Learning How to Grow in a Sustainable Way

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Sustainable Living is about making changes to the way we do things now to ensure we have a good quality of life that includes a healthy environment in the future. It is about being aware of the longer-term impacts of our every day decisions. It is about preserving our natural systems and conserving limited resources for our children and grandchildren. Sustainable development is a global concern but requires local action

In small communities like Orangeville, Caledon and Erin , the need for sustainable development is sometimes less apparent – but the pressures are every bit as real. With population growth or decline, the availability of affordable housing, the increasing age of essential infrastructure, environmental quality concerns and rising costs across the board are among the many issues faced by small municipalities throughout Canada . That is why it is also important for all municipalities to adopt sustainable planning and development practices.

As part of the Credit River Water Management Strategy (CRWMS), CVC has been working on a subwatershed study on the headwaters of the Credit River . The Headwaters Subwatershed Study will be recommending ways to manage the area in a sustainable manner by evaluating the natural features of the area, and considering the potential impact of various land uses and climate conditions. An example is designing new developments to incorporate natural areas such as mature forests and wetlands into community designs and protect their values for the ecosystem. For existing land uses, we can use rain barrels to capture rain water for lawn maintenance and gardening, returning this valuable resource to our groundwater system.  

CVC has partnered with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to present a information session on Sustainable Planning and Development for Small Communities . The session is an opportunity to exchange ideas on "What is a Sustainable Community" and "What can we do in our daily lives and our communities to make our communities more sustainable". We invite all residents of the surrounding communities to attend this session free of charge at SGI Caledon, on May 29, 6:30-9:00 pm.

Conservation Authorities are a provincial/ municipal partnership. The CVC was established by an Act of the province in 1954 with a mandate to protect all natural resources other than minerals in the area drained by the Credit River . We have been working for over 50 years with our partner municipalities and stakeholders to protect and enhance the natural environment of the Credit River Watershed for present and future generations.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Bernadette Fernandez,
Communications Specialist
905-670-1615 ext 240