FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions – Updated June 24, 2010
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Sustainable Bancroft.
Background
Question: What is Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: It is an integrated community sustainability plan or ICSP. It is a plan that provides a vision for environmental, social, cultural and economic issues. It sets out a series of themes and each theme looks at where we are now, where we want to be in 30 years and what do we need to do to get there.
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Question: Is this a legal requirement?
Answer: Yes it is. The Town of Bancroft is in receipt of Federal Gas Tax funds and must develop an ICSP that meets the requirements set out by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. For more information go to:
http://www.amo.on.ca/Content/NavigationMenu/SustainableMunicipalities/FederalGasTax/default.htm
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Question: Who has to follow this plan?
Answer: Sustainable Bancroft is a community plan and everyone will be asked to use it to guide development, growth or change within the community. The Town of Bancroft is responsible for developing this first plan, but a volunteer board has been proposed to look after the plan over the long term. The Town will be one of many community partners who agree to use the plan as guidance on how to be more sustainable.
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Question: What is sustainability?
Answer: There are now over 300 definitions for the word sustainability. As many people know sustainable can be used in many different contexts – financial sustainability and the sustainability of personal relationships are two examples that have little to do with sustainability in the way in which it is used in the plan.
Sustainability as applied to Canadian communities reflects the four pillars (also known as dimensions) – cultural, environmental, economic and social – and we have adopted this focus for Sustainable Bancroft. It also contains an aspect of looking towards the future and changing what we do now to what we can do to ensure that our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities for prosperity, health and quality of life that we have. Finally, sustainability planning includes integration – working together to achieve solutions that balance our goals for all four pillars.
Some of the better known definitions for sustainability are as follows:
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Brundtland Definition, 1987
Sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems.
United Nations Environmental Program, 1991
Sustainability is a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.
The Earth Charter, 2000
Sustainability is an economic state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future generations.
Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce, 1993
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Question: Who developed the plan?
Answer: Sustainable Bancroft was developed by almost 40 volunteers and this process was led by the Community Sustainable Planning Committee (CSPC). This committee has met 14 times over the last year and a half and it will continue to develop the plan and eventually will present it to Town Council.
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Question: Where can I find Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: Sustainable Bancroft can be found by going to the Town website and clicking on the link. The direct URL is: http://www.town.bancroft.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=81.
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Question: How can I comment on Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: The link to Sustainable Bancroft includes a link to a questionnaire that the Community Sustainable Planning Committee will be using to collect opinions. The direct URL is: http://www.town.bancroft.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=81. It only takes 5 to 10 minutes to fill out.
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Question: Can I get a paper copy of Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: If you cannot download the electronic file from the Town web site and print it you can ask for a paper copy from the Town Office. Also the Town will have paper copies of the questionnaire. If you cannot get a copy please feel free to contact Don Koppin, one of the co-chairs of the committee or drop by his office at 200 Hastings Street.
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Question: What are the main goals of Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: There are 16 themes, each with between three and seven strategic objectives to guide development, growth and change, but there are three overall goals:
• Shrink Our Footprint: We are starting a conversation about how Bancroft and the surrounding region can reduce its ecological footprint – as a community and as individuals. We want people to be able to talk about contributing to solutions for global issues like climate change, poverty and pollution, while also looking at national and local issues like health, education, culture, economic growth and protection of Bancroft’s incredible natural assets.
• Bring People Together: We have 16 themes within our ICSP and just meeting started an incredible process of bringing together people who often work in silos. Our visioning process and strategic objectives provides guidance that we can use to shape decisions on virtually anything. This kind of thinking is what will make Bancroft and the surrounding region truly sustainable.
• Build a Good Plan: In our meetings we often talk about the need for a sustainability bookkeeper to support the sustainability committee. This is part of the model of community ownership being implemented in Bancroft. Our goal is to build a plan that is scaled to our needs and not reliant solely on government funds and support.
