Burnhamthorpe Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP), City of Mississauga

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) will develop a sustainable neighbourhood action plan (SNAP) for the City of Mississauga’s Burnhamthorpe community to incorporate environmental and socioeconomic goals into the community’s ongoing development. Developed between the late 1960sand 1980s, Burnhamthorpe’s population of 21,000 is spread among small neighbourhoods, each with a diverse demographic ranging from young families to retirees, newcomers to long-time residents, and high to low income households. Many buildings and properties, both public and private, are in need of renovation, presenting a timely opportunity to look at broader community needs and ensure that sustainable options are considered as the neighbourhood evolves. The Burnhamthorpe SNAP will look at sustainable measures in five theme areas: water use, storm water management, natural heritage, energy and carbon, and active transportation, as well as complimentary themes including integrated waste management. Specific issues will include land use impacts on stormwater, natural heritage and urban forests, barriers to climate change mitigation, and water and energy conservation. The project team will develop specific targets with input from municipal staff from the City of Mississauga and the Region of Peel and from community groups, and will recommend neighbourhood-level actions suited for the local socioeconomic context. Extensive public engagement — through community events, neighbourhood surveys, and workshops— will build awareness, gather feedback, and generate support for proposed actions. The SNAP will identify community-based social marketing (CBSM) strategies to ensure residents develop a sense of ownership over the plan, and will identify an implementation committee composed of key stakeholders to carry out the plan’s implementation and monitoring strategy. Outside the scope of GMF funding, TRCA will pilot demonstration projects to raise awareness and understanding of the SNAP objectives. These include creating a community garden and a series of balcony gardens for apartment dwellers in the southeastern portion of the SNAP area, and naming and restoring a local tributary. The high-level plans shaping the specific outcomes of the Burnhamthorpe SNAP include the city’s Strategic Plan, its Recreation, Parks and Natural Areas Master Plan, and its Living Green Master Plan; as well as the Region of Peel’s Official Plan and TRCA plans related to water management, climate change, active transportation and urban forestry. As this is Mississauga’s first SNAP, the project will build on lessons learned from three other SNAPs recently developed by the TRCA in the Toronto region. (Project description from original funding application)