GREEN SPACE ACQUISITION AND STEWARDSHIP IN CANADA'S URBAN MUNICIPALITIES - Results of a Nation-wide Survey
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GREEN SPACE ACQUISITION AND STEWARDSHIP
IN CANADA’S URBAN MUNICIPALITIES
Results of a Nation-wide Survey
Bring Nature Back to Your CityPublished by Evergreen
Evergreen’s mission is to bring communities and nature together for the benefit of Special thanks to: Lewis Tinker, Melissa Watkins, Paul Peterson, Wayne Reeves and
both. We engage people in creating and sustaining healthy, dynamic outdoor spaces Gary Davidson. Special thanks also go to the many individuals in urban municipalities
— in our schools, our communities and our homes. We believe that local across the country who generously offered time and information for this study.
stewardship creates vibrant neighbourhoods, a healthy natural environment and a
sustainable society for all. Copyright© 2004 Evergreen. All rights reserved. No portion of this report may be
reproduced without the express written permission of Evergreen.
Evergreen envisions a sustainable society where individuals live in harmony with,
and contribute meaningfully to, their local environment. Evergreen will be at the
forefront of the movement to create this society by empowering communities,
creating innovative resources and transforming educational values.
Credits: Writer/Researcher: Lois Lindsay. Project Manager: Stewart Chisholm.
Editor: Seana Irvine. Graphic Design: Ariel Estulin, comet art + design. Cover Photos
from left: City of North Vancouver, Cam Collyer and Evergreen. Botanical Illustrations:
Matthew Labutte.GREEN SPACE ACQUISITION AND STEWARDSHIP IN
CANADA’S URBAN MUNICIPALITIES
Results of a Nation-wide Survey
1. INTRODUCTION 1
Research Methods 1
Research Themes 2
Purpose and Structure of the Report 2
2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: URBAN PARKLAND IN CANADA 3
3. CURRENT TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES: Survey Results 5
Legislative Framework: Parkland Dedication Requirements in Canada 5
Meeting Community Green Space Needs: Inventories and Population 7
Green Space Provision Trends 8
Setting Green Space Standards 8
Finance and Acquisition of Parkland 10
Key Findings 12
4. GREEN SPACE PROTECTION AND STEWARDSHIP CASE STUDIES 15
Case Studies in Innovative Green Space Protection 15
Case Studies in Creative Green Space Stewardship 20
5. FOCUS ON PARTNERSHIPS 26
6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 29
The Way Forward: Key Recommendations and Support Needs 29
Further Research 30
The Role of the Non-profit Sector 31
Appendix 1: Evergreen Urban Municipal Survey Questionnaire 33
Appendix 2: Municipalities Surveyed 36
REFERENCES 37INTRODUCTION
1
Since its founding in 1990, municipalities recognize that urban parkland
Evergreen has grown from a is not only a vital community asset, but it
Toronto-based tree-planting also serves to define a healthy, vibrant city —
program to a national one that attracts and retains investment, as
organization supporting and facilitating urban well as a variety of social amenities.
1 greening. Through its Common Grounds
program, Evergreen works with communities What is Environmental Stewardship?
to conserve natural and cultural urban Environmental Stewardship is the care and
landscapes, restore degraded environments, enhancement of the land for the benefit of
and protect green space in cities for the environment, and of future generations.
recreation, education and enjoyment. This In this report, stewardship principally refers
work consistently reveals the ecological,
to the maintenance and restoration of
cultural, historic and aesthetic importance of
habitat, biodiversity and ecosystem health.
green space to local populations. Evergreen’s
experience supporting numerous community
groups in their efforts to protect and care Collecting and compiling information about
for threatened urban green space across the the challenges faced by urban municipalities
country suggests that there is a need in helps Evergreen and other non-profit
urban Canada for green space acquisition organizations identify areas where their
and stewardship approaches that: support is most needed. In 2002, Evergreen
(a) proactively ensure that ecologically or surveyed 24 Canadian urban municipalities
socially valuable areas are identified to better understand the current context for
and protected early in the planning the protection and stewardship of urban green
and development process; and space in Canada, and to identify innovation
(b) are partnership-based, opening the door in response to key challenges. This report is
to shared responsibility and risk among based on the results of that survey.
public, private and non-profit stakeholders
in the community. Research Methods
In 2001, a questionnaire (see Appendix 1)
Some urban municipalities are already and request to participate were e-mailed to
responding to these needs by exploring new contacts at the 30 largest Canadian urban
ways to protect and steward green space. They municipalities1. Twenty-four municipalities
are introducing the innovative use of existing agreed to participate, and detailed responses
land-use planning tools; adopting progressive were obtained through follow-up telephone
approaches to community outreach and interviews. In many cases, respondents
education; and forging partnerships with consulted colleagues in other departments
community organizations, institutions, (e.g., planning and development, parks and
corporations and others to ensure that recreation and finance) to gather complete
municipal green space needs are met. These information before participating in an
1
The scope of this research was restricted to lower-tier municipalities. For a list of surveyed municipalities, see Appendix 2.interview. This material was further willingness to acquire new parkland. Green
augmented, in some cases, with information space protection and stewardship are therefore
collected from the respondents’ Web sites, treated as linked concepts for the purpose of
planning reports and other municipal this report.
documents. In addition, Evergreen undertook
follow-up research on several key examples of ‘Green Space’ and ‘Parkland’ 2
green space protection and stewardship that The terms green space and parkland are
had been mentioned by respondents during used throughout this report. Green space
interviews. This information yielded a number refers to any municipally-owned natural open
of exemplary case studies, while also helping space including ravines, nature reserves and
to inform the survey results and deepen our
hazard lands (such as slopes and flood
understanding of the findings.
plains). Parkland refers specifically to land
set aside by a municipality that is part of an
Research Themes
established public park, whether for active
The questionnaire consisted of 26 questions,
or passive recreation.
organized into four sections:
Legislative Framework for Municipal
Parkland Dedication Purpose and Structure of the Report
Meeting Community Green Space Needs This report provides an overview of the state
Finance and Acquisition of Canada’s urban green space, with a focus on
Protection and Stewardship municipal green space needs, standards and
expenditures. It also examines the challenges
The themes of the survey principally faced by urban municipalities across the
addressed green space acquisition or country, identifies areas where support is
securement tools, strategies and capacity. needed, and considers the role Evergreen
They also looked at green space stewardship. and other non-profit groups can play in the
protection and stewardship of green space.
