2009 The Other Side of the Podium

The Other Side Of The Podium
Personal reflection by Bonnie Littley

In my mind, we need to be accountable not only to the positive actions that move “sustainability” in Pickering forward, but also to actions that may not be viewed as “sustainable”. As much as the City of Pickering promotes and has moved the principles of “sustainability” into operations, efforts are not translating into sustainable land‐use policies designed to curb urban sprawl. In this case, committing to firm urban boundaries until at least 2031 as intended by the Provincial Growth Plan and the Places to Grow Act. The Plan requires the municipalities to complete comprehensive growth analysis as part of the legislated conformity exercise prior to expanding any urban boundaries into what are now referred to as the “whitebelt lands” (designated lands intended for development after 2031).