Whistler2020 is the name of the town’s long-term community sustainability plan.
Traditional urban planning tends to focus more on isolated pieces of the planning puzzle, rather than on interconnected systems. What the town needed was an integrated approach that would address social, economic and environmental challenges.
As a small mountain resort, sustainable policies were needed to preserve and protect the town’s natural resources and pristine beauty.
Despite its small population of less than 10,000, Whistler faced many of the same problems that challenge larger urban centres such as traffic congestion, affordable housing and the rising cost of living.
“We needed to understand that society is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment,” said Ken Melamed, Mayor, Resort Municipality of Whistler. “And that the economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of society.”
The answer was the development of a shared vision for a sustainable future.
Developed after three years of community consultation and collaboration, Whistler2020 was adopted by the municipality as its highest level policy in December 2004.
The community set the priorities and annual engagement strategies were developed to help achieve Whistler’s vision.
The vision
“Whistler will be the premier mountain resort community – as we move toward sustainability.”
The Whistler2020 plan includes a commitment to:
• Achieve social and environmental sustainability and a healthy economy
• Provide local housing for 75% of Whistler’s workforce (already exceeded)
• Provide world-class recreational and cultural opportunities
• Protect the ecological integrity of the natural environment
• Foster prosperity
• Meet social, health and learning needs
• Foster intergovernmental cooperation
• Monitor and report performance
The priorities
In setting its priorities, the first step was to acknowledge that everything is interdependent.
According to the Whistler2020 website, “No priority is more important than another as they depend on each other for continued success. We seek opportunities and solutions to challenges that reflect this understanding.”
Based on this understanding, the community set five long-term priorities for what Whistler would look like in 2020:
1. Enriching community life
Create a life/work/play community, with an emphasis on affordable housing and a wide range of amenities and social programs
2. Enhancing the resort experience
Centralized, seamless services, art and culture, unique sense of place
3. Ensuring economic viability
Diversify tourism-based economy to include spa and wellness retreats, life-long learning centers, eco-tours and summer camps
4. Protecting the environment
Minimize degradation of natural areas and work to restore ecological integrity and biodiversity
Expand municipal boundaries to protect Whistler’s Community Forest
5. Partnering for success
Partner with business, schools, health and cultural organizations, First Nations and government agencies for goal sharing and mutual benefit
The strategies
Whistler2020 identified 17 key strategies, and associated task forces, designed to move the town towards its vision of a sustainable future. Key to the success of each strategy is a monitoring and reporting system to keep the town on track.
Arts, Culture & Heritage
Built Environment
Economic
Energy
Finance
Food
Health & Social
Learning
Materials and Solid Waste
Natural Areas
Partnerships
Recreation and Leisure
Resident Affordability
Transportation
Visitor Experience
Water
Resident Housing
Each strategy is supported by literally hundreds of actions that are continuously developed and updated. In the first five years of implantation, the task forces have generated 607 actions, 489 have been accepted by Whistler2020 partner organizations (including the RMOW), and 70% have been completed. Details are kept on Whistler2020’s website.
The value of each action is assessed by answering each of the following four questions:
1. Does the action move Whistler towards our share vision of success?
2. Does the action move Whistler toward our share sustainability objectives?
3. Does the action present a flexible platform for further movement towards Whistler2020 in the future?
4. Does the action present a good financial investment?
Sustainable housing at Cheakamus Crossing
With the cost of local housing soaring, many Whistler residents face hour-long (or more) commutes to work. Being a host site for the Olympics meant an expanded need for local accommodation. Cheakamus Crossing provided a creative, sustainable solution to meet both housing needs.
With funding from the Federal and Municipal Governments and a land grant from the Province, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), set about developing a temporary Athletes’ Village for Games use, and a permanent legacy of resident housing for the Whistler community. Cheakamus Crossing goes a long way in realizing that priority and maintaining the goal of having more than 75 percent of the workforce living right in Whistler. .
A wholly-owned subsidiary of the RMOW), the project balances affordability, livable density and green building practices. 97% of the resident-restricted units have already been to local residents at a fraction of their market value. To ensure the continuation of affordable housing stock, the price of re-sales will be based on cost-of-living, not market prices.
Features:
Build to LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — Neighborhood Development) designation, one of only 20 Canadian neighborhoods in the program
An innovative District Energy System (DES) that uses heat from waste water to provide up to 90% of the energy needed for heating and domestic hot water requirements
Buildings will achieve energy savings of 40 to 45% (all have achieved an EnerGuide rating of 80 or above)
Developed on a local remediated brownfield
Access to public transit, pedestrian and bicycle trails
Car share program will reduce vehicle dependence
Steep slopes and wetlands have been protected and maintained. Natural habitats have been restored
Approximately 30% of the site has been developed for parkland and recreation
Drought resistant landscaping
90% of aggregate materials from on-site
Water efficient plumbing and appliances
The natural step to sustainability
In developing its sustainability strategy, Whistler adopted The Natural Step Sustainability Principles as the foundation of its framework. An internationally recognized non-profit organization, The Natural Step’s proven, science and systems based model helps communities and businesses better understand and integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations. www.naturalstep.org
Sharing the Whistler2020 vision
To following Whistler’s progress, or for more information on Whistler2020, check out:
whistler2020.ca
whistler2010.com
cheakamuscrossing.ca
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