Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan. DRAFT #2 May 27, 2016

Transcription

1 Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan DRAFT #2 May 27, 2016

2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements and Forward... (Forthcoming) Executive Summary... (Forthcoming) Chapter 1: Introduction - Why Plan?... 3 Chapter 2: The Regional Context - One for All... 9 Chapter 3: Framework for Responsible Growth Chapter 4: Regional Policies - How We Get There Policy Area #1: Economic Competitiveness & Employment Policy Area #2: Natural Living Systems Policy Area #3: Communities and Housing Policy Area #4: Integration of Land Use and Infrastructure Policy Area #5: Transportation Systems Policy Area #6: Agriculture Chapter 5: Implementation Getting it Done Schedules... See Attached Glossary... See Attached Appendices... (Forthcoming) - Communications Plan - Resourcing the Plan - Agricultural Master Plan Scope of Work - Capital Region Board Cost Sharing Formula and Transit Cost Sharing Formula Draft May 27,

3 List of Schedules contained within the Plan Schedule 1 Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure to 2044 Schedule 2 Population & Employment Projections Schedule 3A Schedule 3B Schedule 3C Schedule 4 Schedule 5 Schedule 6 Schedule 7 Schedule 8 Major Employment Areas Planned and Local Employment Areas Existing Resource-Based Economic Assets Infrastructure and Energy Corridors Greenfield Density, Centres and Intensification Targets Natural Living Systems Land Use Buffers Housing Sub-Regions Schedule 9A Transportation Systems- Regional Roads to 2044 Schedule 9B Transportation Systems Regional Transit to 2044 Schedule 9C Schedule 10 Transportation Systems Airports, Rail Facilities and Overdimensional Corridors to 2044 Agricultural Lands Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5 Regional Levels of Service Growth Plan Key Performance Indicators Future CRB Studies and Initiatives Recommendations to the Government of Alberta Implementation Plan Resourcing Draft May 27,

4 Acknowledgements and Forward 24 Member Municipalities/ Mayors Task Force Members Regional Technical Advisors Consultants Draft May 27,

5 Executive Summary Draft May 27,

6 Chapter 1: Introduction - Why Plan? Plan Overview The Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan sets a new path to successfully plan and manage growth in the region. This Plan provides a substantive update to the 2010 Growth Plan by building on the Plan s successes and addressing the region s challenges through a responsible and integrated approach. To meet the needs of the growing population and changing economy, the region needs to work together to plan growth to become more competitive on the global stage, create vibrant communities that attract people, and preserve the natural environment and agricultural lands for future generations. By 2044, the region is anticipated to become a region of 2.2 million and 1.2 million jobs. This is a significant milestone in the transformation into a large and complex metropolitan region. Through the adoption and implementation of this Growth Plan, the Capital Region Board, member municipalities, other orders of government and regional stakeholders will work together as one region to become globally competitive, sustainable and prosperous. This plan is organized into five chapters plus appendices: Chapter 1: Introduction: Why Plan? introduces the Growth Plan and transformation of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, explains the mandate and scope of this Plan provides an overview of the Growth Plan Update process, and introduces the Vision and Guiding Principles. Chapter 2: The Regional Context: One for All provides context for why regional growth planning is important for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. This chapter includes a brief history of the region and historical growth patterns, summarizes the region s diverse offerings and regional assets, and introduces the trends and challenges facing the region in the future. Chapter 3: Framework for Responsible Growth provides the framework for planning and managing growth in the region. This framework includes six overarching strategies for growth and an integrated Edmonton Metropolitan Structure that depicts how the region will grow to Chapter 4: Regional Policies: How We Get There contains the six inter-related regional policy areas including: Economic Competitiveness and Employment Natural Living Systems Communities and Housing Integration of Land Use Infrastructure Transportation Systems Agriculture Each policy area is related to a corresponding Guiding Principle, and includes objectives and policies. Introductory preamble text provides context and further explanation for each policy area. Schedules related to each policy area are referenced and explained in grey text in the introduction. The policies of the Plan are interrelated and must be read as a whole. Draft May 27,

7 Chapter 5: Implementation: Getting It Done details the pathway to implementation. This includes the transition process from the 2010 Growth Plan to this Growth Plan, implementation mechanisms, monitoring and the role of the CR-GIS, future CRB studies, recommendations to other orders of government, and the responsibilities of the Capital Region Board and its member municipalities. The implementation of this Plan will be a collaborative effort as detailed in this section. The Glossary provides definitions for terms used in this Growth Plan. Key terms defined in the Glossary are italicized throughout the Plan. Schedules include the population and employment projections, regional maps including the Edmonton Metropolitan Structure and Greenfield and density targets. The Schedules provide essential information and must be read alongside the policies. Appendices include background and supporting information. Draft May 27,

8 1.1 Introduction Re-imagine. Plan. Build. Just three words, but they convey the spirit that underlies the Edmonton Metropolitan Region (herein referred to as the Region). With an economy based on the boom and bust cycles of the energy industry, the Region must continually Re-imagine, Plan and Build. It is through our experiences that the Region has become resilient and adaptable. The Region anticipates change will happen, and embraces the opportunity to reinvent itself to take risks, to innovate and ultimately be more competitive. The need to be creative and innovate has never been more important than at any time in the past. While the oil and gas industry has been our primary economic driver for decades it is no longer enough to drill another well or build another refinery to sustain the region. The recent market downturn in the energy sector, brought on by increased supply in other nations through technological advancements and an increasingly globally competitive marketplace, has reminded us once again of the need to reinvent ourselves. It s time to focus on building on our competitive advantages as a region through our skilled labour force, resource extraction and processing expertise, and research and innovation capabilities - to further diversify our energy sector to compete here in Alberta, within Canada and around the world. The Region is fortunate to be comprised of 24 local municipalities that welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively, to leverage their many strengths and assets, to ensure the long term growth and prosperity of the Region. Embedded in the vision, principles and policies in the following sections is the diversity of our communities a cooperative spirit, and strengths to forge a stronger, sustainable region with something to suit every ambition. Reinventing ourselves to be a globally competitive region won t happen overnight and it won t happen accidently. It will only happen with deliberate, determined and decisive leadership from the members of the Capital Region Board (CRB). It will require looking outside one s local community and considering the long-term where the Region needs to be in thirty, forty and fifty years hence and making the difficult decisions required to get there. That kind of leadership and decisive effort is what transformed the region to what it is today. First Nations, explorers, fur traders, settlers and homesteaders all took enormous risks to build a better life here. Now more than 200 years later, Edmonton has become a thriving major city in Canada and the surrounding settlements have grown to cities and towns in the midst of thriving agricultural communities. Over the past forty years, the Region has doubled its population from 500,000 to 1.2 million people, while tripling its urban development footprint from 22,260 hectares to 69,930 hectares. Over the next 30 years, the region will attract upwards of 1 million more people and need to accommodate an additional 750,000 jobs. The anticipated future growth requires us to think more creatively about how we build our communities and maintain the ecosystem of a metropolitan region. Based on the policies of the 2010 Growth Plan, the urban footprint would have expanded an additional 98,000 hectares, resulting in a significant loss of productive farmland and an unmanageable urban footprint. This pattern of development predominantly in the form of single family suburban neighbourhoods is not sustainable. Looking globally, this form of development contributes to climate change and the overconsumption of the planet s resources. Locally, it leads to traffic congestion, longer commute times, mounting infrastructure deficits, decreases in health and wellness, impacts to natural living systems, and the loss of productive high quality farmland. Draft May 27,

9 Some key questions have been considered: What is the most efficient use of land How can we optimize agricultural lands? How can we optimize social and linear infrastructure? What are the implications of sprawl to the environment and the natural living systems? Where and how should future growth be accommodated? How can each of us grow responsibly? In response, the 2016 Growth Plan provides policies to guide where and how we grow to ensure that growth does not simply mean consuming more land. Compact and contiguous growth patterns will preserve approximately thirty three percent more land than a continuation of growth patterns allow, improve the economics of providing more public transit, and encouraging a mode shift towards more public transit as opposed to the private automobile. This Plan positions the Region to increase its economic potential by collaborating to maximize the efficiency of existing and future infrastructure investments, including public transit and other modes of transportation, make better use of land, create more complete communities, preserve agricultural land for food production and protect natural areas. Ultimately, this Plan will be successful if we - Re-imagine. Plan. Build. 1.2 CRB Mandate and Scope of the Growth Plan The Capital Region Board (CRB) was established by the Government of Alberta in 2008 under Capital Region Board Regulation (38/2012) under the Municipal Government Act. The Regulation lays out the Board s membership, the voting rights of members, its powers and duties, and calls for the creation of a Capital Region Growth Plan. The Regulation sets out the objectives of a regional growth plan which are to: a. Promote an integrated and strategic approach to planning for future growth in the Capital Region; b. Identify the overall development patterns and key future infrastructure investments that would best complement existing infrastructure, services and land uses in the region and maximize benefits to the Capital Region; and c. Coordinate decisions in the Capital Region to sustain economic growth and ensure strong communities and a healthy environment. The Capital Region Growth Plan: Growing Forward, was approved in March It was the first regional growth plan in twenty years, following a period of significant regional growth. The Board was granted authority under Ministerial Order L:270/10 to approve municipal statutory plans through the Regional Evaluation Framework (REF) as a mechanism to ensure compliance with the Growth Plan. Draft May 27,