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Question: What is the vision for Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: The vision for Sustainable Bancroft is:
Our sustainable future will be based on thoughtful growth, health and wellness, creative expression and preservation of our natural environment.
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Question: What are the values for Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: The community identified several values to guide the development and implementation of this plan:
We live in harmony with nature and support the preservation of the area’s natural beauty.
We have strong rural roots and strong family values.
We support accessibility for all to basic services including education, health services, housing and employment, and to barrier free access to those services.
We support diversity and work to build an inclusive, cohesive community.
We value our historic roots in mining and forestry, and support our thriving arts community.
We believe that creativity lies within everyone.
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Question: Who will run Sustainable Bancroft? What is the governance plan for Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: Small towns cannot afford to dedicate significant resources to implementing an ICSP. The design of Sustainable Bancroft takes advantage of a strong volunteer network, the existence of many groups that already support sustainability, and a lean operations and governance design.
At the core of this plan is the concept of community ownership. Sustainable Bancroft will become a reality because we will work together as partners – the Town, local institutions like the Public Library, schools and colleges, businesses and other organizations – to achieve our vision and our plans for each of our 16 themes. The strategic objectives provide a starting point for any new program, project, initiative or development, and a way to align our future growth with our values to ensure that our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities for prosperity, health and quality of life that we have.
It is proposed that Sustainable Bancroft will be governed by the Community Sustainable Planning Committee who will meet monthly to discuss issues related to sustainability. They will receive monthly reports from the sustainability bookkeeper who will "keep the books" on sustainability. The role of the sustainability bookkeeper is expected to be a part-time paid position. It has been designed so that it may be combined with other community needs to allow for the creation of a new position starting on May 1, 2011. The Community Sustainability Planning Committee will report to Town Council and will seek input and approval on any recommendations that will have an impact on municipal services or tax levels.
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Question: How will we keep track of progress or know if we are succeeding?
Answer: The Community Sustainability Planning Committee will meet 10 times per year and will report to Town Council on a quarterly basis or as required. Once a year, the Community Sustainability Planning Committee will make an annual report on sustainability to Town Council and to the public at a community conference. At this open meeting members of the public will learn about recent successes as well as gaps that still exist and need to be addressed. In addition, existing members of the Community Sustainability Planning Committee will be confirmed for the coming year and new members will stand for election.
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Question: Where are the actions and what do we do if we have a good idea?
Answer: There are a remarkable number of actions being undertaken right now to move Bancroft closer to its sustainability vision and in particular towards our many strategic objectives. The Community Sustainability Planning Committee has developed an Action Inventory which is an online tool that committee members can use to add any actions being undertaken by community organizations that supports one of the 16 sustainability themes.
The Community Sustainability Planning Committee has also developed a List of Potential Initiatives which is also an online tool that committee members can use to track good ideas. There are many things that we can do to move closer to our sustainable future and each idea can be stored while we look for the resources needed to implement it.
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Question: What are the themes in Sustainable Bancroft?
Answer: There are 16 themes and they are organized by pillar.
• Cultural Pillar – the Arts; and History and Heritage.
• Environmental Pillar – Energy and Climate Change; Water; Waste; Protection of Natural Areas; and Buildings and Infrastructure.
• Economic Pillar – Economic Development; Green Jobs; Land Use Planning; and Tourism.
• Social Pillar – Education; Transportation; Recreation and Leisure; Health and Wellness; and Housing.
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Question: How will this plan change things?
Answer: Each theme has between three and seven strategic objectives which can guide development, growth or change in our community and can be used by any organization. Below are some ways in which strategic objectives (which are in italics) could be used.
• A developer planning to build a new building could design all new construction and major renovations to reduce energy consumption during building operation.
• Local municipalities and a trails organization could work together to maintain and expand an extensive local and regional trail network that accommodates a variety of uses.
• The Town of Bancroft could work with others to create quality full time employment in the tourism sector.
• An existing business could focus on training existing blue collar workers to complete tasks that support environmental objectives.
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