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8:00-8:45	Networking Breakfast
9:00	Global Scenarios: Challenges Ahead of Cities Plenary   International experts provided global scenarios on humans on the planet, urbanization and global resources (continued the following day). A backdrop to the day’s mobile workshops  stimulating discussion on what future action local governments will have to take in response an increasingly urbanizing world with a diminishing resource base.   (See also the description for Wednesday, 17 June) Rapid Change Requires Radical Action – ICLEI’s Future Strategic Direction ICLEI’s President and Secretary General touched on the need for action by ICLEI and its Members while presenting proposals for ICLEI’s strategic direction. Global Scenario 1: Welcome to the Urban Revolution Jeb Brugmann, Urban Strategy Expert, Founder of ICLEI and Member of the ICLEI Advisory Council, Toronto, Canada [presentation] Global Scenario 2:  Demography and Health Prof. David Bloom, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard University, Boston, USA [presentation] (continued in Wednesday in Plenary 5)
10:30	Urban Sustainability in Practice Parallel Mobile Workshops This Congress offered many opportunities beyond the venue! Mobile workshops took the congress out into the city and region of Edmonton to explore sustainability in action. The tours, organized by the themes of the previous day, were an integral part of the congress and were sessions on the move, either by foot, bus or bicycle. Contributions from international delegates and experts were incorporated throughout the day. The Edmonton Experience – Introduction and Instructions Barry Anderson, Manager Office of Environment and Energy, City of Edmonton, Canada
16:30	Civic Cocktail Reception at Edmonton´s City Hall
17:30	Side Event: Young Municipal Leaders Gathering Young municipal leaders – councillors, mayors, or leaders active in youth groups or political parties involved in local politics – were invited to come together and discuss the creation of a global network for young municipal leaders, facilitated by ICLEI. This initial gathering looked at how regional and global cooperation and exchange can help their personal development, improve their local effectiveness, encourage international involvement and prepare the next generation of leaders. Host: Don Iveson, Councillor, City of Edmonton, Canada
18:00	End of Reception and Free Evening
19:00	Side Event: PECHA KUCHA 4 For more information event, please click here.

Continue to next day's program -->

Exploring Eco-Edmonton - Mobile Workshops

Participants benefited from a break in traditional congress proceedings. Following a brief introduction, the parallel Mobile Workshops connected leaders by providing a stimulating and contextual networking and socialising opportunity for participants to experience several of Edmonton’s sustainable development projects firsthand.

The tours included lunch on site and a workshop, presentation or facilitated discussion session after lunch where participants shared their insight and experiences. Explanations and contributions from international and local experts were incorporated throughout the day.


The Mobile Workshops for  Exploring Eco-Edmonton will be (click on a title for details):

W1 Legacy of a Natural  Treasure: The River Valley
W2 The Evolution to Living Buildings
W3 Waste Not Want Not: Waste Management Centre
W4 (& W6) Water for Life: Sustainable Water & Waste Water Treatment Systems
W5 Take a walk on the Wild Side
W6 is now combined with W4!
W7 Sustainable Urban Redevelopment
W8 Environmental Emergency Management 
W9 Building Sustainability
W10 Think Global Eat Local
W11 Community Engagement
W12 Watershed Protection
W13 Eco-Mobility [Local Motion] 
W14 Biodiversity

The River Valley Alliance (RVA), with the support of its seven municipal shareholders and the provincial and federal governments, completed preparation of “A Plan of Action for the Capital Region River Valley Park” to transform 88 km of the North Saskatchewan River Valley into a world class metropolitan riverfront park. This Plan sets out to balance protecting and preserving the natural environment with the need to meet social and economic objectives.

The tour will take delegates to two areas along the river valley. A presentation will be given going over the various components that make up our river valley: parks, residential, industrial and commercial properties and how they integrate with the natural landscape. The goal is to connect the 88 km and 18,000 acres of river valley through a series of trails and water access points, and look at the challenges this presents in working with a public and privately owned land base. After lunch, the group will walk part of a trail system. The session will end with a short tour at the neighboring Capital Region Waste Water Plant, an RVA and municipal industrial partner who is supporting implementation of the Plan through provision of land access.

To find out more please go to www.rivervalley.ab.ca

Buildings in our communities, whether our homes, workplaces or places of recreation and culture use significant amounts of natural resources for both their construction  and operation. While the global trend is moving toward more environmentally  friendly buildings, for most jurisdictions the design and construction of more  sustainable residential, commercial and institutional buildings could be improved  substantially. This tour and associated workshop will look at examples of leading  edge design and technologies, discussing innovative approaches to getting construction of more green buildings in our communities.

