City of Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton receives a Lunenburg Foundry solar forged sun dial from The Canadian Solar Cities Project Executive Director Bob Haugen at the Here Comes The Sun event at the CIty of Colwood Library on February 23, 2013.
The Canadian Solar Cities Project board of directors is pleased to announce that The City of Colwood has been selected as the second official Canadian Solar City. The City of Colwood achieved this designation by meeting each of a 10-point set of criteria established to recognize the most sustainable communities in Canada.
The City of Colwood and the Solar Colwood initiative are examples of innovative leadership in greenhouse gas emission reduction, and long-term energy cost reduction. Through the application of renewable energy technologies, local economic development opportunities are created and local community development is encouraged. The initiative involves homeowners, businesses, institutions, schools and youth.
The Canadian Solar Cities Project is a non-profit, Canadian registered corporation dedicated to recognizing Canadian communities for leadership in sustainable practices, with a focus on solar. The project is based on a research project conducted by current executive director Bob Haugen for a Master of Leadership degree from Royal Roads University. The study identified a set of criteria to be used to establish the designation of Solar City for all communities across Canada, including cities, towns, villages, regional districts and aboriginal communities. By meeting the Canadian Solar Cities criteria, qualifying Canadian communities are among the most sustainable places in the world.
To become a solar city, municipalities must demonstrate how they meet the 10-point set of criteria. Haugen developed the criteria as part of his thesis, in consultation with Canadian solar leaders, the federal and provincial ministries of environment and representatives from 18 municipalities from across the country. He also reviewed international models from Europe, Asia and Australia. The Canadian solar cities designation is the only designation in the world that is based on actual achievements and not just proposing to meet a set of criteria, as is the case in other countries.
The Canadian Solar Cities Project was established in the spring of 2012 and in June The City of Dawson Creek was recognized as the first Canadian Solar City.