10 1.3 The Growth Plan Update Process The 2010 Growth Plan provides an important foundation for planning and regional collaboration. Through the CRB, member municipalities and regional stakeholders have worked to collaborate on regional issues, develop regional plans on key areas including land use, transit and housing, and have created and fully implemented a Capital Region geographic information services (CR-GIS), an essential tool for decision making and planning future growth. In 2013, the Capital Region Board initiated the Growth Plan update process with the creation of a Project Charter, followed by an independent review of the 2010 Plan and appointed a Growth Plan Task Force. The Growth Plan review identified strengths and successes in the 2010 Plan, but also key gaps and areas to strengthen, including economic competiveness and employment, agriculture, the integration of land use, transportation and infrastructure, and housing. The Growth Plan Update process included five phases and broad consultation with member municipalities and their Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), the Board, and regional stakeholders. This valuable input helped clarify the challenges facing the region, and how best to respond to these through the Growth Plan. This Growth Plan: Re Imagine. Plan. Build. adds to the foundation and strengths of the 2010 Growth Plan. It provides a comprehensive regional policy framework to manage growth in an integrated way to address regional challenges and priorities. It replaces the 2010 Plan documents including the Principles and Policies in the Land Use Plan. The Plan provides both a fifty-year vision for the region, and principles and policies to guide forecasted growth and development over the next thirty years through integrated land use, infrastructure and transportation, with an emphasis on building sustainable communities. It incorporates components of other CRB approved plans, including the Integrated Regional Transportation Master Plan, the Housing Plan and the Regional Energy Corridors Master Plan. It builds on the policies in the 2010 Plan, introduces the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure to plan for growth across the region, and introduces two new important policy areas: Agriculture, and Economic Competitiveness and Employment. All these elements of the Plan provide the Capital Region Board and member municipalities with a clear and robust direction to facilitate responsible growth and create a prosperous and sustainable region. Draft May 27,

11 Vision and Guiding Principles Planning for growth starts with defining a vision of what the plan should achieve. The Vision reflects the ambitions for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region to 2064 as articulated by the Capital Region Board members Vision - The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is the dominant hub for northern Alberta and is recognized globally for its economic diversity, entrepreneurialism, leadership in energy development, environmental stewardship and excellent quality of life. The region is anchored by a thriving core that is interconnected with diverse urban and rural communities. The region is committed to growing collaboratively through the efficient use of infrastructure, building compact communities, and fostering economic opportunities and healthy lifestyles. The Guiding Principles set out the key elements of what members and the Board will do to achieve the Vision. Guiding Principles 1. Collaborate and coordinate as a region to manage growth responsibly. We will work together to create a region that is well managed and financially sustainable with a shared commitment to growing responsibly and achieving long-term prosperity. 2. Promote global economic competitiveness and regional prosperity. We will foster a diverse and innovative economy that builds upon our existing infrastructure and employment areas to achieve sustained economic growth and prosperity. 3. Recognize and celebrate the diversity of communities and promote an excellent quality of life across the region. In planning for growth, we will recognize and respond to the different contexts and scales of communities and provide a variety of housing choice with easy access to transportation, employment, parks and open spaces, and community and cultural amenities. 4. Achieve compact growth that optimizes infrastructure investment. We will make the most efficient use of our infrastructure investments by prioritizing growth where infrastructure exists and optimizing use of new and planned infrastructure. 5. Ensure effective regional mobility. Recognizing the link between efficient movement of people and goods and regional prosperity, we will work towards a multi-modal and integrated regional transportation system. 6. Ensure the wise management of prime agricultural resources. In the context of metropolitan growth, we will ensure the wise management of agricultural resources to continue a thriving agricultural sector. 7. Protect natural heritage systems and environmental assets. We will practice wise environmental stewardship and promote the health of the regional ecosystem, watersheds and environmentally sensitive areas. Draft May 27,

12 Chapter 2: The Regional Context One for All 2.1 A Region with a History of Rapid and Distinct Growth Patterns As our earliest settlers, the First Nations peoples moved through the western plains along the North Saskatchewan River Valley and Beaver Hills. In 1876 the Canadian Monarch and the Plains and Wood Cree Nations signed Treaty Six, in which The First Nations ceded their interest in the land to the Crown in exchange for certain government provisions. With this agreement, European Settlers and the Crown benefited the use and title over the land with an obligation to share prosperity of the territory. Since that time, the Edmonton Metropolitan Region has undergone a number of growth-led transformations. With the arrival of the railway in the early 1900s, the region grew as a compact city core and connected agricultural settlements, villages and towns. The discovery of oil in 1947 and the post-war housing shortage led to accelerated urban growth and expansion. Since then, the region has grown predominately in the form of low-density satellite communities around a central city core, with energy as the primary regional economic driver. Country residential development also expanded in this period to provide rural housing and lifestyle (without the farm), a trend that has subsided since the 1970s. The region s cities, towns and rural communities form a single metropolitan area. Within the urbanized centre, there is a dense metropolitan core in the City of Edmonton, providing regionally-significant amenities and services such as post-secondary educational institutions, cultural and sports attractions, and major healthcare facilities. The areas outside the core have experienced significant population and employment growth over the past decades with dispersed suburban forms, and large-scale industrial and energy-related employment areas. Edmonton s suburbs and the surrounding urban communities of St. Albert, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Beaumont, the City of Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan and Sherwood Park provide services and amenities for local and surrounding communities. Outside these urban centres is a significant rural working landscape, comprised of agricultural lands, natural and recreational areas, resource extraction areas, towns, villages and hamlets and country residential areas. All of these, the urban and rural communities together, are the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. 2.2 A Metropolitan Region with Diverse Offerings Above and beyond managing growth in people and jobs across the region, the Growth Plan needs to respond to the distinct and varied characteristics of the communities within the region: it is a complex and evolving metropolitan region of 24 municipalities spread over 12,000 square kilometres encompassing urban and rural landscapes with four First Nations reserves within its boundaries. The 2064 Vision acknowledges that both today and in the future these varied communities are interconnected and share a common core - the economic, social, cultural and institutional core in Edmonton. The Plan recognizes that each municipality brings its own attributes, strengths and ambitions to the region--- be it historic settlement patterns, natural systems, including the North Saskatchewan River, and economic drivers--- all of which play a role in creating this diverse and inclusive metropolitan structure. Draft May 27,

