‘It’s time to talk about urban density’
In an editorial in the February 13th National Post newspaper, Mayor Sam Sullivan is calling on municipalities as well as senior levels of government to open the debate on increasing urban density as a way to address global climate change.
“Instead of telling Canadians to simply check the air pressure in their tires to ensure better mileage, or put energy efficient light bulbs in their suburban homes, we should also be talking about how better urban planning and densification of our cities can significantly reduce our impact on the environment,” Mayor Sullivan writes.
The editorial comes as the City of Vancouver prepares to launch a three-month series of public meetings and idea forums focused on EcoDensity, a new initiative which aims to introduce more high quality densification that will contribute to making Vancouver greener, more livable and more affordable.
“I look forward to engaging our citizens in this important conversation, and to hearing their ideas about how we can introduce new forms of housing in every neighbourhood in our City,” the Mayor said today.
Following the official launch of EcoDensity, the first ideas fair will be held on March 3rd and 4th at the Riley Park Community Centre. More details on this and other events are available at www.vancouver.ca/ecodensity.
A complete transcript of the Mayor’s editorial in today’s National Post is included below. It is the latest in a series of national and international articles referencing EcoDensity, in such publications as the Globe & Mail, New York Times and the International Herald Tribune in Paris.
