London, Ont. ranks highly on environmental scorecard: Report
When it comes to environmentally friendly living conditions among Canada’s largest cities, the Forest City is paving the way, according to a new report.
A new report published in the journal Environmental International examined 30 cities across Canada with a population of more than 100,000 people. It analyzed environmental factors such as air quality, noise pollution, water quality, risk of natural disasters and access to green space.
From these factors, it then calculated an overall score.
“London has the highest overall scores out of any of the cities,” said Daniel Rainham, the senior author of the study.
The study compared each of the 30 cities inclusively, and weighed each of the environmental factors to calculate the final rating. The goal is to provide communities with an overall view of where they’re succeeding and where they need improvement.
“The idea is to look within the city and to look at your city overall and say, ‘Do we have a lot of inequity in terms of access to health environmental conditions?’ And, ‘Where are the places that we can improve?’” said Rainham.
A map of the City of London that ranks its environmentally friendly living conditions based on a multitude of factors. On a ranking of 30 cities across Canada, London, Ont. ranked first when it came to environmental equity. (Source: Environment International)
London ranked the highest with a median score of 70, while nearby Kitchener and Guelph also scored well.
On the flip side however, several of Canada’s largest cities fared poorly. For example, Alberta’s urban centers of Edmonton and Calgary ranked at the bottom.
Rainham said London’s balance helps it score well.
“Across the board, all the neighbourhoods within the city will have fairly high scores. So it’s not a large range across all of the neighbourhoods, and that bodes well in terms of good environmental conditions,” he explained.
Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis said having this data can help better inform future environmental decisions going forward.
“When I looked at the map in the study, you can almost see where some of our major parks overlap in some of the areas with the best results,” he said.
He added, “We recognize the value – not so much in comparing ourselves to other municipalities because I think that we don’t want to get into a competition. But we want to look at how we as a community, how we as a regional leader, and how we as an urban centre can contribute to keeping Ontario’s environment clean and healthy.”
As Canada’s population becomes increasingly urbanized, Rainham said data such as the report can help those communities think critically about city design and planning, and better identifying neighbourhoods that need improvement.
— With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Police killed student outside Wisconsin school after reports of someone with a weapon, official says
Police shot and killed a Wisconsin student outside a middle school after receiving a report of someone with a weapon while class was in session Wednesday.
Highway collapse in southern China kills at least 36 people
A section of a highway collapsed after heavy rains in southern China, sending cars tumbling down a slope and leaving at least 36 people dead, authorities said Thursday.