13 The canvas of regional assets Member municipalities and stakeholders were asked to identify assets and distinct strengths that drive the region s current success and provide the foundation for a prosperous future. Their list includes: 1. Excellent quality of life a rich array of cultural, wellness, educational and recreational amenities. This includes excellent hospitals and healthcare facilities, a range of arts and cultural facilities, professional sports teams and entertainment facilities, with a strong concentration of amenities in the core. There are seven post-secondary institutions in the region. The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is well-recognized in Alberta and across Canada for its world-class festivals, arts and culture venues and events, and serves as a health and educational hub to Canada s north. 2. An economy rooted in the energy sector a historically strong economy and employment base rooted in the resource and energy sector and distributed across the region. The region has a strong industrial employment base, and significant employment assets including but not limited to the Edmonton International Airport, Port Albert and future Aerotropolis, the Industrial Heartland, Downtown Edmonton, numerous industrial and research parks. As the region s core economic driver, energy needs to be central to economic diversification and economic growth strategies. 3. Ease of moving people, services and goods a well-developed regional, national and international transportation system for carrying people, services and goods. The region has a well developed network of highways and arterials, easy access to the Edmonton International Airport and network of four regional airports. The transportation system provides people with convenient access to jobs, social and recreational amenities, and heavy vehicle access to employment areas and North American markets. 4. Efficient infrastructure shared regional infrastructure for water, wastewater, waste management and energy pipelines. This includes well-developed regional water service commissions, world-class innovative waste management, and pipeline corridors going in and out of the region. Infrastructure will be critical to ensure access to markets and supply chains. 5. An abundance of natural and environmental assets a wealth of lakes, rivers and other natural features provide a healthy environment and opportunities for recreation enjoyment. The North Saskatchewan River Valley, provincial parks and natural areas provide recreational and health benefits to residents and contribute to the region s attractiveness to visitors. 6. Legacy of agricultural resources and rural communities high-quality agricultural land and an innovative and diverse agricultural sector and abundant rural communities. 7. Choice of housing and lifestyle housing options to meet a range of life stages, income levels and lifestyle preferences. The mix of small towns, cities and rural communities enhances the choices available to residents of the region. 8. Demonstrated collaboration the CRB and member municipalities form partnerships at the regional and sub-regional level to address shared challenges. Within the region, there are many examples, including the Industrial Heartland, integrated regional transportation, shared infrastructure and a fully implemented CRGIS system. The CRB and the existing Growth Plan provide a strong foundation for continued collaboration to plan for and manage growth. The Plan needs to build on these strengths, celebrate this diverse character of member communities and create a planning framework that can effectively manage growth in this context. Draft May 27,

14 2.3 Future Challenges The growing Edmonton Metropolitan Region has opportunities to capture and challenges to overcome. The pace and type of growth anticipated over the next 30 years will create challenges that can only be addressed through regional collaboration. That trend of rapid growth will continue over the longer term horizon of thirty years considered in the Plan, during which the region will have to be prepared for innovations on many fronts, including technology, communications, energy and climate change. We can t afford to build for the next million people in the same way we built for the first million people. The policies in Chapter Four build on the region s assets but will also address the following trends and challenges: Global Economic Competiveness and Diversification Regions today compete in the global marketplace. The primary driver of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region s economy is energy. This is the region s historic strength and will continue to be important in the future, but the cyclical nature of the industry demands a diversified economy more resilient to external shocks and able to compete globally in an increasingly knowledge-based economy and growing green energy sector. Some of the building blocks for regional economic diversification are in place the region has a diverse and skilled labour force, a high proportion in retail, health, construction and government services. However, the lack of sufficient and adequate infrastructure, transit and housing to serve the metropolitan region are an impediment to our competiveness and sustainable growth. Coordinating and aligning regional infrastructure, investing in transit, and planning complete communities to attract workers all shape the region s ability to compete on a global stage and contribute to regional prosperity. Improvements in these three areas are key for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region to enhance its profile as a player in the global economy. Some key commitments and direction from the Province would assist immensely to advance our regional goals. Viability of Agriculture Sector Agriculture will continue to play a significant role in the regional economy. It is the largest single land use in the region, a key economic sector and an irreplaceable resource for local food security. Existing and planned urban development is encroaching on high quality agricultural soils. From 2002 to 2012, a total of 38,250 hectares of farmland have been converted to non-agricultural uses, with over 60% of these lands prime agricultural lands. 1 Agricultural surveys show a decrease in the overall number of farms and operators, but an increase in farm productivity and profits. Although region-wide, agriculture represented only 1% of all jobs in 2014, it provides 10-20% of employment in many regional municipalities 2. During the region s period of rapid growth, neither the province nor the region considered ways to preserve agricultural lands from development. One of the gaps identified in the 2010 Growth Plan was the absence of policies to promote a viable agricultural sector, to identify prime agricultural lands and address the conversion of agricultural land to non agricultural uses. 1 Alberta Land Institute, Statistics Canada, 2011 Draft May 27,

15 Transportation Choice The region today has a mature roadway network which serves the entire region. However, public transit service is minimal outside of the core of Edmonton due to dispersed employment and land uses and low density forms of development. The private automobile is the dominant mode of travel and transportation choice is limited due primarily to the dispersed nature of major employment areas in the region. As a result, traffic congestion is increasingly a problem. Today, congestion is relatively modest compared to other major Canadian metropolitan regions, but has seen significant increases in recent years and is anticipated to grow. Beyond the economic costs of congestion, this also impacts the quality of life for residents and hampers the ability to attract and retain employers and employees within the region. Housing Diversity and Supply of Non-market Housing Housing choice across the region is limited. 59% of housing in the region are single family detached homes. With the exception of Edmonton, the sub-regions are 77-93% single family detached housing. 3 While medium and high density housing is available, 90% of it is concentrated in the City of Edmonton. 4 Further, the supply of non market housing and support services are also concentrated in Edmonton (89%) and are limited in the rest of the region. 5 Housing Needs Assessments have identified a supply mismatch, in that the housing available does not match the portion of income that households can afford to pay for housing. There is a surplus of market affordable housing occupied by lower income renter households due to the insufficient supply of non-market rental housing, particularly higher density, and lack of smaller units suitable for individuals. In the near future, the trend of households in need of housing is towards seniors households. As the population ages and as the population demographics becomes more diverse across the region, there will be a need for greater range of housing choice in the region. Long-term Cost of Growth and infrastructure Population growth in the region over the past forty years has been accommodated through predominantly low-density residential housing. The development model requires developers to pay upfront capital costs associated with roads and basic hard infrastructure a model that responds to development rather than anticipates it. Municipalities pay long-term maintenance and operating costs, and often lack revenue tools to support sustainable growth and renewal. Municipal studies have shown that low density residential development not only does not pay for itself and is a financial drain to municipalities once soft services and ongoing maintenance costs are factored into the equation. As communities age, municipalities are faced with diminishing capacity of existing infrastructure and escalating renewal costs. It is an inefficient and unsustainable model. Communities will need to consider the financial, environmental and social impacts of growth and make decisions mindful of the long-term costs of infrastructure maintenance and renewal, and the consequences for future generations. Climate Change and Environmental Impacts The region will need to deal with new and escalating challenges over the next thirty years relating to climate change and the environmental impacts of growth. The region must consider these challenges in planning for growth both to ensure its own resiliency and to shoulder its global responsibility. Urban expansion has impacts on natural living systems that can be mitigated through collaborative regional environmental planning. Patterns of development, land use and mobility are linked to greenhouse gas 3 Capital Region Board Housing Needs Assessment Summary, National Household Survey, Census Canada, Capital Region Board Housing Needs Assessment Summary, Draft May 27,

16 emissions. The Plan presents a significant opportunity to address these and to manage growth to mitigate health and environmental consequences. 2.4 Population and Employment Forecasts to 2044 By 2044, the Edmonton Metropolitan Region will be a large and complex metropolis. An additional one million people and nearly 472,000 jobs are forecasted in the region over thirty years. The forecasts, outlined in Schedule 2: Population and Employment Projections , are growth projections expressed by member municipalities that provide the basis for planning. These are long-term forecasts that acknowledge that there will be economic cycles and demographic shifts. They are focused on longterm outcomes, based on the best available data. In order to enable the long term economic prosperity, the region needs to retain and attract residents, employees and employers. Growth will rely on national migration and immigration in particular young adults. This is in keeping with the region s current demographic profile as the youngest metropolitan area in Canada: 40% of the region s population is under 30, with nearly 60% of the Aboriginal identifying population under At the same time the population is aging. The region will need to provide new housing forms for young people, families and seniors. It is imperative to plan growth in a manner that will continue to draw and retain this population and its evolving needs. Single family housing, for example, won t usually meet the needs of young singles. And, as the population ages, many of the older residents will prefer smaller homes or condos. Both the singles and the seniors will want/need services and many will want to be near transit to access those services. The Plan must sustain the high quality of life and choice in the region s communities, but also anticipate and prepare for evolving needs. To meet the needs of a changing population and workforce, the region needs housing, transit, infrastructure and amenities not just in place, but in the right places. Further, the current economic context reinforces the need to diversify the economy over the plan horizon. The region has zoned sufficient employment land for the next thirty years but must ensure the infrastructure and transportation networks are in place to support the growth of these areas. Further, member municipalities need to continue to collaborate to improve regional economic opportunities and global economic competiveness. Given the rapid growth forecast over the next thirty years and the anticipated complexity and scale of the region by 2044, it is imperative that we get it right---that the Plan incorporates all the elements we need to support responsible, sustainable growth. Chapter Three outlines a framework to do so. 6 National Household Survey, Census Canada, 2011 Draft May 27,

