Sustainable Peterborough is now the vessel to help the area lay a foundation for the present and the future plans. The program is unique in the sense that its applicability extends beyond the first nations and municipalities. The plan seeks to integrate the vision of sustainability into institutional, municipal, community initiatives and actions, business operations and all members of the greater Peterborough area. Sustainability can never be pursued in isolation, and that makes the plan necessary. The collective action among all community members will translate into meaningful progress towards the realization of our vision of sustainability.

Our Common Future

Sustainability is a common term but has different meanings for all communities. Peterborough a standard definition for all communities which is ‘Our Common Future’. Sustainability seeks to find the balance between economic, socio-cultural, and environmental pillars, in trying to recognize the fact that economic and social development is bound by environmental constraints.

Where Do We Want To Be In 2037?
This community-based plan is based on extensive outreach and discussion with the broader public as well as the stakeholders. From March 2011 all the way to August 2011, the sustainability project team worked with the entire community to identify the things that are liked by many about our community and their vision towards a sustainable Peterborough. This led to the formation of our concept and the themes of a sustainable Peterborough.

This is what the greater Peterborough wants to look in 2037. The vision is based on extensive outreach and discussion with the public and stakeholders and will guide the municipalities business, First Nation, and the greater Peterborough. Our Vision is ‘Caring community balancing prosperity and well-being nature.’

Climate Change

The sustainability plan of Peterborough identifies the things that are loved about our communities and try to mitigate threats that will affect our future such as the climate change. Our goal is to reduce our contributions to climate change while increasing our ability to adapt to climate change conditions. A priority is to become active members in the Partners for Climate Protection Program (PCP) to establish a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions with a corresponding plan for achieving a set target in emissions reductions.

Land Use Planning

We use a system of plans, acts and codes to formalize sustainable decision-making about land use. At a rural scale, the land use planning guide whether the land can revert to a forest or remain for agricultural purposes. Sustainable planning can direct shoreline protection and lake management plans. These laws and codes guide the design of buildings, pedestrian realms, and streetscapes in village or cottage scale.

By 2037, the sustainable Peterborough goal is to support the building of healthy and sustainable diverse communities through planning policies and decisions that are made and developed in a transparent and accessible manner. This will be done by integrating the current and future master and strategic plans with the sustainable Peterborough plan.

Transportation

The greater Peterborough’s main mode of transport remains the personal vehicle. This is attributed to its dominant rural setting. 67% of people was working travel to work as lone occupants in the vehicle. This contributes to the greenhouse effect, road congestion, which impacts commute times and the economy. This is the most unsuitable path and one that we must change course on.

The people are now advocating for the reduced use of personal vehicles. It is encouraging cycling, carpooling, public transit and walking in its stead. The future goal for Peterborough is to have an accessible transport that places priority on active and efficient modes of transportation.

Energy

Energy is a critical component of the quality of life today. It contributes to the local community and business manufacturers. The area now has transitioned to utilizing more environmental friendly forms of energy. Some towns are now exploring solar energy and now solar arrays are increasing in the region. The main challenge now remaining is how to reduce excess energy consumption. This leads to the primary goal of reducing energy use and maximize production of local dependable sources of renewal energy. This can be achieved by leading the way in the development and use of renewable energy technologies.