Evergreen’s experience working with
municipalities and communities has The first section of the report outlines the
demonstrated that parkland acquisition and results of Evergreen’s nation-wide survey of
green space stewardship are closely linked municipalities, including information about
issues, despite the fact that they are often current green space inventories, population
dealt with by separate municipal departments. ratios, and parks and recreation budgets.
For example, some municipalities may be A number of key findings are highlighted.
reluctant to acquire new parkland due to To inspire innovation and generate further
limited staff or financial resources for dialogue on Canada’s urban green space, the
maintenance and stewardship over the long second section of the report presents case
term. Innovative stewardship partnerships, studies of innovative strategies for parkland
where community organizations participate acquisition and stewardship identified
in stewardship activities to support municipal through this research.
efforts, can thus increase the municipality’sHISTORICAL OVERVIEW:
2 URBAN PARKLAND IN CANADA
With origins in the common, the In 1973, a study on urban open space was
public square, military training conducted for the Canadian Parks and
grounds and church plazas, city Recreation Association, Health and Welfare
parks in Canada provide people Canada and Urban Affairs Canada (Project
with places to escape from busy streets, Planning Associates Ltd., 1973). This study
3 get exercise, and meet with friends and offers a useful snapshot of the state of urban
neighbours. Canada’s early municipalities parkland in Canada at a time when park
recognized the value of open space for public planning and recreational services were
use and enjoyment, and many of the country’s becoming completely integrated in municipal
most famous parks — including the Halifax structures. During this period, city park
Gardens, the Toronto Islands and Vancouver’s development — with an emphasis on active
Stanley Park — were acquired in the 19th recreation areas — was a relatively high
century, often by grant or lease from the priority for local governments. Some of the
provincial or federal government. Before the key findings from that study indicated that
turn of the century, legislation investing only a small minority of urban communities
municipal authorities with the responsibility had open space strategy or planning
of acquiring public parks had been passed in documents that could guide the acquisition
Ontario and Manitoba, and similar legislation and development of new parkland. Shortage
was enacted for the cities of Saskatoon and of money and availability of land, as well as
Calgary in 1912 and 1913, respectively a lack of professional and technical expertise,
(McFarland, 1982). were reported to be the greatest barriers to
effective open space planning.
Park development in Canada’s cities proceeded
gradually through the years of the First World In recent decades, few comprehensive studies
War, the Depression, and the Second World of urban open space trends and inventories
War, but emerged as a priority through the have been undertaken. Yet these decades have
1960s and 1970s. What we now recognize as been marked by rapid and significant change
standard municipal administrative structures in municipal affairs and the approach to
underwent significant change during that parkland issues. The past decade, in particular,
time. For example, the now-common marriage has been characterized by an expansion of
of ‘parks and recreation’ functions in municipal municipal responsibilities, accompanied by
government is a relatively new phenomenon. decreases in municipal transfer payments. This
These two concerns were generally separate is also an era that has seen the emergence of
branches before the Second World War naturalization as an alternative to manicured
(Ellis and Homenuck, 1976). and mowed city parks, and an emphasis on
the stewardship of natural and naturalizedurban landscapes. There has been a gradual challenges of downloaded responsibility,
shift from the perception of cities as places increasing urban populations, and the
apart from wild nature, to an idea that nature pressures associated with urban sprawl.
can and should be nurtured, protected and
integrated into our urban landscapes. This Moreover, the very concept of green space
phenomenon has risen in tandem with sufficiency is becoming increasingly complex. 4
movements such as smart growth, healthy Public use of urban green space is not only
cities and the recognition that Canada is growing with populations, but is also
increasingly becoming an urban nation. diversifying into a greater variety of recreational
needs than ever before. Municipalities must
Smart Growth and Green Space balance the need for passive recreation and
The protection of green space – including healthy natural areas with the social demand
parks, natural areas and farmland – for well-designed and programmed city parks.
is a key element of the smart growth At the same time, public interest in greater
movement in North America. Green involvement in local parks through community
stewardship (i.e., ongoing care for the land
space protection contributes to the
that may include tree planting, community
sustainability and livability of a
gardening and monitoring) presents an
community by improving health, sense
interesting opportunity for managing public
of place and ecological functioning.
parks while meeting community needs.
Over the past several decades, municipal
governments have become much better
equipped to meet community parkland
needs. Supported by green space planning
documents, a large body of knowledge about
the benefits and value of green space, and
sophisticated tools such as Geographic
Information Systems, cities are now adopting
new approaches to managing and developing
their green space inventories. However, fiscal
constraints continue to be a key barrier to
parkland securement and management in
urban Canada. In addition, today’s urban
municipalities are also dealing with theCURRENT TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES:
3 SURVEY RESULTS
Legislative Framework: province provides details of how the land
Parkland Dedication value should be determined and what
Requirements in Canada percentage of the value may be required
as cash-in-lieu. Some provincial legislation
Survey respondents identified provincial also specifies how these funds may be
5 planning legislation and other statutes and used. In some cases, for example, the
policies that address open space acquisition use of cash-in-lieu funds is restricted to
in their municipalities. This enabled us to the acquisition of future parkland, while
compare legislation across the country and other provinces allow municipalities to
understand the provincial framework within use cash-in-lieu to finance recreational
which each municipality works. or other municipal programs.