17 Chapter 3: Framework for Responsible Growth 3.1 Introduction The Growth Plan provides a comprehensive and integrated policy framework for managing growth aligned with the 2064 Vision and Guiding Principles, and tailored to the context of the region. The framework incorporates six overarching strategies for planning and managing both population and employment growth. These strategies are integrated and embedded within the distinct policy areas and specific objectives and policies. The Plan is not a one size fits all solution, but applies the same principles and concepts across the region in a contextually-sensitive manner. It provides direction on how to manage growth to preserve and protect what is valuable, striving to increase livability and global competitiveness across the region. 3.2 Key Strategies for Planning and Managing Growth The policies in Chapter Four are rooted in several key strategies for planning and managing growth. Global Economic Competiveness The future well-being of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region and its residents depends largely on its economy and the ability to compete on the world stage. Within the resource-based economy there is also opportunity to use our economic strengths to encourage regional economic diversification. The plan policies provide support to the region to achieve and maintain global economic competitiveness and increase economic resiliency. Agricultural Viability Regional growth needs to be carefully managed to ensure the long term viability of the agricultural sector. The Plan addresses this issue from multiple standpoints, including our cultural heritage, future need for food production and its contribution to the region s economic prosperity. Maintaining agricultural viability requires preserving prime agricultural lands from development, limiting fragmentation and conversion of the land base to non-agricultural uses, recognizing the important role of agriculture in the global and regional economy and fostering growth and diversification through value-added products within the agricultural sector. Responsible Growth The Edmonton Metropolitan Region has committed to pursuing responsible growth---using land and resources efficiently for the benefit of current and future generations. In the Growth Plan Principles and Policies, responsible growth includes wisely managing the region s agricultural land base to ensure longterm viability and food security, maximizing the use of existing and planned infrastructure and services, optimizing the region s natural assets to limit the impacts of growth, and ensuring financially sustainable regional growth over the long term. Draft May 27,

18 Compact and Contiguous Development Compact and contiguous development helps to achieve responsible growth by using land and resources efficiently. A compact land use pattern includes mixed uses and higher density development such as detached and semi-detached houses on small lots as well as townhouses, walk-up apartments, multistorey commercial developments, and apartments or offices above retail development. It creates walkable neighbourhoods where multi-modal transportation options can be provided efficiently. Combining compact development with contiguous growth, where the developed area extends logically without large undeveloped areas interspersed, reduces the cost to build, maintain and operate infrastructure and services. Integrating Land Use and Infrastructure How land will be used and what infrastructure will be required to make that work are two integral pieces of any growth plan. They cannot be planned in isolation from each other. Optimizing existing infrastructure and developing new infrastructure to support growth in the most efficient way possible requires an integrated approach encompassing many elements; where people live, work, shop, how they move through the region, and planning how best to connect those places together. Complete Communities This Growth Plan aims to create a complete region by promoting more complete communities throughout the region. Complete communities meet people s needs for daily living at all ages and provide convenient access to a mix of jobs, local services, a full range of housing, community infrastructure and multi-modal transportation choices. For planning purposes, complete communities at the regional scale are focused on hard infrastructure, land use, transportation and development patterns. This Plan acknowledges but does not address the soft infrastructure components of a complete community including culture, health, education, law enforcement and emergency services. The elements of a complete community can be provided at different levels, appropriate to the size and scale of the community. A small hamlet, for example, will not be able to provide all these elements but a larger urban centre could meet many of those needs. The network of complete communities within the metropolitan area work together to create a complete region. Draft May 27,

19 3.3 Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure The Regional Structure depicted on Schedule 1: Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure Map to 2044 (Regional Structure) provides the foundation for managing employment and population growth. It recognizes the region s diverse urban and rural contexts and provides a policy framework to establish a compact and contiguous development pattern. The Regional Structure reinforces existing communities and employment areas, and builds on existing infrastructure and land use patterns. The components of the Regional Structure include policy tiers and structure components. This Structure replaces the PGAs and CCRAs and associated maps in the 2010 Growth Plan and addenda and provides a more strategic and integrated approach to plan and manage growth across the region. Policy Tiers The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is large and complex, consisting of diverse communities in terms of size and scale and urban and rural contexts. Different geographic areas in the region have varying regional roles and distinct opportunities and constraints for growth and change. The Regional Structure introduces three policy tiers: The rural area, metropolitan area and metropolitan core. These tiers reflect and respond to the diversity within the region and are depicted conceptually in Schedule 1 and reflect the general direction of urban growth. It is not intended that the metropolitan area form a growth boundary, or that all of the lands within the metropolitan area will be urbanized by The policy tiers provide a mechanism to introduce tailored policies and targets to respond to different urban and rural contexts, addressing unique growth challenges in the region and in some cases, polices that apply to one or more of the tiers. The intent is that each community in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region will grow in a responsible, compact and contiguous manner, but in a form and at a scale appropriate to the corresponding policy tier. Rural Area: The wider Edmonton Metropolitan Region, consisting of rural working landscapes with agricultural lands, major employment areas, natural living systems, recreation areas and resource extraction areas, counties, towns, villages, incorporated hamlets and country residential development with some local levels of service and community amenities. Metropolitan Area: The area surrounding the metropolitan core, including cities and towns, major employment areas and intervening undeveloped areas that are socio-economically tied and that share industry, housing and infrastructure. Metropolitan Core: The contiguous developed area within the City of Edmonton with the highest density development served by rapid transit and the highest concentration of regionally significant amenities and services. Draft May 27,

20 Structure Components The following descriptions of the Structure Components are to be read together with the policies and implementation strategies. Existing Developed Areas: Built-Up Urban Area, defined as all lands located within the limits of the developed urban area within plans of subdivision that were registered prior to an established timeframe (e.g. 2015, or time of Plan adoption). The built-up urban area is shown conceptually on Schedule 1 and will be delineated in detail by member municipalities as part of the implementation of this Plan. Country Residential Areas, as defined by existing municipal by-laws as country residential areas with municipal zoning or designations in place as of Schedule 1 depicts the existing country residential areas with municipal zoning or designations in place as of Range and Type of Centres: Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure Map to 2044 identifies a network of Centres in the region, reflecting the differing roles, levels of service and ability to accommodate growth. Rural Centres: Urban areas intended to accommodate some mixed use development at higher intensities, including the downtowns and central areas of towns and villages within the rural area. Area. Sub-Regional Centres: A centre that provides a sub-regional level of service to meet the needs of their own communities and those in the wider area. Sub-regional centres include Morinville, Devon and Lamont. Urban Centres: Urban areas intended to accommodate mixed-use development at higher intensities in the metropolitan area, including the downtowns and central areas of the communities. Downtown Edmonton: This is the regional-scale centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, and the central core of the City of Edmonton, with a concentration of regionally-significant amenities and services, the highest levels of residential and employment density and greatest transit service, access and non-motorized transit options and greatest mix of uses. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Centres: To capitalize on investments in existing and planned rapid transit infrastructure, the areas around major transit stations should be planned to accommodate, transit-oriented development with mixed-uses and/or intensive employment uses should be planned and developed. The Integrated Regional Transportation Master Plan (IRTMP) and the City of Edmonton s TOD Guidelines provide a basis for the locations of planned TOD Centres on Schedule 1, with refinements based on directions emerging from the updating of the 2010 Growth Plan. Transit Corridors: Existing and planned transit corridors to accommodate bus service and/or rail transit to accommodate public transit vehicles, either via a dedicated right of way for transit facilities (buses or trains) or a right of way for a multitude of modes. Major Employment Areas: Areas with an established node of industrial, commercial and/or institutional land uses that have regionally significant business and economic activities and generate a high concentration of employment. This includes existing larger-scale urban and rural industrial parks and the lands around Edmonton International Airport and regional airports identified on Schedule 3A. Draft May 27,

