Centre for Civic Governance

Richmond approves $60-million to buy Garden City lands

In a 7-2 vote, Richmond council approved setting aside $59.2 million for the purchase of the Garden City lands.

Although Mayor Malcolm Brodie didn't like the terms of the deal, he said a deal's been brokered with the Musqueam Indian Band and the Canada Lands Company, and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to vote against it at this point.

But Brodie made his position clear during the special meeting of council Mionday, in which Coun. Sue Halsey-Brandt participated via conference call.

"It's not the deal I would have made," he said.

School grows greener graduates; Dedicated students teachers staff at Reynolds High School lead way in environmental education

Thanks to determined staff, dedicated students and generous donors, things are getting a little greener every day at Reynolds High School.

Over the last few years, the Green Spaces Project has gone from concept to reality, with landscaping, gardening and educational activities transforming areas of the school into welcoming and sustainable micro-ecosystems.

The Cleveland Model : Green worker Co-ops

Something important is happening in Cleveland: a new model of large-scale worker- and community-benefiting enterprises is beginning to build serious momentum in one of the cities most dramatically impacted by the nation's decaying economy. The Evergreen Cooperative Laundry (ECL)--a worker-owned, industrial-size, thoroughly "green" operation--opened its doors late last fall in Glenville, a neighborhood with a median income hovering around $18,000.

Oceans' acidity rate is soaring, claims study

Under terms revealed in leaked copies of the new Canada-US trade deal, Ontario will become the only province in Canada allowing unrestricted access to those countries who have signed onto the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement for publicly-funded contracts supplying schools, universities, social services and hospitals, said Fred Hahn, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario at Queen's Park today (February 11, 2010).

West Coast Environmental Law Comments on Metro Vancouver 2040 Shaping Our Future

West Coast provided comments on Metro Vancouver’s latest draft of a new Regional Growth Strategy (RGS), entitled Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future ( November 2009 draft). While West Coast supports the direction and goals of the new draft RGS and the range of strategies proposed, we have concerns that many of the actions and processes stipulated as the means to accomplish those goals reflect a lack of commitment to concerted, firm action by member municipalities.

Rebuild Haiti, This Time Green

 And show the world how to move to a just and sustainable economy. An 'Eco-conversion' Manifesto.

From Copenhagen to Port-au-Prince

The planet's fate balances on a knife edge, two cities on either side. Which offers hope? You may be surprised.

This is the story of two very different cities. One is a city whose past is steeped in historic achievement, and recent failure. The other is a city whose horrific past has gotten desperately worse, but whose future... well, who knows? Though world's apart, these places embody a common metaphor for an elusive global possibility.

City of the past: Copenhagen

A New Climate for Conservation - Nature, Carbon and Climate Change in British Columbia - Full Report

This report reviews the scientific and technical literature on climate change and biodiversity in British Columbia. It examines the scientific rationale behind the need for conserving natural ecosystems as a critical component of a climate action plan in four key areas: sequestering carbon, avoiding emissions, managing resilience and maximizing stocks and flows of ecosystem services.

Industry questions power export scheme

B.C. could lose $450 million a year, critics warn

 British Columbia's biggest industries are challenging the provincial government to prove that its electricity export scheme won't turn into a major money loser.
In a submission to the government's Green Energy Advisory Task Force, the industrial group calculates that the export plans will cost B.C. taxpayers $450 million a year in money-losing power sales transactions.

B.C. eco groups call for 50 per cent land conservation

Seven B.C.-based groups, including the David Suzuki Foundation, ForestEthics and West Coast Environmental Law Society, are preparing to release a report Thursday that concludes a 50-per-cent conservation target gives plants and animals the opportunity to survive and adapt to the ravages of climate change.