MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JULY 25, 2018
Vancouver, BC - The motion tabled by Vancouver's Green City Councillor, Adriane Carr, to require green roofs for new commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family residential buildings in Vancouver was passed unanimously by city council on Wednesday, despite issues raised by some developers.
“The Urban Development Institute raised concerns that they had not been consulted," said Carr. "But their thoughts are premature and perhaps uninformed about the process involved in drafting city policy,” said Carr. “It is regular procedure for city staff to reach out to the development industry when creating policies that affect them,” explained Carr, adding, "That will happen now that staff have been given direction to move forward."
The fact that developers expected to be consulted prior to City Council directing staff to start on a policy initiative may be indicative of a larger issue and source of public concern regarding the influence of the development industry in Vancouver. To ensure there is no misinterpretation of the process, Councillor Carr added language to her motion that the new mandatory green roofs policy will be developed in consultation with industry and community.
“The need for this motion became abundantly clear when city staff recently presented a Raincity Strategy to council that detailed the impacts of bigger storms and wetter winters caused by climate change, that are stressing our storm-water drainage system beyond its capacity. Green roofs are used in cities around the world to mitigate this problem," said Carr. "Given the additional positive impacts of green roofs on the health of people and the environment, it seemed clearly in the best public interest to make green roofs a mandatory part of our city's bigger buildings," added Carr.
“Vancouver’s rapid growth and commitment to a sustainable future call for bold and progressive actions,” said Green Party park board candidate Dave Demers, who has worked in landscape and botany for 20 years. “Mandatory green roofs on commercial, institutional and multi-family buildings would help alleviate the run-off to our aging sewage system by retaining close to 30% of the rainfall it receives annually, by slowing its flow and purifying it in the process. Green roofs create an insulation layer that translates into savings for residents on cooling and heating fees, and significantly reduces tax dollars spent on maintaining and replacing infrastructure. They also provide much-needed islands of habitat for our urban wildlife. With forecasts for warmer and wetter winters and hotter and drier summers, such green roofs are essential tools to prepare for tomorrow.”
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For more information contact:
Adriane Carr - 778-886-4560
Dave Demers - 604-992-5955
