Part Three: Vancouver

Vancouver is the third largest city in the country - the largest on the west coast - and they have had their fair share of problems with urban sprawl. For example only 11 percent of Vancouver's land is currently used for multiple-family dwellings, but the city has decided to do something about it. While other Canadian cities (ahem, Toronto) continue to sprawl exponentially, Vancouver has created and approved The EcoDensity Charter, which encourages green laneway housing and relaxed and rezoned building codes to accommodate solar panels and shading.

This will allow more residents to live in downtown areas, which is a huge cut on commuter emissions and encourages local shopping in neighbourhood businesses.

Vancouver also has plans to make all city operations carbon neutral by 2012. This is being achieved by using on biodiesel to fuel the cities fleets and by using methane from landfills to generate heat and electricity. Vancouver also has the country's highest energy-efficient guidelines for new buildings.

The west coast spirit is burning strong in Van City, making it an even greater place to live.

By Allison Smith

Allison Smith
		About the author:
		Allison is a graduate student at Ryerson University in Toronto and the Green Editor for WOMAN.ca. She is a sometimes journalist who digs music and adventures. Her weaknesses include vegetarian food, men with beards and Ontario wines. She can be seen cruising the city on her bicycle, sipping organic coffee and dining at restaurants she can't afford. To Allison, the green movement has everything to do with moving towards a more natural way of life.
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