Official site of the City of Ottawa

Environmental Strategy

3.2.1 Strategic Planning

A number of other strategic plans that address the environmental goals and strategic commitments have already been directed through the Official Plan and the draft Environmental Strategy, and consequently are supporting plans to both. Many of these plans are currently underway, and include the following:

• Groundwater Management Strategy - To ensure that flows within natural systems are maintained and that new development can be accommodated within the system without affecting groundwater supplies available to current and future users.
• Greenspace Master Plan (implements both the Official Plan and Environmental Strategy)- To identify and characterize all of the individual greenspaces in the city. A key objective will be to identify those greenspaces in Ottawa that are physically connected, or could be connected, in a Greenspace Network (e.g., natural areas, public open spaces, recreational pathways as well as river and stream networks).
• Forest Strategy - A strategy to manage and protect the rural and urban forest. This will include consideration of a by-law regulating tree-cutting, continuing to naturalize City-owned greenspaces, and planting trees on municipal property and in municipal rights of way. This plan will also consider developing current forest management plans for City-owned forests, encouraging private landowners to maintain the health of established forests and trees, and expanding the forest cover.
• Integrated Waste Management Master Plan - Provides policies and programs for the provision of solid waste services in the areas of collection, processing and disposal for the next twenty years. Areas of review include waste diversion goals, landfill capacity, import and export of waste, financing, service levels and program design, technology review, and facility design and operation. The plan is being developed in phases, with Phase I including the strategic directions to be completed in the first quarter of 2003. Completion of the final plan is estimated for the end of 2004.
• Air Quality and Climate Change Plan - The City will undertake a variety of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases, sulphates, nitrates and particulate matter in the air. In particular, the City will reduce energy consumption in the three main sectors: buildings, transportation and waste. A key item for this plan is the establishment of an inventory of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and agricultural and forest carbon sinks. By reducing our energy consumption, the City will help mitigate global climate change and reduce respiratory health problems and acid deposition. The plan will be complete early in 2004.
  

To help both maintain and enhance habitat health and species diversity within the City, staff will also prepare a Biodiversity Strategy that will be closely linked to the Greenspace Master Plan. Much work has already been conducted throughout the City to inventory our natural spaces. This plan will ensure that these inventories are complete enough to adequately inform decision-making and will compile the suite of existing and new policies required to maintain a rich biodiversity within our boundaries. Protection of natural spaces from disturbance and invasive species, protection and enhancement of wetlands and wildlife corridors, naturalization of some of our greenspaces, and living in harmony with wildlife within both the rural and urban areas of the City are key components of the Biodiversity Strategy. While the Greenspace Master Plan will take a City-wide view of managing greenspace, this Strategy will address the community and species levels of biodiversity. Activities will include such items as maintaining significant species lists, monitoring and assessing the health of forest interiors and developing approaches for humans and wildlife, such as deer, to live within the same places without conflict.

Table 1 identifies the key plans and strategies to support the goals, and further demonstrates how implementation of the four goals will effect positive change both on environmental components and on the quality of life of Ottawa residents. The goals have connections that influence both the living and built systems of our city.

In addition, actions for the first three goals can be implemented through other Growth Management Plans, and supporting plans. No individual infrastructure or land use plan can holistically address the all-encompassing goal of "Clean Air, Water and Earth". This goal must be addressed through a commitment that encompasses all decisions made with respect to the environment by the City, and must be a driving factor for issues within the influence of the City in the community at large.

Table 1 Key Plans and Strategies that support the Goals

Outcome Goal	Air Quality	Surface & GroundWater Management	Climate	Biodiversity	Soils	Quality of Life for Residents		Key Linkages5
A Green City								Official Plan and Greenspace Master Plan
Development in Harmony with the Environment								Official Plan and Greenspace Master Plan
Focus on Walking, Cycling, and Transit								Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan
Clean Air, Water and Earth								All Plans, Strategies and Environmental Commitments

⁵ There are many other important linkages to plans for the City; these are the most influential identified.

Next: 3.2.2 Program Planning