Come see a net-zero energy residence, where more energy is produced on an annual basis that is consumed and Edmonton's South Police station, a Leadership in  Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold building which provide  demonstrations of leading edge sustainable energy technologies for homes and  commercial buildings.

To find out more please go to www.riverdalenetzero.ca/Home.html

[Carol Belanger-South Police Station]    [Roud Table Discussion Guide]

Most cities are mandated to deal with the solid waste generated by their citizens.This workshop will highlight both the challenges and the innovative solutions that Edmonton has developed to deal with solid waste. Many cities are turning what has traditionally been seen as a liability into valuable resources. The tour of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre and accompanying workshop will provide a  forum for participants to exchange ideas on leading edge approaches to managing  solid waste in a sustainable manner.

Take a tour through the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, North America's largest collection of highly-advanced, sustainable waste processing and research  facilities. The Centre includes a Materials Recovery Facility, North America's largest  co-composting plant, a landfill gas recovery system, an e-waste recycling facility and  a construction & demolition waste recycling operation. The workshop will also feature  a discussion about Edmonton's success in achieving some of North America's  highest voluntary participation rates in recycling and waste reduction.

This Centre is also home to the Waste Management Centre of Excellence. This non- profit corporation is a one-stop resource for expertise in sustainable management of municipal, industrial and agricultural solid waste and wastewater. A unique public-private partnership, the Centre of Excellence manages practitioner training, research, and demonstration activities.

[Connie Bryce-Community Relations]   [Roy Neehall- Branch Overview]  [Jerry Leonard-EWMC, an Outline]

Municipal leaders understand a safe supply of drinking water and well-run wastewater system is essential to the health of a community and its citizens.  However, it can be challenging to balance the economic, environmental, and social considerations required to ensure sustainability of these vital resources.

Join EPCOR (Edmonton’s local water and wastewater utility) and other international delegates in sharing creative approaches to managing a municipal water and wastewater system. 

As the workshop takes place at EPCOR’s Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant, it will consist of a mix of presentations and site tours featuring: 

1. financial and organizational overview of a unique water/wastewater utility operated by a private company – EPCOR; 
2. reclaimed water  -- Canada’s largest membrane-based treatment facility for industrial use;
3. enhanced primary treatment for addressing combined sewer overflows; and
4. biosolids management – past, present and future. 

This interactive workshop will also feature a case study of major upgrades to EPCOR’s state-of-the-art E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant, as well as an opportunity to learn about the utilities' multi-barrier approach to source water protection. 

Over lunch, you will have an opportunity to discuss your community’s experiences with other delegates, and local and international experts.  All presentations take place inside the comfortably appointed 114-seat amphitheatre.   Lunch is served next door in the classroom where interactive displays, including two hydraulic models, are sure to hold your interest. 

Tour Portion:
Situated in Edmonton’s lush river valley within a quiet park setting, the Gold Bar Plant can go unnoticed – even by residents only 150 meters away.  Step inside, however, and you quickly discover what makes it one of North America’s most progressive wastewater treatment facilities.  From inside the auditorium, climb the stairs to the rooftop gallery with its panoramic views across the plant site and the river valley.  (So bring your cameras!)  Then it’s downstairs and through an extensive utility tunnel network, your highway to some exciting new developments on the plant site.  Stops will include: a one-of-a-kind research centre, with pilot-scale facilities for applied wastewater research and training;  a Membrane Treatment Facility for turning municipal wastewater effluent into high-grade process water for large industrial customers; and nuisance odour control facilities that allow a wastewater facility like Gold Bar to exist side-by-side with local residents and park users. 

  
To download more information on the E.L. Smith plant, please click here.
To learn about EPCOR, please click here.

[Sustainable Management of Water & Wastewater Utilities]

 

With 490 native boreal and prairie plant species, over 150 species of birds and almost 50 mammal species, Edmonton is rich in biological diversity. Delegates will discover how biodiversity is promoted and protected in Edmonton through education and community engagement. Delegates will visit North America`s first municipal nature center, where they will partake in a guided tour of the natural areas surrounding the center and witness the excitement of Edmonton`s children by observing the center`s nature based school programs. Delegates will have an in-depth tour of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton- Edmonton's only wildlife shelter. The shelter provides compassionate care to injured, ill and orphaned wildlife with the ultimate goal of returning these animals back into their natural habitat.

To find out more, please go to www.wildlife-edm.ca!