The simplest, and perhaps most obvious, means
Parkland dedication transfers: In some
by which municipalities in Canada can acquire
provinces, such as New Brunswick and
new parkland is through outright purchase,
Saskatchewan, dedicated land can be
using funds drawn from the property tax base
transferred from one subdivision to another,
or from ‘cash-in-lieu’, as described below. In
allowing a developer to provide more land
addition, municipalities have a broad range of
on one site in exchange for providing less on
legal and planning tools available to acquire and
another. The municipality can use this tool
manage parkland. Among the most commonly
to balance its parkland supply between areas
used strategies are those that are enabled by
with an abundance and those with a deficit.
provincial or territorial planning legislation,
which specifies a maximum allowable percentage
Provincial parkland dedication rates in Canada
of land that a municipality can require a
vary from 2 percent to 10 percent, with
developer to convey (of the total amount to
legislation in all but four provinces allowing
be subdivided) for parkland purposes. This
municipalities to require a parkland dedication
parkland dedication is intended to ensure an
of up to 10 percent of the area to be developed
adequate supply of parkland to accommodate
(Figure 1). In Nova Scotia, the standard
new growth. It is an important tool for the
dedication of 5 percent can be increased to
creation of new public green space in urban
10 percent if the requirement is provided for
Canadian municipalities.
in a municipal planning strategy. In Manitoba,
parkland dedication is determined at a rate
In most provinces and territories, municipalities
of 40 square meters for every occupant of the
are allowed some flexibility in the application of
subdivision. In British Columbia and Ontario,
parkland dedication requirements. This includes:
the dedication can be up to only 5 percent
Cash-in-lieu: Most provincial legislation
(or 2 percent for industrial and commercial
permits cash payments in lieu of land
developments in Ontario).
dedication in cases where dedication is
deemed unnecessary or undesirable. Each6
YUKON
10 %
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
NUNAVUT
10 % NEWFOUNDLAND
and LABRADOR
10 %
10 %
BRITISH
COLUMBIA
5% ALBERTA
10 % SASK. MANITOBA
up to 40 m2/person
10 %* QUEBEC
10 %
ONTARIO
5 %**
P.E.I.
10 %
* or up to 5% of subdivided land for commercial developments NOVA
** or up to 2% of subdivided land for industrial or commercial developments SCOTIA
NEW
*** or up to 10% of subdivided land if the requirement for it is provided for
in a municipal planning strategy BRUNSWICK 5 %***
10 %
In Canada’s large, growing cities, parkland In cases where municipalities seek to acquire
dedication is an important means by which parkland over and above the amount dictated
municipalities can keep pace with increasing by dedication standards, they often use other
population and development. However, the land-use planning tools provided for in
tool does have limitations. For example, provincial legislation2. One such tool is density
because it is tied to growth, parkland bonusing, which allows municipalities to
dedication has less value in cities that are authorize increased height and density of
intensifying rather than expanding, and development in exchange for additional
it is limited as a means to address parkland parkland dedication or recreational facilities.
deficits in existing neighbourhoods. In In municipalities experiencing strong
addition, the country’s most populous development pressure, where there is a
provinces, where significant open space demand from developers for higher density,
has already been lost to development, this tool can be particularly valuable.
have relatively low dedication rates.
2
Evergreen’s Provincial Parkland Dedication Requirements in Canada report provides a detailed summary of parkland dedication rates in
Canada, and other planning tools, as set out in provincial and territorial legislation. Copies of this report are available from Evergreen.Another provision in provincial and territorial example, in some cases, natural reserves and
legislation that enables municipalities to cemeteries are owned and managed by the
protect open space through the development municipality; in others, such lands are at least
process is the control or conveyance of lands partly under the jurisdiction of agencies such
deemed unsuitable for development. These as conservation authorities.
7 include important ecological features such as
provincially or regionally significant wetlands, The green space inventories presented in this
woodlots, ravines and Areas of Natural and report only include lands considered by the
Scientific Interest (ANSIs). They can also surveyed cities to be part of their municipal
include hazardous lands such as those prone public green space. For example, none of
to flooding or erosion, including flood plains, the land owned by the National Capital
shorelines and tops and slopes of valley walls. Commission in Ottawa, the Greater Vancouver
In some cases, these lands are conveyed to the Regional District in Vancouver, or university
municipality or other public agency outright. campuses in Halifax is included in total green
In others, development restrictions are placed space calculations.
on the property where the feature is located.
Total green space inventory figures ranged
More and more municipalities are creating from Calgary’s 37,620 hectares to Victoria’s
inventories of such lands, and giving them 258 hectares. Green space provision to urban
special designation in their official plans populations was calculated in terms of
and/or zoning by-laws. In Ontario, conservation hectares of green space per 1,000 people.
authorities were created in 1946 by the Once outliers were removed3, the average
provincial Conservation Authorities Act. green space provision rate was 9.2 hectares/
They are charged with conserving, restoring, 1,000 people, and the median rate was
and managing natural resources on a 6.1 hectares/1,000 people.
watershed basis, and are often primarily
responsible for environmentally significant As illustrated in Figure 2, mid-sized cities such
or hazardous lands. as Calgary, Regina, Edmonton, Ottawa and
Winnipeg were among those with the highest
Meeting Community Green Space green space to population ratios, while the
Needs: Inventories and Population populous urban areas of Toronto, Montreal
There is no standard method among Canadian and Vancouver were among those with the
municipalities for defining and measuring lowest provision rates. This is consistent
the total amount of green space in their with comments received from respondents in
jurisdiction. This makes the task of large municipalities, who indicated that land
identifying trends in urban green space availability and high real estate value are key
inventories, and making comparisons among barriers to the creation of new parks.
