Toronto Waterfront Scan and Environmental Improvement Strategy Project

Toronto Waterfront Scan and Environmental Improvement Strategy Project - Economic Opportunity in a Sustainable Waterfront Presentation to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainable Communities National Conference February 7, 2002 City of Toronto & SENES Consultants Inc.

Three Governments One Vision Three governments agree on historic deal to renew the Toronto Waterfront • Federal • Provincial • Municipal

Waterfront Revitalization Funding and Private Sector Investment • Each of the three levels commits $500 million • Total of $1. 5 Billion • To assist with the revitalization of the Waterfront and to leverage private sector investment

Toronto’s Strategic Plan Vision for the City Toronto is a clean, green and sustainable city • We integrate environmental stewardship into our daily activities • We maintain and improve the health of the environment for present and future generations

Toronto’s Strategic Plan Goals for the Community Environmental Sustainability • Environmental sustainability encompasses principles of environmental balance and integration of environmental considerations in our social and economic activities.

Toronto’s Environmental Plan Sustainability Goal • The City of Toronto’s environment, community and economy should be healthy and vibrant and should meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Environmental Sustainability Concept for the Waterfront Scan • evaluate cumulative environmental effects of the alternatives being considered in all sectors (air, land, water, energy, transportation, natural heritage) • assess all waterfront renewal alternatives, enabling combined effects to be managed, thereby REDUCING overall City impacts on the environment • consider net environmental benefits and sustainability issues • optimize combinations of alternatives for all sectors

Waterfront Scan Key Concepts Under Review by the Three Governments • Integrated Energy Concept • Comprehensive Coordinated Infrastructure Approach • Cooperative Environmental Assessment Process • Coordinated Public Consultation Process

Focus on Integrated Energy Concept • How does the Integrated Energy Concept support the creation of economic opportunities in the Waterfront? • Does this concept have implications for the economic opportunities of other infrastructure?

Challenges to Sustainable Development in the Waterfront 1. Investment Return Expectations 2. Development Feasibility 3. Technical Feasibility Perceptions

Toronto Port Lands Energy Example • development will require heating and cooling • presently the necessary heating and cooling infrastructure does not exist • assumption that traditional technology will best suit marketing and development needs • current cooling technology is dependent on electricity supply from Ontario Power Generation and other suppliers when market opens in May 2002

Toronto Port Lands Energy Example • Potential for higher electricity costs due to market forces, increased demand, or increased production costs • potential risk related to capacity of electricity transmission system for downtown Toronto • sustainability analysis would in addition to the currently available technology assess other potential technology such as Deep Lake Water Cooling, District Heating, Anaerobic Digestion, Wind, Solar and Geothermal energy systems

Toronto Port Lands Energy Example Considerations • large investment up front • need to develop all of the infrastructure before any buildings built • need to ensure that when the buildings are built they can immediately hook-up • longer term operating cost to the building owner will be lower

Integrated Energy Concept Potential Energy Infrastructure • Deep Lake Water Cooling • District Heating • Anaerobic Digestion • Co-generation

How do we achieve Integrated Energy Concept in the Waterfront? Sustainability perspective • building infrastructure in anticipation of demand Issue • how can this be funded? Shift from Conventional to Unconventional Thinking

Municipal & Private Sector Infrastructure Unconventional Thinking • re-evaluate the appropriateness of government funding for various infrastructure components • re-evaluate the historic role of public and private sector in infrastructure development • consider private sector construction and/or operation of infrastructure components normally developed by public sector • free up public sector funds for other needs

Up Front Investment in Energy Infrastructure for Long Term Security • requires up front planning and investment • initial return on investment could be low • initial low return offset by known cost of energy and reduction in future risk • initial low return offset by elimination of need for supplementary electricity transmission line in the future

Up Front Investment Results • long term economic and environmental sustainability • income and jobs retained in the community • with this comes social sustainability

Market Interest in Waterfront Energy Infrastructure • some major pension investment funds have expressed interest in energy infrastructure • local production of energy reduces issues of supply restriction and external market forces • energy production jobs and income retained in the community

Conclusion - Pathway to Sustainable Waterfront • Retain a focus on the Scan Sustainability principle of Reducing emissions, not mitigation • Involve investment/financial and development sectors and the Waterfront Revitalization Corporation in furthering the Scan Concepts • Treat energy, transportation and water/wastewater, and communications as one Integrated Infrastructure

Conclusion - Pathway to Sustainable Waterfront • Apply the lessons of Integrated Energy Concept and Up Front Investment model to maximize the economic opportunities and cost reduction potential for transit, water/wastewater and other infrastructure • Implement Cooperative Environmental Assessment Process and Coordinated Public Consultation Process to achieve public consensus regarding Integrated Energy Concept and Coordinated Comprehensive Infrastructure Approach

Conclusion - Path to Sustainable Waterfront • Ensure Consistency with Central Waterfront land use plan and Waterfront Corporation Business Plan • Maintain an ongoing Three Government strategic alliance role to assist the Waterfront Corporation and the Revitalization

Sustainability Goal The City of Toronto’s environment, community and economy should be healthy and vibrant and should meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Moving Forward