 

Experience two of Edmonton’s efforts to transform itself into a more compact, attractive and sustainable city. Workshop participants will learn about and walk The Quarters Downtown and The Village at Griesbach. The Quarters is an inner city neighbourhood positioned to become an environmentally sustainable, walkable and diverse community with inclusive housing, green spaces and connections to the river valley. At The Village at Griesbach, a developer is using smart growth, new urbanism and green technologies to convert a former military base into a LEED-ND certified neighbourhood. [The Quarters Downtown]  [The Village at Griesbach]

Should an environmental emergency take place how prepared is your municipality? To ensure an effective and coordinated response to an event or disaster, the City of Edmonton has established the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). There are over 300 staff from City departments, partnering organizations and agencies that are trained to staff the EOC during a major incident or disaster.  An effective environmental emergency management program must include a regular training and exercise program. In addition, delegates will also learn how the Edmonton municipality works with the Province to ensure the safety of the community. There will also be a round table session where current Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery programs will be discussed.

 [Emergency Preparedness in the City of Edmonton]

How building re-use and sustainable operations of a small business are reducing environmental and carbon footprints. 

This tour will examine how the reuse of modern (1940s to 1960s) era buildings can help reduce environmental impact, and provides opportunities for a small business to further reduce its footprint by carefully planning and implementing operational procedures. The tour leader will show how reusing existing buildings minimizes the use of virgin resources, creates less construction waste and can provide a healthy and vibrant workplace. It will also show how operational policies such as green transportation incentives, on site organic waste composting and even physical fitness of employees can demonstrate leadership in a sustainable workplace and provide a template for other businesses to follow.

The tour will start by walking from the Shaw Conference Centre with stops at the World Trade Centre and Enterprise Square to highlight the reuse of modern buildings in downtown Edmonton. It will continue to the Oliver Building, an old Federal Government office building that has been turned into an open plan workplace for architects and other creative professions. Sustainable operational procedures adopted will be demonstrated and toured in the building, culminating with a discussion of challenges, successes and next steps (such as a green roof).

For more information, please go to www.manascisaac.com

 [reimagine]

Communities around the world face rising food costs – costs which are likely to continue to grow as conventional energy supplies are depleted. Sustainable, local food production is a critical component of the community resilience that will be essential to overcoming this challenge. This workshop will explore the environmental, economic and social aspects of local food production, through a panel discussion and visits to local examples of how Edmonton is “growing” food security. In an era when urban dwellers are increasingly removed from the process of food production, how is Edmonton preparing itself for the future? How can lessons learned here be applied in other communities around the world? Participants will hear from local producers, distributors and academics some of the challenges and opportunities associated with the transition to a more local, resilient food economy.

 

This community workshop will showcase some of the emerging and established projects and programs currently operating in Edmonton.  Participants will learn first-hand about the origin, logistics, opportunities and implications of some of Edmonton’s most successful community engagement programs.
From recognition to grass roots, community based programs, attendees will gain a strong perspective on how to engage their own communities back home.

NOTE: Attendees are invited to attend the 2009 Emerald Awards that evening, Tuesday, June 16th. Please pre-register to reserve your ticket to this exciting event. www.emeraldfoundation.ca

[Community Engagement Münster]

The workshop and tour will showcase the challenges and opportunities of maintaining smaller streams in an urban environment.  Realities associated with past development, and strategies for addressing current development pressures will be discussed, as well as any plans for the restoration of these areas. Stormwater management will be a large component of the workshop, with the group visiting a few different natural, disturbed, and engineered sites throughout the city.
 

 

Visit the first ecoMobility community demonstration project in Canada.  Nestled in the neighbourhood of Parkallen, this is a joint project between the City of Edmonton and the community of Parkallen, with support from Transport Canada and The Global Alliance for EcoMobility.

Participants will use a variety of ecoMobile transportation options to travel between the conference centre and the host community.  These will visit the neighbourhood and take a look at some of the activities and physical changes that have been undertaken to create a uniquely Canadian ecoMobile neighbourhood demonstration project.  Participants will have a chance to view the first video shorts of the project, visit the “bike and modes “try-it” library, see some of the ecoMobility school initiatives and then enjoy lunch in the park.  The day will also include a discussion with local and international experts about the challenges, learnings and opportunities of creating an ecoMobile neighbourhood.

At the end of the afternoon participants will be invited to choose which ecoMobile mode they wish to use to get back to the Edmonton City Hall: Guides will lead them by bike via Edmonton’s bike routes and river valley trail system or by foot and light rail transit.

Read the first Local Motion Newsletter here!

Corridors and Oases
This workshop is the rural setting of two natural areas demonstrating a managed approach to conserving biodiversity of remnant ecosystems. Find out how a team approach between government and not for profit helped to conserve natural wetland and peatland areas and the unique species that inhabit these ecosystems.

Then travel back into an urban area to see the longest continuous parkland corridor in North America. We™ll visit a natural area in the heart of the City, and look at parkland areas that have been recovered from other uses.