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What will happen to EcoDensity in the Non-Partisan Association campaign?

September 12th, 2008 · 1 Comment

I hear there’s quite a debate going on about how much prominence to give the EcoDensity initiative — something that is closely associated with outgoing Mayor Sam Sullivan — in the NPA campaign. The brand name and initiative often attract notice and admiration from cities elsewhere, with their focus on efforts to make environmental concerns a central part of planning and building. It’s much more contentious here on home turf.

There are many sustainability/architecture/policy wonk types who really like it, but it does tend to provoke negative reaction from certain pockets of people, both west side and east side, who see it as a giveaway to developers, the ruination of bucolic Vancouver, and more. Like so much of the NPA, given the complexity of campaigning when the party has just ousted its own mayor, it’s a balancing act on what to brag about and what to stuff quietly in the closet.

I’ll be waiting to see the outcome of that particular tussle, which will be taking place on Sunday as the NPA works out its policy issues for the campaign at a party planning session.

It should be an interesting debate within Vision, as well, since they don’t want to campaign against the actual ideas, just the brand name and its association with Sullivan. So what will they say to show they’re going to push for the same goals?

As for COPE, well, this should give you an idea of the debate there. This motion from Alicia Barsallo is going to the party’s policy discussion on Sunday.

SUBMISSIONS:
1. From Alicia Barsallo: EcoDensity
RESOLUTION ON REZONING & ‘ECODENSITY’
Elect to City Council those who value neighbourhoods more than the developer agenda
The liveability of our city depends on keeping and increasing our green areas and our accessibility to
services: community centres, schools, seniors’ homes, hospitals, swimming pools, and public transit. We
need to prevent congestion on our roads. We need to have a say on densification and on the number
and the quality of buildings around us.
City Council has embarked on a pro-developer plan to densify Vancouver paying little attention to
neighbourhood needs. Mass rezoning threatens to change the face of Vancouver forever.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT

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