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Corporate Knights’ fourth annual Sustainable Cities report measures the relative sustainability of seventeen Canadian cities. CK defines sustainability as the ability of individuals and communities to flourish without contributing to the progressive degradation of the human and natural systems on which we depend.
Our Cities
The cities we rank are the most populous centres in each province and territory and the ten most populous cities in the country. Cities are grouped into three brackets on the basis of population size. Big Cities have a population over 700,000, Medium Cities have a population over 250,000, and Small Cities have a population under 250,000. They include:
Big Cities (Population: 700,000+)
Toronto 2,503,281
Montreal 1,620,693
Calgary 988,193
Ottawa 812,129
Edmonton 730,372
Medium Cities (Population: 250,000 – 699,999)
Mississauga 668,549
Winnipeg 633,451
Vancouver 578,041
Hamilton 504,559
Quebec 491,142
Small Cities (Population: 0 – 249,999)
Saskatoon 202,340
St. John’s 100,646
Saint John 68,043
Charlottetown 32,174
Whitehorse 20,461
Yellowknife 18,736
Source: Statistics Canada. 2006 Census of Canada: Community Profiles. Ottawa: Industry Canada, 2006. Catalogue number 95-565-XWE.
Iqaluit was omitted from the consideration set as there was not enough information to fairly rank the city. We hope to have enough data to rank Iqaluit next year.
How We Measure Sustainable Cities
We measure urban sustainability along five parameters: ecological integrity, economic security, governance and empowerment, infrastructure and built environment and social well-being. Cities receive scores out of ten on indicators in each of our five categories of evaluation. Each category of indicators is worth 20 per cent of the final score. All data is the most recent available and no more than five years old. Each city also participates in a survey to ensure we have data which is updated annually. (Download the survey here.)
Ecological Integrity
| Sustainable Cities Indicator |
Why we chose these indicators (related to our vision of a sustainable city)
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- Air Quality
- Water Use
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Ecological integrity refers to the health and abundance of natural and managed ecosystems. Success is demonstrated if ecosystems are flourishing and resilient. Air and water should be clean, biodiversity levels should be high and toxin and pollutant concentrations should be low.
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| - Achieved Corporate and Community GHG Reductions |
Toxic and greenhouse gas emissions should be decreasing overall and be expelled at a rate that is in balance with the ecosystem. When present in industrial processes, persistent compounds and heavy metals should never enter the waste stream.
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- Consumption
- Achieved Waste Diversion |
Development should demonstrate a thoughtful approach to the human-ecosystem relationship. Citizens should use renewable, locally-sourced resources and energy and show a commitment to zero waste.
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| - Green spaces |
There should be enough green space in the city for each person to have a refuge. |
| - Ban on Insecticide |
Human communities should honour the complexity of natural systems. |
Economic Security
| Sustainable Cities Indicator |
Why we chose these indicators (related to our vision of a sustainable city)
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| - Economic Diversity |
Economic Security refers to the health of the economy in a context that balances the needs of all stakeholders, including the environment and the community. Success would be seen in a diversity of responsible, viable businesses. Products should be made of renewable and/or reusable resources and have closed-loop lifecycles.
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- Employment participation rate
- Unemployment Rate
- Unemployment Rate of Immigrants
- Incentives to attract Green Businesses |
Those who want to work should be able to do so on account of a proliferation of green collar jobs.
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| - Regional Trade Networks |
Financial and other types of investments should enhance the vitality of the symbiotic relationship between the economy and the environment. Businesses, communities, and government should forge regional networks to promote local trade and self-sufficiency.
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Governance and Empowerment
| Sustainable Cities Indicator |
Why we chose these indicators (related to our vision of a sustainable city)
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- City council ethnic and gender diversity
- Municipal voter participation |
Governance and Empowerment refers to citizens of all ages and backgrounds being engaged and actively participating in activities that contribute to the well being of the city. |
-Reporting Standards
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Success occurs when the power of decision-making rests firmly with those most affected by decisions to ensure positive feedback loops of accountability. |
- Sustainability Policy Filter
- Measurement of Sustainability Metrics
- Water Pricing
- Organic, Recycling and Garbage Collection Programs
- Corporate and Community GHG Emissions Target
- Waste Diversion Target |
Legal and political systems should be built to preserve the long-term interests of natural and human communities while taking into account the short-term. Local stakeholders should be engaged in planning, design and development processes and actively measuring success. |
Infrastructure and Built Environment
| Sustainable Cities Indicator |
Why we chose these indicators (related to our vision of a sustainable city)
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| - Separation of Sanitary and Storm Water Systems |
Infrastructure and Built Environment refers to development that is designed, built, and managed to enhance quality of life and to protect the integrity of local ecosystems. It should form the backbone of the community and contribute to our resilience. |
- Incentives for Green Buildings
- Energy Retrofit Programs
- LEED Buildings
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Success means that all buildings are healthy, beautiful, and highly resource efficient.
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- Bike paths
- Car sharing |
Transportation should be designed to move people quickly, cleanly, quietly, and conveniently – anywhere, anytime. |
- Urban Sprawl Index
- Population Density
- Dwelling Space |
Development patterns should replenish our society and ecosystems, fostering a relationship of mutual benefit and respect. |
- Commuting Distance
- Mode of Transportation
- Residential Energy Consumption |
Individuals should take responsibility for the impacts of their choices. |
Social Well-Being
| Sustainable Cities Indicator |
Why we chose these indicators (related to our vision of a sustainable city)
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- Life Expectancy
- Life Satisfaction
- Sense of Belonging
- Volunteerism
- Prevalence of Obesity
- Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport
- Public events and festivals
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Social Well-Being refers to a city where programs, services, and infrastructure exist to promote subsistence, protection, affection, understanding, participation, leisure, creation, identity, and freedom. |
| - Educational Attainment |
Success includes citizens working in respectful and healthy environments for fair wages. Citizens should be engaged in life-long learning and have numerous opportunities to celebrate, learn about and contribute to the cultural development of the community.
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- Shelter Beds
- Physicians
- Affordable Housing Programs
- Crime Rate |
Community-based social services should provide essential support to families and individuals as needed and affordable housing should ensure all citizens have access to safe and secure homes. |
Advisor
The Natural Step Canada is a national not-for-profit organization that provides education, training, coaching and advice to individuals and organizations on how to integrate economic, environmental, and social priorities into their planning and decision making. They are part of an international network that has helped hundreds of different organizations around the world integrate sustainable development into their strategic planning and create long lasting transformative change. The Natural Step Framework is a comprehensive model for planning in complex systems, which underscores the importance of backcasting from a desired future to guide actions today.
TNS representative: John Purkis, Director of Advisory Services and Learning Programs
Sources
Canada Council on Learning. 2009. Volunteering Data.
Canadian Green Building Council. 2009. LEED Certified Projects in Canada.
Canadian Institute for Health Information. 2009. Health Indicators.
Car Sharing Websites
Corporate Knights Sustainable Cities Survey. 2009. Download the survey here.
Environment Canada. 2006. Municipal Water and Wastewater Survey.
Environment Canada. 2007. National Air Pollution Surveillance.
Human Resources and Social Development Canada. 2007 Homelessness Partnering Secretariat, Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) Initiative
Municipalities’ Tourism Bureaus
Municipalities’ Websites
Natural Resources Canada. 2007. Comprehensive Energy Use Database.
Statistics Canada. 2006. 2006 Census.
Statistics Canada. 2009. Juristat.
Statistics Canada. 2009. Spending Patterns in Canada.
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy. 2009. “Local Government Performance Index 2009” |