21 Natural Living Systems: A system of natural features and areas, linked and connected by natural corridors that are necessary to maintain biological and geological diversity, natural functions, viable populations of indigenous species (including flora and fauna), and ecosystems. These are areas where growth should not be anticipated and specific mitigation measures may be required. Resource Extraction Areas: Areas currently used for large scale exploration, extraction, processing and reclamation of natural resources. Airports: Edmonton International Airport is an important economic asset at the heart of a growing employment area and will be one of the driving forces behind the pattern of growth in the region to The region s other four airports are also identified as regional transportation infrastructure. Regional Infrastructure: Significant infrastructure corridors need to be accommodated in planning for growth. Regional infrastructure includes infrastructure developed by one or more levels of government and/or regional service commissions to provide services to citizens and businesses, and to support the function of a regional economy (e.g., post-secondary institutions, hospitals, bridges, highways, major interchanges, light rail transit, regional water/wastewater systems, power transmission systems, etc.). Explanation Sidebar Table: Accommodating Growth in the Policy Tiers The following is a summary of how the Growth Plan Objectives and Policies apply to each policy tier and should be read and interpreted within this context. Key Characteristics How will population and employment growth be accommodated? Rural Area Small urban communities and rural centres Existing and planned country residential areas offer rural lifestyles and housing choice Industrial areas and resource extraction areas Major Employment Areas, local employment areas including industrial areas and resource extraction areas Local and sub-regional levels of service Potential for life-line transportation to some urban communities and regional park and ride facilities Encourage new growth in existing towns, villages and growth hamlets in the built-up urban area, in brownfield areas and plan and develop compact and contiguous greenfield areas to optimize servicing capacity and transportation connections; Plan and build rural centres and sub-regional centres with a mix of land uses and higher densities; Permit infill and build out of existing country residential areas in accordance with existing zoning and land use permissions; and Support employment growth in the major employment areas including Alberta s Industrial Heartland and regional airports, local employment areas, within rural/sub-regional centres and agriculture, forestry, resource extraction and processing areas. Promote the growth and intensification of the agricultural sector. Rural working landscapes, natural resource assets, agricultural lands and environmental systems Draft May 27,

22 Metropolitan Area Contiguous urban settlement pattern Major employment areas and local employment areas Cultural and health facilities and major commercial centres Urban levels of service Regional commuter transit service to the Core with varying levels of local service and park and ride facilities Encourage intensification to the Built-Up Urban Areas of existing brownfield areas, urban communities to optimize existing and planned infrastructure; Plan and develop greenfield areas that are compact and contiguous, with a diverse and compatible mix of land uses including a range of housing and employment types; Plan and build transit-oriented development with higher densities and foster active transportation opportunities; and Support employment growth in major employment areas, local employment areas and within urban centres /TOD centres and encourage the growth of institutional, health and education sectors; Promote the growth of the agricultural sector; and Support the development of Market Affordable and Non- Market Housing Services Metropolitan Core Highest urban density Regional levels of service Concentrated employment node consisting of downtown Edmonton Interconnected rapid transit with LRT network connecting to inner parts of metropolitan area Encourage intensification in built-up Urban areas including brownfield areas to optimize existing and planned infrastructure; Plan for and build transit-oriented development with the highest level of density in the region in areas with existing and planned LRT service; Develop downtown Edmonton as a major employment area with a mix of uses and activities with high-density residential development and commercial, institutional and major office employment. Market Affordable and Non Market Housing and Services Draft May 27,

23 Chapter 4: Regional Policies Introduction to the Regional Policy Areas The Growth Plan policies are presented in six regional policy areas which reflect the vision and principles and provide direction for managing growth in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region to 2044 and beyond. Each policy area contains objectives and policy statements, and identifies roles to implement the policies. The policy areas are inter-related and the points of policy integration are outlined where particularly pertinent. Interpreting the Policies The following provides information to explain how the policies shall be interpreted when reviewing the policies: 1. The Growth Plan is presented as an integrated package and should be read and interpreted that way. 2. The Glossary and the related Schedules provide additional explanation and are essential to understanding the document. 3. Phrases in italics are defined policy terms and are included in the Glossary. Other additional terms included in the Glossary are provided for greater information. 4. The policies are applied to three policy tiers - rural area, metropolitan area and metropolitan core ---which reflect and respect the diversity of communities within the region. Policies apply to the entire Edmonton Metropolitan Region unless a specific tier is indicated. 5. Population and employment projections are a planning tool to provide direction on how growth will be accommodated in the region over the next thirty years. They do not constitute a limit or cap on the growth of any individual municipality. Member municipalities will manage growth in their own communities consistent with the Principles, Objectives and Policies of the Growth Plan. The CRB will recommend removal of population and employment forecasts in the Regional Evaluation Framework (REF) in its recommendations to the Province. 6. All new statutory plans and amendments proposed following the approval of this Growth Plan must comply with the required minimum greenfield densities. Existing statutory plans with land use and/or zoning permissions will be grandfathered as per Implementation Section Centres density and intensification targets are aspirational targets. Aspirational targets mean that member municipalities will plan to work towards achieving the target and will demonstrate how they are working towards this target in their municipal development plans and other statutory plans. 8. Lines on the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure Map are conceptual policy lines and are not growth boundaries. The lines provide direction on the areas where policies apply within the three tiers. This line may change overtime depending on changing circumstances. 9. Where Growth Plan policies contain a list of sub-policies or criteria, they are all required, unless otherwise noted in the policy. Draft May 27,

24 Policy Area #1: Economic Competitiveness and Employment Principle: Promote global economic competitiveness and regional prosperity. We will foster a diverse and innovative economy that builds upon our existing infrastructure and employment areas to achieve sustained economic growth and prosperity. This is a new policy area which advances regional economic development policies from the 2009 Growth Plan and integrates them with the Energy Corridors Master Plan. It will be supported by other regional economic development initiatives pursued by the CRB, member municipalities and other regional stakeholders. The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is the major economic hub for northern Alberta. It has significant competitive advantages already: a strong, knowledge-based energy sector, a skilled work force, opportunities for growth and diversification to green energy and technology, proximity to resources and markets, institutional capacity in research and education, and strong connections to northern Canada. We need to leverage those considerable assets to position the Edmonton Metropolitan Region as a global competitor for investment, jobs, markets and a magnet for talented people. The global marketplace poses challenges---increased competition for goods, services and labour---but also significant opportunities for access to markets, a mobile workforce and the free flow of data and information. The Growth Plan sees collaboration among the 24 member municipalities as the catalyst to transform the region into a thriving, efficient, diverse, single powerhouse that will attract new workers and international investment, and support the growth of existing sectors already here. The Growth Plan identifies regionally significant major employment areas. In 2014, approximately 60% of all jobs were located within these areas, which will continue to experience significant growth to The plan will improve infrastructure and transportation connections to ensure these areas can accommodate future employment growth. The major employment areas are varied in their roles and specializations. Downtown Edmonton, for example, provides major office and institutional employment serving the entire region and will continue to grow as the region s office, commercial and cultural core. Other major employment areas within the City of Edmonton include its southeast and northwest industrial areas, with connections to other industrial areas in the neighbouring municipalities of Strathcona County, Leduc County, Parkland County and the City of St. Albert. Large major employment areas such as the Acheson Industrial Area, the Strathcona Industrial Area (Refinery Row), and the Edmonton Energy and Technology Park are scattered throughout the metropolitan area, while Alberta s Industrial Heartland is located in the rural area to its northeast. These large major employment areas have ample land to accommodate future growth. A cluster of regionally significant major employment areas has emerged in the south end of the metropolitan area that includes the Edmonton International Airport, the Nisku Business Park, the Leduc Business Park, Crossroads, Port Alberta s Foreign Trade Zone and adjacent lands. Together, these regional employment generators make up the future Aerotropolis. Growing this economic cluster will be a critical component of the region s supply chain and connections to global markets. Approximately 40% of jobs in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region are located outside of major employment areas within urban communities in smaller-scale local employment areas, natural resource 7 Major Employment Areas Analysis, , Applications Management, 2016 Draft May 27,

