Comox
Name: District of Comox
Population: 12,200
Highlight: A new sustainability checklist at the municipal level is ensuring that this town is greening up on all levels.
This village on the east bank of Georgia Strait was first settled by the Coast Salish people and is now a recreation mecca for retirees and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
The Comox Valley City Council has sprung into action on the race to address climate change. In 2007, Council adopted a Strategic Plan that included “Advance Sustainability Initiatives†as one of its top five priorities, and many of these initiatives have already come to fruition.
For example, to address residential waste, the municipality implemented a bi-weekly curbside recycling program, a weekly curbside yard waste program, banned all open fires and outdoor burning in town and switched to biodegradable dog waste bags in dispensing units.
To address emissions from transportation, the municipality introduced a bio-diesel vehicle into its fleet, adopted an internal anti-idling policy, installed solar-powered pedestrian crossing lights, and began using recycled asphalt for road projects.
They have also increased sidewalk width and installed pedestrian bulbs in the downtown area creating a safer and more pedestrian friendly environment, instituted the Water Conservation Plumbing Regulation requiring the installation of low-flush toilets in all new development and significant renovations, and implemented a new pesticide use bylaw that bans the cosmetic use of pesticides on private residential land.
Making sure to consider the community’s sustainable future, the municipality also Implemented a “Sustainability Checklist†encouraging developers to incorporate more environmentally and socially sustainable practices in development, and signed on to the BC Climate Action Charter, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to address global climate change.
