As our population increases and more people move to our cities, we need to grow smarter. In the illustration below, you can see that a Smart Growth community provides people with affordable homes close to where they work and play, and near public transit and services. Building compact communities also protects our farms, forests and water sources for us and future generations.
On the other hand, sprawl development costs us all. Not only does it eat up our land and pollute our air and water, it makes people dependant on their cars which leads to poor health and increased carbon pollution. It also costs us all financially. Kilometres of expensive water and sewer pipes and roads are required in sprawling communities and developers don’t cover the full associated costs, so it is passed along to you as taxpayers.
Using your mouse, hover over an area of the illustration below to find out more.
Greener, walkable communities are possible. But, we need citizens like you to get involved in building better communities.
That is why we created a resource guide for you that highlights:
- The benefits of growing smarter
- How sprawl affects our health
- How you can contribute to a greener, healthier community in your backyard
It's time to get community planning right. Follow our guide below to learn more.
Click on the sections below for more information:
