News Release
HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY WINS TWO
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AWARDS
HALIFAX, NS, Tuesday, May 10, 2005 – Halifax Regional Municipality and the Halifax Regional Water Commission (HRWC) are winners this year of two FCM – CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Awards for excellence and innovation in municipal service delivery that has advanced sustainable community development.
HRM is being recognized for its ClimateSMART Program and the Halifax Regional Water Commission for its Water Accountability Program. The awards were announced at a meeting of Halifax Regional Council this evening. (See project descriptions on separate sheet.)
“HRM is pleased that our efforts to adapt sustainable community development have been recognized,” said Mayor Peter Kelly, on behalf of Halifax Regional Council. “I understand that it is very unusual for a municipality to win two awards in the same year, so that is double our reason to celebrate. I extend our thanks to all staff who were involved in these two, very significant projects.”
“It is an honour for the Water Commission to be recognized as good stewards of HRM’s water supply,” said Donald Mason, HRWC Chair. “Our holistic approach to water loss control reflects the commitment and dedication of staff to provide value to the utility’s customers.”
“Canada’s municipal governments are accelerating efforts to adopt strategies and practices for sustainable community development to strengthen environmental performance and contribute to protecting our climate,” said HRM Councillor Jim Smith, on behalf of Ann MacLean, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and Mayor of New Glasgow. “We are setting the pace in meeting the environmental goals of Canadians and securing the economic, social and environmental well-being of our communities through sustainability.”
FCM and CH2M HILL Canada established the Awards in 2000 to recognize and celebrate municipal leadership in championing sustainable community development and promoting best practices in addressing environmental issues in municipal operations. Winning projects also demonstrate the economic and social benefits of sustainability.
“CH2M HILL is proud to be one of the founding partners of this award as it enters its sixth year. This award recognizes municipalities for their achievements and commitment to improving Canada’s quality of life,” said John Murray, President of CH2M HILL Canada.
Halifax Regional Municipality and the Halifax Regional Water Commission will receive their awards on Thursday, June 2 at a ceremony on the evening before the opening of FCM’s 68th Annual Conference and Municipal ExpoTM in St. John’s, NL.
The Awards are also supported by FCM’s Green Municipal Fund and the Government of Canada.
FCM has been the national voice of municipal governments since 1901. The Federation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in all communities by promoting strong, effective and accountable municipal government. FCM supports sustainable community development by providing a wide-range of resources including capacity building, networking tools and financial services to plan and implement innovative green infrastructure.
CH2M HILL is a global full-service infrastructure and environmental firm providing services in water, transportation, energy and industrial systems to public and private clients in numerous industries. CH2M HILL is committed to developing innovative, practical and sustainable solutions to serve the needs of communities worldwide.
-30-
For further information, please contact:
Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Carl Yates
General Manager
Halifax Regional Water Commission
(902) 490-4840
For more information on the FCM-CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Awards, visit FCM’s Knowledge Network: http://kn.fcm.ca
ClimateSMART—Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation
HRM partnered with all levels of government and the private sector to develop ClimateSMART, a fully integrated planning approach that addresses the impacts of climate change. The program supports a wide range of activities, including models to determine potential climate change impacts, compiling up-to-date GHG emission information, and preparing emission management options for different sectors of the community. ClimateSMART is also integrated into specific initiatives, such as a district energy plan, an anti-idling campaign, and the Halifax Harbour Solutions project. ClimateSMART is the first of its kind at the municipal level to provide such an overarching approach to the effects of climate change.
Water Accountability - The New Way
The Halifax Regional Water Commission (HRWC) took a whole new approach to reducing leakage in its water distribution systems. It adopted the International Water Association (IWA) methodology—the first North American utility to do so—that uses an integrated approach to water loss control. Leak detection and programs for pipe renewal are all part of the IWA approach. For example, using noise-mapping surveys and a computerized monitoring system to detect leaks allows the HRWC to pinpoint problems and immediately dispatch crews to the area. Between 1998 and 2004, the HRWC had reduced water leakages in the Dartmouth and Halifax systems by 27 million litres of water a day, a cost saving of $500,000 annually.