municipalities, particularly difficult. For
3
The City of Whitehorse reported 36,000 ha. of municipal green space, serving a population of 19,058. As the resulting provision rate
of 189.1 ha. per 1,000 people is so far above that of other municipalities, it was removed from calculations of mean and median.50 Figure 2: Green Space Provision and Standards in Canadian Urban Municipalities:
Hectares per 1,000 people
40
8
Ha/1,000 people
30
Actual ha/1,000 people
20
Municipal standard ha/1,000
10
0
Calgary
Ottawa
Edmonton
Regina
Winnipeg
Burnaby
Oshawa
Halifax
Fredericton
St. John
Burlington
London
Surrey
Saskatoon
Guelph
Mississauga
Richmond
Victoria
Vancouver
Montreal
Toronto
St. John's
Green Space Provision Trends constant in the coming years, none of the
For some respondents, green space provision respondents predicted an increase in green
trends within their municipalities over the space provision in the future. In fact,
past 10 years were impossible to identify respondents from Vancouver and Richmond
because of changing green space definitions reported an expected continuation of
and the difficulty of tracking information the trend towards decreasing green space
after amalgamation. However, among those provision in future years, largely due to the
who were able to respond, Calgary, Saskatoon difficulty of providing sufficient new parkland
and Whitehorse reported increasing green for increasing populations (see Figure 3).
space provision ratios in past years; St.
John’s, Vancouver and Richmond indicated Setting Green Space Standards
that rates had been decreasing; and In order to measure their effectiveness at
Burlington, Toronto, Regina, Surrey and meeting community green space needs, many
Victoria reported constant rates. The most municipalities establish parkland standards,
telling information, however, related to most commonly expressed as a target number
expected future trends. While several of hectares per 1,000 people, either per
municipalities — Oshawa, Saskatoon and neighbourhood, or city-wide. Just over half
Toronto — expected rates to be at least of the respondents indicated that they havesuch standards in place, ranging from 0.7 to interpretive and educational programming;
6 hectares/1,000 people, with an average of and
2.79 hectares/1,000. As shown in Figure 2, amount of green space in the surrounding
virtually all of these cities are meeting or region.
exceeding their goals. An additional three
9 municipalities — Calgary, London and Although these issues are often addressed
Mississauga — measure green space standards in other municipal planning and strategy
by prescribing a maximum distance to green documents, or on a case-by-case basis for
space from each residential area instead of, individual parks, they are generally not
or in combination with, the hectares/1,000 consolidated into an overarching system
people standard. by which municipalities can evaluate
progress and assess needs.
Standards using a ratio of area to population
have been in common use in both the U.S. Parkland Standards in the City of Toronto
and Canada since they were proposed by the Recognizing the limitations of applying
U.S. National Recreation and Park Association traditional numerical parkland standards
(NRPA) in the early part of the 20th century. to a diverse and growing urban centre, the
The standard that was promoted by the NRPA City of Toronto is developing alternative
was 10 acres (4.05 hectares)/1,000 people,
strategies for determining parkland needs.
but the origin of this number is not known,
By moving towards more performance-based
and discussions of its possible inadequacy
approaches to parkland needs assessment,
have been ongoing for at least the past 30
the City is able to take into account the
years (Bureau of Municipal Research, 1971).
specific community needs, land acquisition
Several respondents, in fact, commented on opportunities, urban form characteristics,
the inadequacy of these green space standards and anticipated future development of
to fully address the question of green space individual neighbourhoods. Using a
need and availability. While green space contextual decision-making framework,
amount and proximity to residents are the City aims to establish parkland
important concerns, these traditional acquisition and improvement requirements
standards do not take into account other that meet both city-wide and
factors such as: community needs.
quality of landscape design;
ecological health and biodiversity;
appropriateness of design for diverse users
and activities;3.0
Figure 3: Forecasted Yearly Population Growth Rates
in Canadian Urban Municipalities
2.5
10
Population growth (%)
2.0
1.5 Yearly population growth rate (%)
1.0
0.5
0.0
Calgary
Surrey
Ottawa
Oakville
Burnaby
Whitehorse
Guelph
Halifax
Richmond
Oshawa
Saskatoon
Edmonton
Mississauga
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Victoria
Fredericton
Toronto
London
Montreal
St. John's
Regina
Burlington
Finance and Acquisition of Parkland Parks and recreation budgets ranged from
The variety of ways municipal parks and Toronto’s 2.8 percent of the total municipal
recreation budgets are formulated and allocated budget, to Mississauga’s 24.5 percent of the
makes detailed comparison across jurisdictions total, with an average of 10.8 percent. Per
very difficult. Nonetheless, the figures presented capita parks and recreation figures varied
here serve as rough indicators of trends in considerably, from $55 per person in St.
parkland service delivery across the country John’s to $399 in Whitehorse. The average
(see Figures 4 and 5). per capita parks and recreation budget,
once outliers were removed, was $1174.
4
Because the City of Whitehorse’s per capita Parks and Recreation budget of $399 was considered to be an outlier, this figure was
omitted from the calculation.11
Dollars per capita % of total municipal budget
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0
5
10
15
20
Burnaby Mississauga 25
Edmonton Oakville
Oakville Whitehorse
Regina Burnaby
Vancouver Regina
Saskatoon Burlington
London Oshawa
Guelph Vancouver
Mississauga Edmonton
Calgary Saskatoon
St. John Guelph
Surrey Surrey
Toronto St. John's
in Canadian Urban Municipalities ($)
Oshawa London
Figure 5: Parks & Recreation Budgets per Capita
Halifax Richmond
of Total Budgets in Canadian Urban Municipalities
Figure 4: Parks & Recreation Budgets as a Percentage
Victoria St. John
Fredericton Fredericton
Burlington Halifax
% of municipal budget
Parks & recreation
budget per capita ($)
Richmond Victoria
allocated to parks & recreation
St. John's TorontoKey Findings that such standards do not address the
Variations in the definition of ‘green space’ complexities of green space sufficiency in
from municipality to municipality, as well as growing and diverse cities.
differences in budget categories and record-
keeping, mean that direct and absolute Financial constraints constitute Canadian
comparisons among cities based solely on the municipalities’ greatest challenge 12
data collected cannot be drawn. This research Clearly, there is no single formula for the
does, however, provide a snapshot of the state kind of support that will enable Canadian
of urban green space in Canada, and the municipalities to meet their green space
results — informed by follow-up research goals. Surveyed municipalities reported a
and case study information — suggest several broad range of key challenges and areas of
overarching trends. need, ranging from concerns about blurred
responsibilities after amalgamation to the
More and better urban green space need for more information on the economic
is needed value of parks. The most frequently
Municipalities across the country expressed mentioned areas of need, however, related
a need for more and better green space in to the challenge of doing more with less:
urban areas, and a need for stronger tools providing sufficient high quality green
and better support in order to ensure that space using limited financial resources.
community green space needs are met.
