Environmental agencies pushing to make London greener
Two environmental agencies have released a policy framework aimed at helping Canadian cities, including London, ON, better integrate green infrastructure.
The project is spearheaded by Living Cities Canada, and supported locally by the London Environmental Network.
"We need the community to be on board," says Christine Mettler, Living Cities Canada's program manager.
In the last year, the agencies have initiated demonstration projects to get the ball rolling. They include de-paving concrete and asphalt areas, tearing them up and replacing them with water absorbing green spaces.
They also offer subsidies for people who want to add a rain garden to their yard, which reduces flood risks.
Rain garden in a London resident's yard (Courtesy: London Environmental Network)
"Green infrastructure essentially is a strategy to get cities to be more like naturalised areas," says Mettler.
"We kind of see ourselves as the middle man between the community and the city's work," says Marianne Griffith, the London Environmental Network's executive director. "(We're) helping people get actually involved, picking up resources, and implementing the projects."
With a policy framework now in place, both agencies will use it to develop community-specific plans to better integrate green infrastructure. London is one of five Canadian cities included in this stage. The others are Hamilton, Ont. Lethbridge, Alta., plus Dieppe and St. John, N.B.
The five communities were chosen to cover a wide range of population sizes, demographics, and geography, according to Living Cities Canada.
Rain garden in a London resident's yard (Courtesy: London Environmental Network)
The effects of climate change are seen more often in lower income and racialized communities, says Mettler. So bringing these project forward in an equitable way is important.
"There's higher risk of flooding, there's more exposure to urban heat island effects," Mettler says. "So a big part of this project is trying to address that gap."
The policy framework, as well as demonstration projects implemented in the last year, are made possible through funding from multiple private foundations, most significantly from the Definity Insurance Foundation.
The London Environmental Network wants to see more rain gardens built in the next year.
"We can amp up that work," says Griffith. "Work with the city, and folks like Green Communities Canada, to make that more mainstream."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'We were vetted': Sex-ed organization 'disappointed' over Higgs' comments
The head of a Quebec-based sexual and reproductive health organization says she's disappointed New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has deemed presentations she did in the province last week inappropriate.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Kingston, Ont. tenants fed up with lack of action from landlord over broken floor tiles
Joel Felder and Misti Pitcher have been living in their apartment in Kingston, Ont. for over two years, but the past 12 months have been miserable.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.