Sustainable Highlands

Climate Leadership Plan

Addressing climate change is one of the most critical issues facing our community. Recognizing this, the District of Highlands Council has made climate action a strategic priority and developed a Climate Leadership Plan aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. This Plan will serve as a roadmap to guide the District of Highlands in reaching this ambitious goal.

Climate Leadership Plan (approved by Council December 7, 2020)
Draft Climate Leadership Presentation

Integrated Community Sustainability Plan

In 2010, the district initiated the development of an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP), which was subsequently approved by the Council in February 2012. The Highlands’ ICSP embodies core values and future visions for community sustainability. It also established a continuous feedback and monitoring system using measurement indicators (as below) the district’s progress towards its sustainability goals. To ensure that the values and vision of the ICSP are central to district policy and decision-making, the Official Community Plan must be aligned with the ICSP.

Measurement Indicators

The Highlands Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) involves the District regularly measuring selected statistics to track progress towards sustainability goals. These measurements, called "indicators," help the District decide whether to maintain or adjust its actions.

The 2016 Indicators Report and its Collection Guide are available, though the program is currently on hold.

The 2014 Indicators Report, created by the Whistler Centre for Sustainability, showed improvements such as a reduced vacancy rate for firefighters from 70% in 2012 to 29.6% in 2014. Most changes were minor, with some indicators showing no change due to lack of data or no direct change from 2012 to 2014.

The 2012 Indicators Report was the first in the series, with the District planning to produce reports every two years. The Indicators Collection Guide provides project background, data sources, and contact information. The 2012 report also includes lessons learned from the first round of data collection, 2012 Indicators Report: Discussion and Recommendations.

Decision Making Framework Policy/Form

The Sustainable Highlands Decision Making Framework - Policy No: II-110 aims to implement and define the conditions for using the Sustainable Highlands Decision Making Framework, as outlined in Appendix G of the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP).

Application

The Sustainable Highlands Decision Making Framework, attached to and forming part of this Policy, shall be used as follows:

Scope

The Sustainable Highlands Decision Making Framework will analyze Operational Plan Items from Council's approved Strategic Priorities.

Process

District Staff will prepare an analysis of all Strategic Priorities Operational Plan items at the appropriate time, covering all parameters within the Framework. This analysis will provide the necessary information to inform Council and the public of the projected implications before decisions are made. Additionally, it ensures that the principles of the ICSP are considered in strategic-level decision making.

Adopted by Council: June 15, 2017 RESOLUTION: 179 / 2015

Sustainable Highlands Decision Making Framework - Fillable Form