned and built, well run, well connected and thriving. A sustainable community offers equal opportunity(ies) and good services for all” -- Sustainable Kingston Plan (2010)

“Caring communities balancing prosperity, well-being and nature” – Sustainable Peterborough Plan (2012)

18

What is “Sustainability”?“Sustainability” vs. “sustainable

development”

“Sustainability means meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” -- Our Niagara in 2060

Is sustainability an endpoint (with a target) or a process/way of being?

19

3. Opportunities

20

Making the Process Easier

Municipalities want tools that are:SimpleEasily communicatedReflective of local experiencesIndicative of relative changeLinks indicators and actionsBottom-up and participatoryAdaptable to local contexts

21

Shifting Focus?

Towards assessing changes in process, perception, relationships, networks, e.g.:◦How frequently do municipal departments work

together in problem solving?◦How is sustainability perceived and defined?◦How often is environment considered in

economic plans and vice versa?

“..complex problems require strategies that entail changes in established patterns of action as well as in the structures in which they take place” (Regeer et al, 2009, AJE)

22

Draw from Work on Resilience?Information and knowledgeSupportive networksShared community valuesCommunity’s ability and willingness to

adaptEnvironmental, social, economic, and

human capital approach

23

4. Next Steps Establishing a cross-sectoral research

partnership to further:◦Understand how sustainability is defined and

experienced by Ontario communities◦Design a framework that can be used across

Ontario municipalities to measure sustainability

◦Test out with municipalities

24

Thank YouComments/Ideas/Questions?

Sandra K. Znajda, PhDIndependent Research

Consultant & Associate, Lura [email protected]

Liz Nield, CEOLura Consulting

Hamilton, [email protected]

Liette Vasseur, PhDProfessor, Department of

Biological SciencesBrock University

St Catharines, [email protected]