Immigration Announcement
Canada’s Eco-Friendly Initiatives
They say there are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. Everyone is a crew member. And the nation with the most to show in this regard is Canada with its giant leaps in environmental awareness worth replicating by other countries. There has been constant commitment coming from every citizen of this nation in creating a greener, more sustainable homeland for themselves and all future Canadians.
Canada’s clean energy initiatives are the envy of the world, with over seventy percent of its electricity coming from eco-friendly, non-greenhouse gas emitting sources. The nation is home to quite a few cities that number among the cleanest and greenest in the world.
Canada’s Green Efforts
In just the last five years, Canada installed more new wind energy generators as compared to all other developed nations. The United States-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue was launched by Prime Minister Harper and POTUS Obama in 2009 to improve cooperation from both nations to develop clean energy technology, cutting down greenhouse gas emissions and countering climate change.
The number of workers who commute to work on foot increased by 4% over the last three years with sidewalks dedicated to pedestrians and cycle lanes for eco-friendly commuters. In recent years, regulations have been put in place that will limit vehicle emissions for automobiles built after 2016. By the year 2025, greenhouse gas emissions resulting from vehicles are predicted to be half of what they were in 2008.
Canada is one of the few countries with a ministry for environmental conservation measures, Environment Canada which was established in 1971 with the purpose of assessing, monitoring and conserving the environment, and also to provide Canadians with the necessary environmental education to enable them to take eco-friendly measures.
Canada’s Greenest Cities
In no particular order, here are a few cities in Canada known for being environmentally conscious and for taking various green initiatives.
Kelowna, British Columbia
Some of the purest oxygen-rich breaths can be taken in Kelowna. The city takes one of the top two slots in the AirGenius Awards for assessment of air quality. Kelowna has been a direct victim of climate change, from unexpected spring precipitation causing floods to a hot, dry summer leading to devastating wildfires. With the Community Climate Action Plan and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plan in place, the city is on its way to becoming a utopia of sorts for outdoor activities and just living and breathing in general.
Devon, Alberta
Devon has historically been an oil and gas town, but efforts are shifting towards going solar in recent times. The city is aspiring towards becoming a net-zero community meaning that on an annual basis, the total amount of energy used will be completely sustained by the amount of renewable energy produced on site. For its Municipal Program, Devon made headlines winning the coveted CAMA Environmental Award in 2016. Citizens are encouraged here to adopt cycling to work and the infrastructure, i.e., roads and biking lanes have been designed keeping this approach in mind.
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal is an active member of the ICLEI, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives a community dedicated to building a sustainable future. Eco-friendly metro cars, net-zero green buildings like the La Tohu are some of the initiatives taken in this direction. There are also talks of a solar highway in Canada set to burgeon out of this metropolitan city in Quebec. Eco-tourism is on the rise here, with eye-catching ecological utopias like the Montreal Biodome and the Biosphere at Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse says “neigh” to greenhouse gases and climate change with its splendid suite of environmental initiatives. The city has its own Sustainability Plan including 12 long-term goals with estimated deadlines for 2020,2030 and, 2050. Within this plan are initiatives to dramatically lower the emission from public transportation, build net-zero green buildings and bring about practices of composting and recycling to give the city a zero waste status. Even the local community is encouraged to take productive steps to shape the environment so as to accommodate clean and green conditions for the present as well as future generations.
What we’ve seen from the various progressive developments being brought about in Canada is that future Canadian immigrants can look forward to fresh air, clean surroundings and lush greenery wherever they choose to settle. So rest assured that you will be taking the best decision in your life if you decide to shift base here, for your own as well as your loved ones’ well-being.