Municipal capacities to meet green space Community involvement presents an
needs vary considerably across the country, opportunity for improved green space
both in terms of financial resources and protection and stewardship in cities
available planning or legal tools. However, Many surveyed municipalities identified a
even respondents from municipalities that need for new ways to work with communities
seem to be achieving high green space as a key challenge in their cities. Other
provision rates expressed a need for more frequently-mentioned issues such as
support, improved acquisition tools and new vandalism, crowded parks and conflicting
stewardship strategies. Moreover, none of the public needs also point to the need for
surveyed municipalities predicted increased meaningful community involvement in
green space provision rates in coming years, urban green space planning, protection
and several municipalities expected a decline and stewardship. Urban citizens are
in green space provision as the urban increasingly interested in having a role
population grows. While most municipalities in the development and enhancement
that have green space standards in place are of their communities, and the expertise
apparently meeting or exceeding their goals, and enthusiasm they can bring to urban
many respondents commented on the fact greening projects is, in many cities,
a relatively untapped resource.Intensification is a key challenge in green space securement. Non-traditional
in large urban centres strategies may be considered, including
Cities at varying stages of growth and enhancing existing green space so that
development face different key challenges. it can accommodate more people and an
An examination of the green space inventory increased variety of uses. There are also
13 and standards data sheds light on the opportunities to create new public green
challenges faced by some of Canada’s space within the built-up city through
largest cities such as Toronto, Vancouver brownfield development, the use of vacant
and Montreal, where population growth is lots and the establishment of greenways
outpacing the creation of new parks. In through ravines and utility corridors.
addition to being among Canada’s largest
urban centres, these cities also face limited “As the city densifies, more and more
access to additional parkland, whether Vancouverites are living in housing units
because of high land values and built-up that do not have private open space (i.e.,
surrounding areas, or because of back yards). Many only have a balcony
geographical limits to the city’s growth. or a small patio. This puts even greater
It is not surprising, then, that — as shown
pressure to acquire publicly accessible parks
in Figure 2 — these municipalities have
in these densifying neighbourhoods.“
relatively low green space provision ratios
for their current populations5, and have
– Michel Desrochers, City of Vancouver
among the lowest parkland standards of
parks department (email correspondence)
the municipalities surveyed. Moreover, both
Toronto and Vancouver are in provinces with
parkland dedication requirements of only Mid-sized municipalities have an
5 percent. The paradox of this trend is opportunity for sustainable growth
apparent: the cities facing high population Mid-sized suburban municipalities emerged
and development pressure are at once most as a distinct group in the survey. With
in need of better ways to provide green significant expected population growth,
space at the neighbourhood level, and relatively high allocation of funds to
least able to secure the necessary land. parks and recreation services, and rapid
outward expansion, cities such as Oakville,
In order to keep pace with growing and Burlington, Surrey and Burnaby are dealing
intensifying urban populations in large less with the challenge of intensification,
municipalities such as Toronto and and increasingly with the difficulty of
Vancouver, there is a need for innovation combating sprawl-type development on
5
It should be noted that these relatively low green space provision ratios do not reflect the amount of open space held by the Greater
Vancouver Regional District, in Vancouver, nor those held by Toronto and Region Conservation in Toronto.the urban fringe. These municipalities are securement and stewardship of green space,
now presented with an opportunity to apply others lack the tools and know-how to
farsighted smart growth principles to ensure advance innovative green space management
that future generations have access to the practices. Each innovation generates new
healthy, diverse green spaces that make information, lessons learned and expertise
a city great. that could be captured and communicated 14
among municipalities. National leadership
The costs of sprawl are well known. Negative in this regard can come from organizations
impacts such as the loss of natural areas such as Evergreen, the Federation of
and productive farmland, air and water Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian
pollution, and increased municipal Institute of Planners, Go for Green and the
infrastructure costs are apparent in Canadian Parks and Recreation Association,
urban centres across North America. Such to name only a few.
patterns, however, need not be replicated
in Canada’s suburban municipalities. These
and other growing mid-sized cities are faced
with the challenge — and the opportunity
— to chart an alternative development
path, and to emerge as leaders in Canada’s
move towards smart growth.
There is a need for communication and
information-sharing
One of the key findings of the nation-wide
survey and consultation was that there
is a need across the country for greater
communication and information-sharing
about the full range of tools and strategies
available. While some municipalities are
applying innovative strategies for theGREEN SPACE PROTECTION
4 AND STEWARDSHIP CASE STUDIES
The results of the survey reveal The following examples show how cities across
that, across Canada, urban the country are meeting the various challenges
municipalities are rising to and pressures associated with land acquisition
budgetary and other challenges and securement.
in a variety of creative ways. Whether
15 through partnerships with community City of Whitehorse: Creating and Financing
organizations, progressive zoning regulations a New Trail System Through Partnerships
or inter-agency collaboration, some cities are In July 2002, the City of Whitehorse opened
expanding the range of tools and strategies the Millennium Trail — 5km of fully accessible
available to parks and planning departments. trail along the Yukon River. Already, it has
The case studies presented in this section become an integral part of the municipal
reflect the range of challenges faced by urban open space system, serving several sectors
municipalities, and offer examples of the of the population that otherwise have limited
strategies used to deal with them. They access to natural areas, including elderly
demonstrate the potential for success, and and disabled people. According to Douglas
offer insight into the benefits and challenges Hnatiuk, who managed the project for the
of creative approaches to parkland securement City, this multi-year, capital-intensive
and stewardship. The case studies have been project would not have happened without
divided into two sub-sections: the first a partnership.
