Challenges and Opportunities in
Measuring Success in Community
Sustainability Planning
Sandra K. Znajda, PhD,
Independent Consultant & Associate Lura Consulting
(Dr. Liette Vasseur, Brock University;
Liz Nield, CEO, Lura Consulting)
October17, 2013
CIC Impact Summit, Chicago
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Presentation Overview
1.
Community Sustainability Plans
2.
Key Challenges
3.
Opportunities
4.
Next Steps
2
1. Community Sustainability Plans
3
Concept: Planning for Sustainability
4
Intentions

To create a long-term plan or framework
that works towards a Vision of
sustainability - an “umbrella” document

To increase awareness about
sustainability

To engage stakeholders and public as
partners in change

To provide strategic guidance
5
Process
Develop Process Framework
Where are you Today?
Where do you want to go? Vision
How will you reach your vision? Goals
Community
Collaboration
Strategic Directions and Actions
Implementation and Monitoring
6
Involvement
Government-led
 Multiple stakeholders
 Community engagement

7
Structure
Vision
 Goals
 Strategies
 List of Actions
 Implementation Plan
 Monitoring/
Evaluation Plan

Land Use Planning
Water
Waste
Transportation
Energy
Natural and Cultural
Assets
Typically structured around
identifiable themes
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Example: Niagara Region
8 Theme-based Goals

Goal Statement: In
2060,Niagara will be an
inclusive, engaged
community that values
culture, learning, and social
development.

Sample Action: Conduct a
needs assessment of
knowledge or skills in the
community by consulting
businesses, industry,
educational institutions, and
the public
9
Indicators: Patchwork Quilt
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Example: Niagara Region
Vision Statement Elements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Integrated community
Ample green space
Clean air and water
Learning community
Leader in technology,
innovation, research,
economic development
Culturally inclusive and
welcoming
Region of opportunity
Proud of its values
Food banks and homeless
shelters not needed
Vibrant, vital, accessible cores
Indicators
Indicator species abundance
Average daily vehicular travel distance
Walkability
Greenhouse gas emissions
Annual gross farm receipts
Access to nutritious food basket
Economic diversification
Living wage
Participation in community activities
Volunteerism
Voter turnout in municipal elections
Physical and mental health
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Example: Kingston
Vision – Canada’s Most Sustainable City
Cultural
Indicators
Employment in occupations related
to arts/culture/recreation/sport
Assets in city’s Heritage Register
Voter turnout
Residents by ethnic background
Economic
indicators
Unemployment rate
Job creation
Employment by sector, occupation
Entrepreneurship
Infrastructure condition
Transit & commuting mode
Tourism revenue
Preservation of agricultural land
Environ-mental Energy use
indicators
GHG emissions
Air quality index
Residential water consumption
Beach water quality
Waste diversion rates
Greenspace
Dense treed areas
Mix of land use
Dwelling unit density
Social
Indicators
Community gardens
Spending on nutritious foods
number low income
households
Housing affordability
Crime rates
Composite learning index
Educational attainment
High school graduation rate
Access to physicians
% population overweight
Recreation program hours
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2. Key Challenges
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Indicator Selection Process
Which indicators?
 How many indicators?
 What resources are available to collect
data?

14
Role of Indicators

Can the indicators fill multiple roles?
◦ Informing Council
◦ Identifying areas for improvement
◦ Communicating status to public

Can indicators developed for other
purposes be used for measuring
sustainability in a community?
Annual Gross Farm
Receipts
Living Wage
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Characteristics of What is Being
Measured
Dynamic and non-linear
 Inter-connected
 Long-term horizon
 Influenced by outside factors beyond
control of community
 Multiple layers of responsibility

Christmas Bird
Counts
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What is “Sustainability”?

Each community has their own interpretation
outlined in Vision. E.g.,:
“A sustainable community is active, inclusive, safe,
well planned and built, well run, well connected and
thriving. A sustainable community offers equal
opportunity(ies) and good services for all” -Sustainable Kingston Plan (2010)
“Caring communities balancing prosperity, well-being
and nature” – Sustainable Peterborough Plan (2012)
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What is “Sustainability”?

“Sustainability” vs. “sustainable
development”
“Sustainability means meeting the needs of today without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs” -- Our Niagara in 2060

Is sustainability an endpoint (with a target)
or a process/way of being?
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3. Opportunities
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Making the Process Easier
Municipalities want tools that are:
 Simple
 Easily communicated
 Reflective of local experiences
 Indicative of relative change
 Links indicators and actions
 Bottom-up and participatory
 Adaptable to local contexts
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Shifting Focus?
“..complex problems require strategies that entail changes in
established patterns of action as well as in the structures in
which they take place” (Regeer et al, 2009, AJE)

Towards assessing changes in process,
perception, relationships, networks, e.g.:
◦ How frequently do municipal departments work
together in problem solving?
◦ How is sustainability perceived and defined?
◦ How often is environment considered in
economic plans and vice versa?
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Draw from Work on Resilience?
Information and knowledge
 Supportive networks
 Shared community values
 Community’s ability and willingness to
adapt
 Environmental, social, economic, and
human capital approach

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4. Next Steps

Establishing a cross-sectoral research
partnership to further:
◦ Understand how sustainability is defined and
experienced by Ontario communities
◦ Design a framework that can be used across
Ontario municipalities to measure
sustainability
◦ Test out with municipalities
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Thank You
Comments/Ideas/Questions?
Sandra K. Znajda, PhD
Independent Research
Consultant &
Associate, Lura Consulting
sandraznajda@gmail.com
Liz Nield, CEO
Lura Consulting
Hamilton, Ontario
lnield@lura.ca
www.lura.ca
Liette Vasseur, PhD
Professor, Department of
Biological Sciences
Brock University
St Catharines, Ontario
lvasseur@brocku.ca
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