25 areas and agricultural lands within rural areas. Job growth in these areas will continue to be important into the future. Coordinating and aligning regional infrastructure is an essential component to achieve global economic competitiveness and regional prosperity. This plan incorporates policy directions from the Integrated Regional Infrastructure Master Plan and Energy Corridors Master Plan and other regional initiatives to protect, prioritize and strategically develop integrated infrastructure, transportation, transit, pipeline and energy corridors with connections via the Edmonton International Airport to Fort McMurray in the near north, territories in the North, Calgary and the United States to the south. Prosperity and growth rely on people who want to live and work in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. By 2044, the region s labour force will grow to nearly 1.2 million, an increase of 471,000 new jobs. 8 Those jobs will attract workers who want not just work, but a good life, with diverse housing options, educational opportunities, recreational and cultural amenities and more. The Growth Plan recognizes these regional assets as critical to attracting investment & jobs and attracting and retaining talent to the region to ensure it remains globally economically competitive. Accordingly, there is a strong connection between this policy area several others: the Integration of Land Use and Infrastructure, Transportation Systems, and Communities and Housing. This integrated approach will deliver more complete communities, which meet the diverse housing, transportation and social and cultural needs of the people who live in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. Objectives 1. Promote global economic competitiveness and diversification of the regional economy 2. Promote job growth and the competitiveness of the region s employment base 3. Enhance competitiveness through the efficient movement of people, goods and services to, from and within the region 4. Promote the livability and prosperity of the region and plan for the needs of a changing population and workforce Schedules related to this Policy Area Schedule 2: Population and Employment Projections the projections will be used as a planning tool to ensure the region has an adequate supply of lands to accommodate people and job growth to They do not constitute a limit or cap on the growth of any individual municipality. Schedule 3A- 3C: Employment Areas identify the region s employment base and associated lands. Schedule 3A Major Employment Areas identifies regionally significant major employment areas. Schedule 3B Planned and Local Employment Areas identifies planned and local employment areas and Schedule 3C Existing Resource Based Economic Assets identified active coal extraction areas, sand and/or gravel deposits with aggregate potential and forested and parkland areas that provide resource based local employment in the rural portions of the region. Schedule 4: Infrastructure and Energy Corridors identifies the region s major infrastructure (water and wastewater), energy (pipeline and power transmission) and transportation utility corridors. This Schedule is based in part on mapping within the Capital Region Growth Plan Addendum: December 2009 and the Regional Energy Corridors Master Plan. 8 Major Employment Areas, Analysis, , Applications Management, 2016 Draft May 27,

26 Schedule 9A to 9C Transportation Systems identifies regional roads, regional transit, airports, rail facilities and over dimensional corridors. There are related policies to the regional transportation system in the Transportation Systems Policy Area. Objective #1.1: Promote global economic competitiveness and diversification of the regional economy Policies Global economic competitiveness and diversification in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region will be promoted by: a. identifying and enhancing regional assets; b. supporting regional economic development initiatives; c. developing the region as a hub and gateway to Alberta and Northern Canada by expanding sectors related to government, education, health, culture, agriculture and the arts; d. encouraging economic diversification of the energy sector to attract and support green energy, manufacturing and technology industries; e. coordinating sustained investment in infrastructure; f. defining and protecting major employment areas to provide for employment growth; g. attracting and retaining investment, businesses and workers by sustaining the high quality of life within the region; h. supporting resource extraction and forestry activities; i. planning for the efficient movement of goods, services and people; j. promoting the growth and diversification of the agricultural sector; k. identifying and promoting opportunities for tourism and recreation including planning and developing recreation corridors throughout and beyond the region; l. supporting efforts to market and promote the region in the national and global marketplace; and m. contributing to and supporting regional economic development initiatives pursued by member municipalities and other regional stakeholders The region will pursue diversification of its existing and emerging economic sectors including, but not limited to: green energy and green technology; industrial, manufacturing and logistics; finance and knowledge economy; institutional and cultural sectors; and the agriculture sector, including food production, value-added activities, processing and distribution. Draft May 27,

27 Objective #1.2: Promote job growth and the competitiveness of the region s employment base Policies An adequate supply of lands shall be identified and protected in the region to accommodate the employment forecasts in Schedule 2: Population & Employment Projections to provide a variety of employment uses and support economic diversification Employment growth will be accommodated in the region in major employment areas and within centres indicated on Schedule 3A: Major Employment Areas, in planned employment areas and smaller-scale local employment areas indicated on Schedule 3B: Planned and Local Employment Areas, and in resource-based areas related to resource extraction and forestry shown on Schedule 3C: Existing Resource-Based Economic Assets, and on agricultural lands Within major employment areas, growth will be accommodated by: a. supporting employment intensive land uses in existing and expanded major employment areas with a range of employment types including commercial, industrial and institutional uses; b. encouraging intensification and increasing employee density in areas with multi-modal transportation access in the metropolitan core and metropolitan area; c. planning and coordinating infrastructure to support current and future employment and diversification opportunities; d. promoting commercial and industrial development in these major employment areas; and e. supporting mixed-use development and office and institutional uses in downtown Edmonton Regional infrastructure investment, including municipal services, telecommunications and utilities, will be planned to support commercial and industrial development, economic diversification opportunities and job growth in major employment areas identified on Schedule 3A: Major Employment Areas The conversion of employment uses to non-employment uses in major employment areas, with the exception of downtown Edmonton, will be evaluated as part of a comprehensive review through a municipal development plan update or amendment. Conversion will only be considered if the review demonstrates that: a. there is a need for the conversion to support population and employment growth; b. the conversion will not adversely affect the municipality s ability to accommodate employment growth; c. the conversion will not adversely impact the overall viability of the major employment area; d. there is existing or planned infrastructure to accommodate the proposed land use and development; e. the lands are not required over the long-term for employment purposes; f. the lands are not deemed regionally significant; and g. cross-jurisdictional issues have been considered. Draft May 27,

28 1.2.6 Employment growth outside of major employment areas will be accommodated by: a. supporting the growth and designation local employment areas for locally significant business and economic activities, promote local employment diversity and a diversified tax base on Schedule 3B: Planned and Local Employment Areas; and b. promoting growth of the agricultural sector and resource-based economic activities such as resource extraction and forestry activities to optimize resource-based assets on Schedule 3C: Existing Resource-Based Economic Assets; and c. directing commercial, institutional and office uses to mixed-use areas/corridors with multimodal transportation access within urban communities including centres and encouraging intensification of these areas. Objective #1.3: Enhance global economic competitiveness through the efficient movement of people, goods and services to, from and within the region 9 Policies Promote the movement of people, goods and services to, from and within region, in keeping with the region s role as a gateway to Northern Alberta and Canada. This includes transport by air, road, pipeline and rail The coordination and planning of future regional infrastructure and energy corridors will be undertaken in collaboration with the CRB, member municipalities, utility commissions, the Province and the energy sector. This will include: a. planning and investing in regional infrastructure and energy corridors to support growth in major employment areas and centres; b. investigating, identifying and strategically developing regional infrastructure and energy corridors in accordance with the Land Use and Infrastructure Policy and Schedule 4: Infrastructure and Energy Corridors; c. identifying and protecting new and planned regional infrastructure and energy corridors within multi-use corridors, where appropriate; d. identifying, protecting and prioritizing lands for energy corridors in and out of the region, e. ensuring access to key upstream sources and their production destinations to connect to national and global energy markets; f. supporting the expansion of existing regional energy corridors, and identifying new ones, with a business case that demonstrates their role as a key component of the success of the energy sector and the economic prosperity of the region. The business case will be used to assist the CRB in identifying priorities for regional energy corridor growth; and g. supporting the development of regionally significant initiatives such as Port Alberta and Aerotropolis to enhance the region s supply chains and access to global markets The Edmonton International Airport (EIA) is recognized as a strategic economic asset that will enhance the region s connectivity to global markets and global economic competitiveness. 9 The Transportation Systems Policy Area provides specific policy direction with regards to the regional transportation system and the movement of people, goods and services. See Transportation Systems Policy Objectives #1-3. Draft May 27,

29 1.3.4 The coordination and planning between CRB, member municipalities, airport authorities, railroad companies, and the Province to enable the growth of Port Alberta and other regionally significant initiatives like Aerotropolis Coordinate and plan future regional infrastructure to support efficient access to the Edmonton International Airport in collaboration with CRB, member municipalities, the Province, the EIA and Canadian Pacific Railway. Objective #1.4: Promote the livability and prosperity of the region and plan for the needs of a changing population and workforce Policies Housing diversity to include market affordable and non-market housing will be encouraged within close commuting distance to major employment areas and within centres Downtown Edmonton, urban centres, TOD centres, rural centres and sub-regional centres will be planned to concentrate a mix of jobs, activities and housing with multi-modal transportation access, in accordance with the centres density targets in Schedule 5: Greenfield Density, Centres and Intensification Targets, where applicable To attract and retain a diverse range of workers, complete communities will be planned and developed appropriate to the scale and level of service in accordance with Communities and Housing policy area. Draft May 27,