presents examples of innovative green space
protection, whether through purchase, While the City of Whitehorse is currently
zoning, easement or partnership; the second delivering a high level of green space
presents case studies of creative approaches provision to its population of just over
to green space stewardship in Canada’s cities. 19,000, the municipality is nonetheless
experiencing significant population growth
Case Studies in Innovative and increased pressure on municipal parks
Green Space Protection budgets. The City’s key challenge is to
The most frequently cited challenge to maintain this high standard of provision,
green space protection among surveyed while continuing to improve the quality
municipalities was development pressure, and diversity of parkland available.
including controlling urban sprawl. Other
overarching challenges included budget In 1999, the converging interests of the City,
restrictions and the need for more staff time. the Yukon Council on Disability, and the
In addition, large urban centres are finding Yukon Energy Corporation, which controls a
that land for new parks is often both scarce dam on the Yukon River, led to the initiation
and expensive, putting even greater pressure of the Millennium Trail project. The shared
on limited resources, while mid-sized cities vision, to be achieved through a three-way
are in need of better tools for achieving smart partnership, was to create a multi-use, multi-
growth objectives as they expand outwards. season accessible trail along the banks ofthe Yukon River. Each partner contributed sectors, lent credibility to the project in the
expertise, as well as financial and in-kind community’s eyes. The trail has garnered
support to the $900,000 project. Some of considerable community support and has
the land on which the trail was built already enabled the City to enhance the quality and
belonged to the City. The remainder was diversity of green space available to the public.
secured through an easement with Yukon 16
Energy Corporation and a lease agreement City of Guelph:
with the Territorial government. Partnerships for Access to Green Space
Like the City of Whitehorse, the City of
Today, the partnership has been expanded Guelph is looking to lands owned by utility
to include the local Rotary Club, which will companies and other agencies as a prospective
spearhead a fundraising campaign in order means to expand urban parkland. With a
to leverage the final $200,000 needed to population of over 106,000, Guelph is an
complete construction of a pedestrian expanding mid-sized city within commuting
bridge across the river. After the project’s distance to Toronto. Like many other
completion, the City will take primary municipalities, Guelph is faced with the
responsibility for the stewardship, signage challenge of keeping pace with a growing
and maintenance of this new element of population, while working with limited
Whitehorse’s green space system. financial resources.
Having a range of community stakeholders By partnering with local utility companies,
involved, and key partners from the non- the Grand River Conservation Authority and
the Cemetery Commission, the City of Guelph
profit and private sectors, lent credibility
is aiming to gain public access to existing
to the project in the community’s eyes. green space in the city. This will effectively
add to its complement of downtown parkland,
This partnership, formalized in a memorandum and expand the municipality’s urban trail
of understanding among the parties, enabled system, without the financial burden of
the City to embark on a more ambitious public having to purchase the land outright. Details
green space project than it could have of responsibility for maintenance, taxes and
managed on its own, and provided access liability insurance will be clearly laid out as
to riverfront land that would otherwise part of the partnership agreement.
have been outside of the City’s jurisdiction.
Hnatiuk also points out that the return on This approach is not without its challenges.
the City’s investment in this partnership According to Janet Sperling, Parks Planner
goes beyond the financial. Having a range with the City of Guelph, one of the difficulties
of community stakeholders involved, and has been addressing encroachment issues
key partners from the non-profit and private where newly-accessible green space backsonto residential lots. The benefits have, this is not a new strategy, but an old idea
however, outweighed these challenges. being applied to meet today’s needs. He
Similar partnerships with the local school notes that, “from the 1880s to the 1950s,
board have already expanded the public open developers were building single-family houses
space system in Guelph, and are helping the on previously undeveloped land. The current
17 City to efficiently provide parkland to a developers are converting old industrial areas
population that is both intensifying and into high-density housing. We’ve been able
expanding. Sperling asserts that partnerships to get parks out of both types of land
such as these can increase overall public development in our city’s history.”
support and belief in the preservation of
green space. She offers this advice to other Dedication of green space in exchange for
municipalities considering similar strategies: development rights may not be a new idea,
“Investigate and educate yourself on the but Vancouver’s new waterfront parkland
advantages, disadvantages, opportunities and is an example of how this strategy can be
threats to the green space and the partnership. used to help meet green space needs in
And remember, partnerships are a good thing: intensifying city centres. Parks department
they should be nurtured and recognized.” staff negotiated with developers using a
target parkland dedication of 1.1 hectare per
City of Vancouver: 1,000 people, a figure that can be traced back
New Waterfront Parks in the City Centre to 1921 as a standard goal for urban green
In a city where mountains and sea form space in the city. Through strong advocacy
natural barriers to growth, providing for urban parkland, and the use of a well-
sufficient parkland for a growing and established land acquisition tool, the City’s
densifying population is a particular parks department was able to help ensure
challenge. The efficient use of existing that residents of the densely populated city
parks, and the reclamation of land that centre have access to adequate green space.
