BRAMPTON, ON. (Aug. 5, 2008) – The Region of Peel has released Sustainability Background Paper, a paper that focuses on sustainability in Peel and invites feedback from residents and stakeholders.

The Sustainability Background Paper touches on a variety of themes, including sustainability in a global context; the application of sustainability concepts in a municipal setting; how sustainability has already influenced planning in Peel; and how sustainability policies can be further developed in the Region Official Plan.

“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs is of utmost importance when thinking about sustainability,” says Arvin Prasad, Director, Planning Policy and Research.  “We want to set forth progressive policies in this area in order to effectively plan for the future.”

While sustainability can be applied across different sectors, such as agriculture or development, the Sustainability Background Paper focuses on four broad pillars: economic, social, environmental and cultural.  Considering issues from the perspective of the four pillars will help shape future sustainability policies and decisions in Peel.

The Planning Act requires all municipalities in Ontario to consider reviewing their Official Plans every five years to ensure that it conforms to provincial plans, takes into account matters of provincial interest, and is consistent with policy statements issued under the Act.

Public input is welcomed on this and other papers released as part of the Peel Region Official Plan Review.  The input on the Sustainability Background Paper will help guide the Region of Peel as it reviews and updates the sustainability component of the Peel Region Official Plan.

As with all papers released for the Peel Region Official Plan Review, residents are encouraged to read the paper and submit their comments and ideas, all of which will be taken into consideration as the Region continues to review and update its Official Plan.  

The Sustainability Background Paper is available for download and comment at www.peelregion.ca/planning or by calling 905-791-7800, ext. 4364.  

Since the last review of the Peel Region Official Plan, which was initiated in 2002, the Government of Ontario has released three documents that the Official Plan must also conform to: Places to Grow Act, 2006; the Greenbelt Plan, 2005; and the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005. The Region of Peel is currently working toward a June 16, 2009 deadline to bring its Official Plan policies into conformity with these provincial requirements. Sustainability is a key matter of planning interest that must be taken into account during this Official Plan review.

The Regional Municipality of Peel was incorporated in 1974 on the principle that certain community and infrastructure services are most cost-effectively administered over a larger geographic area. The Region of Peel serves more than one million residents in the Cities of Mississauga and Brampton and the Town of Caledon.

For more information on the Region of Peel, please call 905-791-7800, or visit www.peelregion.ca.

Released by the Region of Peel on August 5, 2008 at 12:10