30 Policy Area #2: Natural Living Systems Principle: Protect natural living systems and environmental assets. We will practice wise environmental stewardship and promote the health of the regional ecosystem, watersheds, airsheds, and environmentally sensitive areas. This policy area updates and incorporates the principles and policies in the 2010 Land Use Plan to protect the environment and resources, with a broader focus on natural living systems and ecological networks. The Edmonton Metropolitan Region has a rich array of environmental assets, including, but not limited to environmentally sensitive areas, natural habitats, wildlife, watersheds and airsheds, that together make up the region s natural living systems. This includes significant natural features such as the North Saskatchewan River valley and ravine system, the Sturgeon River valley, the Beaver Hills Moraine UNESCO Biosphere, the Wagner Natural Area, Big Lake, Wabamun Lake, Pigeon Lake and Cooking Lake, among others. All of these natural elements, together with national, provincial and local parks, are important to the long-term sustainability and resilience of the region, providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and natural habitat for wildlife. However, urban and industrial growth is putting tremendous pressure on these natural living systems. The region is committed to environmental stewardship through responsible growth plans, and protecting the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices. First Nations peoples express a strong spiritual belief in protecting land and ecological systems, emphasizing the interconnections between the natural elements and the land. The Growth Plan adopts a similar approach, and views natural living systems as part of the ecological network. Accordingly, natural living systems cannot be considered in isolation from the other policy areas in this Plan. This holistic approach includes protecting, conserving and restoring these systems to maintain a healthy ecological network, which will increase biodiversity and preserve prime agricultural lands within the region. The Plan proposes compact and contiguous development to respond to climate change. The health of all communities in the region depends on the health of the region s watersheds. As we grow, protection of watersheds is imperative to ensure a reliable supply of clean water for future generations. All watersheds in the region provide ecological goods and services that are integral to human health and our economy: stormwater management, water filtration, air quality, and recreational opportunities. Natural resource extraction, a key economic activity in the region, must be carefully planned and managed to minimize impacts on natural living systems. Water and air quality, habitat for terrestrial and aquatic organisms, and wildlife disturbance must all be taken into account. This policy area will align with provincial and municipal initiatives, such as the North Saskatchewan Regional Plan and municipal environmental sensitive area inventories, to manage cumulative effects on environmental health, and the Capital Region Air Quality Management Framework which provides guidance on ambient air quality to manage impacts on public health. Objectives in this policy area promote the health of the environment, and the associated quality of life for citizens. It will achieve this by encouraging land use and development patterns that minimize loss, degradation and fragmentation of ecosystems, and by introducing mechanisms to identify, protect and Draft May 27,

31 conserve the region s natural living systems. Achieving these objectives will involve policies encompassed in land use, transportation, agriculture and other policy areas within the Plan. Objectives 1. Protect, conserve, enhance and restore natural living systems in the region through an ecological network approach 2. Protect regional watershed health, water quality and quantity in the region 3. Plan development to promote clean air, land and water and address climate change impacts 4. Minimize and mitigate the impacts of regional growth on natural living systems 5. Minimize, mitigate and manage the impacts of natural resource extraction activities Future generations are relying on us to make good decisions, we must protect the sacred elements---water, sun, air, animals, and earth (soil) Dennis R. Paul, Paul First Nation, Treaty Six Confederacy Schedules related to this Policy Area Schedule 6: Natural Living Systems identifies the region s nationally and provincially protected natural living systems including the Elk Island National Park, Crown reservations, parks/protected areas, and environmentally sensitive areas. The Beaver Hills Moraine UNESCO Biosphere and key wildlife and biodiversity zones and municipal environmentally sensitive area inventories where available are also identified. Schedule 7: Land Use Buffers identifies land uses that require safety and risk mitigation measures. Draft May 27,

32 Objective #2.1: Protect, conserve, enhance and restore natural living systems in the region through an ecological network approach Policies Natural living systems of regional, provincial and federal significance identified on Schedule 6: Natural Living Systems will be protected in addition to other natural features identified for protection under provincial and federal legislation to maintain the region s biodiversity The region will work together to protect, conserve, enhance and restore the function, integrity and connectivity of natural living systems for the long-term ecological and social benefit of the region, including: a. watercourses; b. surface water bodies; c. regional and sub-regional watersheds; d. Elk Island National Park; e. Crown reservations; f. provincial parks/protected areas; g. provincial environmentally sensitive areas; h. municipal environmentally sensitive area inventories; i. the Beaver Hills Moraine UNESCO Biosphere; and j. key wildlife and biodiversity zones Conservation tools will be used to minimize the loss and fragmentation of the region s natural living systems through the implementation of the North Saskatchewan Regional Plan and Landuse Framework Actions by member municipalities and other stakeholders should be pursued to restore degraded natural areas and ecological networks Conservation buffers will be used to connect the region s natural living systems to systems beyond the boundaries of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region and to establish and maintain ecological network connections and functions. Objective #2.2: Protect regional watershed health, water quality and quantity in the region Policies The Province s Water for Life and Alberta s Strategy for Sustainability will guide statutory plans, regional plans and regional infrastructure projects for supportive policies and management measures to protect, enhance, and restore the water quality in the region, and should consider the following: a. protecting natural areas along waterways; Draft May 27,

33 b. improving water quality and quantity; c. incorporating urban development best management practices to minimize soil erosion, protect and enhance riparian fish and wildlife habitat, and protect and enhance areas that contain habitat for significant, rare or endangered plant species; and d. protecting wetlands with sufficient buffers to maintain their water quality and hydrologic function The Provincial Water Management Framework will provide guidance to protect watershed health and manage water quality and quantity in the North Saskatchewan River watershed including its sub-regional watersheds All development will be required to comply with all applicable provincial and federal acts and regulations with respect to water quality, flood plains and hazard management. Objective #2.3: Plan development to promote clean air, land and water and address climate change impacts Policies Statutory plans and infrastructure plans will reflect the principles, objectives and policies of this Growth Plan to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to improve the region s ambient air quality The planning, design and construction of new development and infrastructure in both greenfield areas and built-up urban areas will promote low impact development and green building Energy recovery and green energy will be encouraged in community design and development in the region, including but not limited to: bio-energy, district energy systems, and renewable energy Approaches to maintaining ambient air quality will be encouraged as a high priority in the preparation, approval and implementation of statutory plans, CRB regional plans and transportation master plans The CRB and its member municipalities will adapt to climate variability in the region and climate changes through risk prevention and management by: a. supporting ecosystem-based adaptation approaches including but not limited to flood plain, wetland and forest management solutions; and b. developing and promoting investment in climate adaptation tools and initiatives to address climate change risks and ensuring disaster resilience and developing disaster management systems, including but not limited to: preparedness tools; risk mapping and assessment; and planning and developing infrastructure, municipal services and green space to withstand extreme weather. Draft May 27,

34 Objective #2.4: Minimize and mitigate the impacts of regional growth on natural living systems Policies Prior to the approval of statutory plans and regional infrastructure plans, supporting environmental and technical studies will be required for the development of lands that may impact the region s natural areas identified on Schedule 6: Natural Living Systems. The environmental and technical studies should incorporate an ecological network approach and identify the required conservation buffers, mitigation measures, flood plain and development setbacks, and transition of land uses from natural living systems Development adjacent to nationally and provincially protected natural living systems, the Beaver Hills Moraine UNESCO Biosphere, key wildlife and biodiversity zones, municipal environmentally sensitive area inventories where available, surface water bodies and watercourses identified on Schedule 6: Natural Living Systems will protect and incorporate conservation buffers and linkages, and will demonstrate how ecological design is incorporated to mitigate and minimize negative consequences. Objective #2.5: Minimize, mitigate and manage the impacts of natural resource extraction activities Policies The development of natural resource extraction activities related to energy, sand and gravel deposits will be directed away from the region s natural living systems and prime agricultural lands, and will provide buffers and setbacks to minimize and mitigate the potential for land use conflict and the loss of natural living systems and prime agricultural lands. Natural resource extraction uses identified on Schedule 7: Land Use Buffers will mitigate negative impacts and provide enhancements to adjacent natural living systems. Safety and risk mitigation management will be required in accordance with Policy The reclamation of resource extraction areas will be in accordance with applicable provincial legislative requirements and regulations when extraction and related activities cease. Through reclamation plans, member municipalities will consider opportunities to restore natural areas and linkages in accordance with Policy Draft May 27,

