The City of Markham’s Bayview Glen Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP)

To fast-track the implementation of key sustainability recommendations set out in existing sustainability plans and strategies for the established neighbourhood of Bayview Glen, the City of Markham will work in partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to create the Bayview Glen Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP). Bayview Glen is a high-income suburban neighbourhood primarily made up of large detached single-family homes, and the population has historically been difficult to engage in community stewardship initiatives. Many of the homes feature swimming pools, heated floors, defrosting systems in roofs and driveways, and manicured landscapes — all contributing to a higher-than-average per capita use of energy and water. There is a culture of driving, with no clearly defined bike lanes, and limited sidewalks. Although there is a rich urban canopy, it is comprised mostly of dying ash trees. The development was built on valley lands, before current regulations were in place, and has a significant impact on the adjacent Don River. The water table is extremely high and flooding is a critical concern. A goal of the SNAP is to persuade residents to become involved in community stewardship and to implement strategic sustainable retrofits on their private properties. The community engagement process will include focus groups, interviews, surveys and feedback sessions to identify the local motivators and barriers to sustainable community stewardship. The project will engage residents through community-based social marketing, on-the-ground demonstration projects (which fall outside the scope of GMF funding), and identification of community champions. The resulting action plan will include innovative approaches in several areas: home retrofits; infrastructure and new technologies in road right-of-ways; maintaining or restoring natural channel structure, reducing the amount of homes with downspouts connected to the stormwater system, and other initiatives to reduce the number and frequency of flood-related calls to the City of Markham; and parks revitalization. The plan will include zero carbon emissions and zero waste goals; sustainability guidelines for new development; and green infrastructure and technologies. The project will build on lessons learned from four other SNAPs recently developed by the TRCA in the Toronto region. Lessons learned through the development of the Bayview Glen SNAP will assist in municipal policy and program design and implementation. Research on the community will provide insight into areas with similar demographics, and project outcomes will inform future plans in similar communities. (Project description from original funding application)