Edmonton, the capital of the Province of Alberta, is a beautiful city of just over one million on the North Saskatchewan River.
The rural area, which is included in the Biosphere Eco-City (BEC) initiative, is a parkland of lakes, woods, and agricultural land.
On the east side of the urban area is the UNESCO Beaver Hills Biosphere Region (BR). It was designated to represent one of the world’s important ecosystems, and to demonstrate conservation and sustainable development. The BR includes several core protected areas, including Elk Island National Park.
Edmonton’s municipal government does excellent sustainability planning. Through its membership in ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) and Biophilic Cities, Edmonton has progressed significantly in Climate Action, Biodiversity Retention and Greening of City Operations. It also has well-crafted incentive and education programs for corporate and community sectors. The Biosphere Eco-City (BEC) initiative will complement municipal planning programs, by increasing citizen and stakeholder leadership.
Engagement of communities and stakeholders can make the abundant resource of human capital (people’s energy and ideas) fully available for transformation. Engagement will empower those groups and people will take personal responsibility for Edmonton’s sustainability goals. With BEC, Edmonton will become a place where people, communities, stakeholders, and government move in parallel to create a fully sustainable and resilient city