35 Policy Area #3: Communities and Housing Principle: Recognize and celebrate the diversity of communities and promote an excellent quality of life across the region. In planning for growth, we will recognize and respond to the different contexts and scales of communities and provide a variety of housing choices with easy access to transportation, employment, parks and open spaces, and community and cultural amenities. This policy area updates the principles and policies of the 2010 Plan, and incorporates the key components of the 2010 Housing Plan, recognizing the important connection between complete communities and housing. This policy area is closely aligned with the objectives and policies related to compact and contiguous growth in the Integration of Land Use and Infrastructure and Transportation Systems policy area. The transformation of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region to a more complete and sustainable region will require a range of housing and transportation options for those who choose to make this region their home. Strong and healthy communities enhance the quality of life for current and future residents, which in turn will advance the economic success of the region. The objectives and policies in this policy area focus on planning and developing complete communities to accommodate people s daily needs at all ages, and providing a range of housing options, including non-market housing, to address housing needs across the region. Complete communities are designed to meet the needs of all people at all stages of life given the resources available and the size and situation of the particular community. A complete community could be a city or town that incorporates housing, transit, and most of the services and amenities required for residents of that location. It could be a building or neighbourhood that includes housing, offices, daycare and grocery store with accessible transit nearby. Complete communities offer local employment opportunities and multi-modal transportation connections to other employment areas for a faster commute to work. Complete communities at the regional scale deliver a broader range services, including hard infrastructure, land use, transportation and development patterns, and social infrastructure such as medical services, recreation facilities and education. Within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, the elements of a complete community can be provided at different levels appropriate to the size and scale of each community. There is a spectrum across the policy tiers. In the rural area, the elements of a complete community might be distributed throughout a sub-region rather than concentrated in a single community. In the metropolitan area, the complete community might be provided throughout an urban community. In the metropolitan core, the elements of a complete community might all be available within a single neighbourhood. Each policy tier offers something that the others do not, and together they create a complete region. The services and amenities available in a complete community can include job opportunities, shopping, public services, health and social services, community facilities, schools and libraries and transportation options. Rural centres, sub-regional centres, urban centres and downtown Edmonton each act as service centres to differing degrees based on their scale and context. Table 1: Regional Levels of Service describes the level of service provided by the different types of centres. Draft May 27,

36 The policies also relate to housing diversity and options. Housing diversity is essential to attract and retain a skilled workforce. A wide variety of housing choices would allow people to transition as they age: children raised in a community could stay close to their family as young adults; seniors can find appropriate housing for their changing needs; and newcomers can be accommodated close to their workplace. To provide more housing options, new residential development will include new types, forms and affordable levels to meet the needs of the changing population. Finally, addressing core housing need and providing greater choice in housing will be critical to create inclusive communities that meet the needs of vulnerable members of all our communities. Safe, adequate and supply of housing for all is fundamental to the physical, economic and social well-being, and the stability of individuals, families and communities. An adequate stock of non-market and market housing to address the diversity of need will also benefit the entire regional economy, and help create a more complete region. By working together, the CRB and its member municipalities will identify core housing need and work in collaboration with other orders of government to invest in a range of housing to meet the needs of the region s changing population. Objectives 1. Plan and develop complete communities within each policy tier to accommodate people s daily needs for living at all ages 2. Provide a range of housing options throughout the region 3. Provide market affordable and non- market housing to address core housing need across the region Schedules related to this Policy Area Schedule 1: Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure to 2044 identifies a network of centres within the region: rural centres, sub-regional centres, TOD centres and urban centres. These areas will be planned and developed to provide a level of service appropriate to their policy tier and role within the region. Schedule 8: Housing Sub-Regions identifies the six housing sub-regions. Housing needs assessments will be prepared for each sub-region in accordance with Policy Draft May 27,

37 Table 1: Regional Levels of Service The levels of service describe the range of services that may be offered based on the size of a community within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region and its role within a policy tier. Types of Centres and Corresponding Levels of Service Rural Area Rural centres may provide a local level of service consisting of: Local employment; Convenience retail and small-scale entertainment uses; Some levels of primary education; Facilities that accommodate community gathering space and limited recreation opportunities; Lifeline transportation services; Limited government services; and Potential for small medical offices. Some rural centres have a role as service centres for the surrounding rural area and have been identified as sub-regional centres and may provide a local level of service consisting of: Local employment; Convenience and major retail and entertainment uses; All levels of primary and secondary education; Major community centres and recreation facilities; Lifeline transportation services with potential for local or commuter transit service; Some government services; Emergency medical services; 10 Community health centres; and Social and supportive services to support non-market housing. Metropolitan Area Metropolitan Core Urban centres may provide a sub-regional level of service consisting of: A broad base of service, office, government and institutional employment; Convenience and major retail and entertainment uses; All levels of primary and secondary education and potential for satellite campuses of post-secondary institutions; Major community centres and recreation facilities; Local and commuter transit service; Some government services; Emergency medical services; Hospitals or community health centres; and Social and supportive services to support non-market housing. Downtown Edmonton is recognized as the primary centre within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region and will be planned to deliver the highest level of regional service 10 There are exceptions, such as the Lamont Health Care Centre, which provides a higher level of service. Draft May 27,

38 consisting of: A broad base of employment including the regionally significant central business district; All types of convenience, major and specialized retail and regional entertainment uses; All levels of primary and secondary education and post-secondary institutions, regional sports and entertainment facilities, recreation facilities and cultural institutions; Bus, rail and commuter transit service; Provincial legislature and all levels of government services federal, provincial and municipal; Regional hospitals and specialized health care facilities such as the Cross Cancer Institute, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and Stollery Children s Hospital; and The highest concentration of social and supportive services in the region, supporting its role as the primary location for non-market housing. Draft May 27,

39 Objective #3.1: Plan and develop complete communities within each policy tier to accommodate people s daily needs for living at all ages Policies Built-up urban areas and greenfield areas will be planned and developed as complete communities generally in accordance with Schedule 1: Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure Map and Table 1: Regional Levels of Service Centres within each policy tier as identified on Schedule 1: Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Structure to 2044 will be planned and developed to provide a level of service appropriate to their policy tier and role within the region, generally in accordance with Table 1: Regional Levels of Service In the rural area, greenfield areas will be planned and developed as complete communities that: a. are compact, contiguous, accessible and age-friendly; b. provide a diversity of housing options in terms of density and built form; c. achieve the minimum greenfield density target; d. include access to jobs and local services and amenities, where appropriate; e. incorporate an interconnected street network to support active transportation; and f. connect to regional trails and open spaces, where appropriate In the metropolitan area, greenfield areas will be planned and developed as complete communities that: a. are accessible and age-friendly; b. are compact, contiguous, and incorporate mixed-use; c. provide diversity of housing in terms of density and built form; d. achieve the minimum greenfield density target; e. incorporate an interconnected street network and urban form to support active transportation; f. provide high quality parks, trails and open spaces; g. integrate local services and amenities with residential development, within buildings and/or within five-minute walk (400 metres); h. incorporate higher density uses along planned transit corridors and at transit stops; and i. include locations/centre(s) that can accommodate higher levels of density and mixed uses on site or in a singular building Built-up urban areas and greenfield areas will be developed and planned to provide municipal public services and open spaces to support population growth. Draft May 27,

40 Objective #3.2: Provide a range of housing options throughout the region Policies New growth will be planned to address the changing demographics in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region by including housing that offers diversity of types, forms and levels of affordability to support a variety of lifestyle options, income levels and meet the needs of all residents Infill developments, more compact housing forms and increased density will be encouraged to achieve more diverse housing stock in the region The greatest density and diversity of housing in terms of type, form and affordability, including row housing and low, mid and high-rise buildings, will be directed to centres within each policy tier and areas with existing or planned regional infrastructure, transit and amenities, at a scale appropriate to the community. Draft May 27,

41 Objective #3.3: Provide market affordable and non-market housing to address core housing need across the region Sidebar - The Housing Continuum - The housing continuum is comprised of both market and nonmarket components. Market housing is supplied by the private sector in a competitive environment where volume and price adjust according to demand. Non-Market housing is generally provided by the public sector because those in need cannot afford market rates. Non-Market housing includes subsidized and affordable housing. Subsidized or social housing requires ongoing subsidies to bridge the gap between what people can afford for rent and the actual cost of the accommodation. Affordable housing is generally supported by a one-time capital grant. Policies The CRB and its member municipalities will plan in a coordinated and collaborative way to provide market affordable and non-market housing to address housing needs in the region. This will include the completion of Housing Needs Assessments for each sub-region identified on Schedule 8: Housing Sub-Regions and the development of a 10-year rolling Capital Region Housing Plan. It will also include advocacy to the provincial and federal governments to provide long-term, sustainable sources of funding to address regional housing priorities and also the specific needs for each of the sub-regions The CRB and its member municipalities will increase the supply of market affordable and nonmarket housing in the region using a variety of strategies including: Draft May 27,