may previously have been used for industry,
have become necessary strategies for the City of Surrey:
City of Vancouver parks department. Using Zoning Tools to Protect
Green Space in a Growing Municipality
Over the past 15 years, the City has been in Creating parkland through the development
the process of creating eight medium-sized process is most commonly achieved using
parks along the Vancouver waterfront. By statutory parkland dedication. In some
allowing high density levels in new housing cases, however, parkland dedication rates
developments, the municipality was able to do not meet green space needs. Like many
negotiate conveyance of almost 16 hectares other rapidly-growing mid-sized Canadian
of downtown real estate — land that would municipalities, the City of Surrey is working
otherwise have been far too expensive for to balance rapid growth and setting land
the City to purchase. Michel Desrochers of aside for parks. To help achieve smart
the City’s parks department points out that growth objectives as the city expands,the municipality has established proactive Local Government Act, allowing for a small
zoning and other planning mechanisms percentage (about 5 percent) of Development
that enable it to go beyond the provincially- Cost Charges (DCC) to be used for parkland
mandated parkland dedication of 5 percent. development, while the remainder flows into
the City’s parkland acquisition budget. For
The City of Surrey’s Zoning By-law enables a growing municipality like Surrey, this has 18
gross density zoning and cluster residential meant that lands can be acquired in advance
zoning to be considered in areas where the of their anticipated use as public green
City would like to set aside more than space. “Surrey is a young and fast-growing
5 percent of the land to be developed. These municipality,” notes Lamontagne. “Strong
mechanisms allow the municipality to protect development has meant a steady stream of
natural features such as watercourses, ravines park acquisition DCC, which allows the City
and woodlots by requiring up to 15 percent to acquire the parkland infrastructure that
(in the case of gross density zoning) or up to will be developed in future years.”
50 percent (in the case of cluster residential
zoning) of the land to be transferred to the City of Regina:
City in exchange for higher density allowances. Strengthening Zoning Tools for Smart Growth
With a population of just over 190,000, the
In some areas, gross density zoning is used City of Regina is expecting modest population
quite frequently, enabling the City to set aside growth in coming years and is using existing
more land for parks and natural areas, while zoning tools to ensure that green spaces are
developers benefit from higher densities and an integral part of all development as the city
an adjacent green space amenity. “Serious expands. In 2002, the municipality undertook
developers in particular can see the benefit an amendment of its zoning by-law, re-writing
of having green areas and parks close to their the buffer and landscape regulations for new
development project; parks and open space can developments to make them consistent with a
generally add value to adjacent units,” notes vision for the city’s future as a livable, green
Jean Lamontagne, Manager of Planning, Design and economically viable urban municipality.
and Corporate Facilities for the City of Surrey.
Key elements of the re-written regulations
Using gross density zoning in the South included requirements for landscaping on
Surrey peninsula enabled the City to protect traffic islands, larger permeable surface areas
woodlands that had formed the boundaries for each tree, and more planting of shrubs.
between the old large-lot remnants. The By inviting the development community to
remaining wooded area is now a major the review table, and by listening to their
linear park feature of that community. concerns, the City was able to garner support
The City of Surrey was also one of the first for this progressive zoning by-law amendment,
municipalities in British Columbia to make which will help mitigate the negative impacts
use of recent amendments to the province’s of sprawl-type development.Rather than holding a traditional open house The cost of each project was assessed using
for developers, the City held a consultation the old and the new regulations. Participants
workshop for a broad range of development were able to see immediately that the new
and land-use stakeholders, including regulations would add only 0.5 to 1 percent
developers, architects, landscape architects, in additional capital costs, and that these
19 the Chamber of Commerce and others. would likely be offset by the long term
Over the course of the workshop, participants savings from reduced maintenance costs
learned about the proposed regulations, and and improved vegetation survival rates.
offered suggestions and feedback. With this Follow Up: After the workshop, City staff
input in mind, City staff proposed a series researched the issues that had been raised,
of changes, relaxing or re-articulating some and met with individual parties in order
requirements in order to allow for flexibility, to discuss their concerns more fully. Once
and retaining the original standards in other consensus was reached, the City sent out
cases, based on careful consideration of a letter to each stakeholder, explaining
community needs. each issue and how it had been addressed.
Ron Torrens, a key organizer of the workshop, By inviting all stakeholders to the table,
credits a true consultative approach for this the City created an opportunity for open
success: “It’s not a case of ‘us and them’,” communication before the changes had been
he says. “It’s really more of a process.” made, leveraging support through effective
Torrens cites a number of keys to the consultation. It also enabled the City to
workshop’s success. explain the rationale for the changes, and to
Round Table Structure: Workshop communicate the implications of the by-law
attendees were seated in a closed rectangle not only for individual development sites in
rather than in the traditional ‘classroom the city, but for the livability and economic
style’ of an open house. sustainability of the community as a whole.
Direct Dialogue: during the workshop,
participants were encouraged to share City of Winnipeg:
their ideas and concerns directly, rather Conservation Easements and Ecogifts
than expressing them anonymously Facing limited financial resources and constant
through a comment box. development pressure, the City of Winnipeg
Cost Accounting: In recognition of is looking for innovative ways to protect
stakeholders’ concerns about the ‘bottom natural areas as the city grows. Cheryl
line’ impact of the regulations, staff Heming, Winnipeg’s City Naturalist, notes
presented a series of sample project that “there are many tracts of ecologically
scenarios, including a hotel, a restaurant, significant natural areas that the City cannot
a retail grocer and an industrial shop. possibly afford to buy, but are worthy ofpreservation.” In its search for new and donating an easement or making a gift of
affordable ways to protect land, the City has land. She suggests that there is a need
started to explore the feasibility of acquiring to raise awareness among prospective donors,
ecogifts and conservation easements on tax accountants and City staff about how
privately-owned properties. these tools can be used in an urban setting.
Although conservation easements are in 20
Ecogifts are charitable donations of relatively wide use in the southern, rural
ecologically sensitive land to conservation part of the province, conservation easements
agencies and organizations. Under the Federal and ecogifts are as yet untested in the city.
Ecological Gift Program, donors are provided Creating a precedent-setting case has proven
with income tax benefits beyond those that to be a challenge.
normally accrue from a charitable donation.
...there is a need to raise awareness among
Conservation easements are a standard tool of prospective donors, tax accountants and
land trusts in Canada, the U.S., and elsewhere,
City staff about how these tools can be
and are largely used to protect land in rural or
remote areas. An easement is a legally binding used in an urban setting.
agreement giving land management and
development rights to a conservation entity, Adding to the difficulty are the legislative
such as a land trust or municipality, while restrictions on ecogifts. According to federal
the landowner gains tax benefits. Because it legislation, land must not only be ecologically
is registered against the title to the land, an significant in order to qualify, but also cannot
easement protects land in perpetuity, even be inventory land (i.e., land that is owned
when the land changes hands. by a developer as stock property). Hemming
suggests that, in the case of a woodlot called
Recognizing the potential of ecogifts and ‘Bois des Esprits’, which had community and
conservation easements as proactive tools municipal support for protection, this
to protect habitat and natural areas, the restriction was the principal barrier to having
City of Winnipeg has attempted to put these it donated by the developer as an ecogift.
strategies into use in recent years. The City
is seeking a flagship case that will garner Case Studies in Creative
widespread support for the strategy, and Green Space Stewardship
could open the doors to the development Budget limitations were the most frequently
of a municipal framework or policy on ecogifts cited obstacles to effective park stewardship
and conservation easements. faced by surveyed municipalities, followed by
the need for new ways to engage communities
According to Heming, the greatest challenge and volunteers. Many municipalities also
is locating a landowner who is interested in mentioned the linked concerns of parklandoveruse and misuse, and the challenge of municipality did not have the capacity to
satisfying the often conflicting needs for manage it alone. “When the City of Oshawa
natural green space and active recreational was to receive the Oshawa Second Marsh, the
areas such as sports fields. Operating under City had neither the financial resources nor
these constraints, and in challenging the staff expertise to manage and restore the
21 economic times, municipalities are often wetland,” recalls Noel Hutchinson, Director
reluctant to assume ownership of new of Parks and Facilities Maintenance at the
parkland because of the cost of maintaining City of Oshawa.
it. As a result, they may be inclined to accept
cash in lieu of land from developers under “By drawing in groups that had a
their parkland dedication requirements, or vested interest in wetland restoration,
to forego land acquisition opportunities when
we were able to do collectively what
they arise. In several Canadian cities, however,
municipalities have found innovative ways no individual agency could do alone.”
to tap into the expertise, resources, and
energy of the non-profit and charitable At the urging of the Friends of Second Marsh,
sector, as well as local volunteers, and the City formed a multi-stakeholder steering
have established partnerships that help committee to formulate a remedial action
to leverage scarce financial resources for plan. With the formation of a three-way
green space stewardship. partnership among the City of Oshawa, the
Friends of Second Marsh, and the Canadian
The examples offered here illustrate the Wildlife Service, phase one of a three-phase
variety of scales, models and goals of management plan was initiated, and the
such partnerships, ranging from the City ecological restoration of the marsh began in
of Burnaby's ongoing support of community- earnest. This phase of the plan (about $1.3
based Streamkeepers groups, to the City million) was funded by the Canadian Wildlife
of Saskatoon’s statutory funding of, and Service, and the Friends of Second Marsh, in
collaboration with, the Meewasin Valley cooperation with the City, raised matching
Authority. funds to establish trails, viewing stations
and interpretive signage.
City of Oshawa:
Partnership for Wetland Stewardship Since that time, the partnership has expanded
The City of Oshawa’s longstanding partnership to include Ducks Unlimited and the Central
with the non-profit Friends of Second Marsh Lake Ontario Conservation Authority as
has enabled the restoration of a 131-hectare key players. In addition, numerous other
wetland on a former industrial site along Lake community groups and service clubs,
Ontario. In 1984, when the site was to be along with school boards and neighbouring
deeded over to the City of Oshawa from landowners, have become involved as
the Federal Department of Transport, the sponsors, volunteers, advisors and educators.Today, this class-one provincially significant to each of the 10 groups active in the Burnaby
wetland is an invaluable passive recreation area. This support takes the form of:
and educational site serving the entire a one-window approach to staff liaison,
municipality. whereby one staff member is designated as
the Streamkeepers’ contact point as an
Tapping into the assets and expertise of other element of the job description; 22
organizations was what made this project letters of support for funding;
possible. As Hutchinson notes, “By drawing in occasional collaboration on stewardship
groups that had a vested interest in wetland projects (contributing equipment, design
restoration, we were able to do collectively advice, etc.);
what no individual agency could do alone.” partnering on public awareness events such
This success has been achieved despite the as Environment Week and the annual Rivers
challenges, which have included communication Day; and
among partners, coordinating the interests being responsive to issues raised by the
of the public, government and business, and Streamkeepers.
the changing mandates of government over
time. The key to overcoming such challenges, Kimberly Flick, Long Range Planner for the
and building a strong partnership, says City of Burnaby’s planning department, has
Hutchinson, is “having a shared vision, been the staff contact for Streamkeepers
a solid plan and the willingness and
determination to see it through.” City work crews are now trained about
how to work in environmentally sensitive
City of Burnaby:
streamside areas in order to minimize
Working with Streamkeepers Groups
The City of Burnaby has taken a different the potential environmental impacts.
approach to working with community
stewardship organizations. In 1996/97, the groups over the past decade. She says that
City worked with the Sapperton Fish and the involvement with Streamkeepers has
Game Club and the British Columbia Institute changed the way the City looks at its urban
of Technology to start a number of Burnaby waterways, enhancing its responsiveness
“Streamkeepers” groups. This network of to watershed protection issues, and raising
volunteers and volunteer organizations awareness in all departments about the
is working to protect and restore aquatic importance of riparian stewardship. For
habitats in the Burnaby area through water example, City work crews are now trained
quality monitoring, streamside plantings about how to work in environmentally
and clean-ups, habitat surveys, and fish sensitive streamside areas in order to
identification and monitoring. The City’s minimize the potential environmental
planning department offers ongoing support impacts. The planning department may alsoYou can also read
