City of Mississauga receives FCM Sustainable Communities Award for “Green Street Retrofit”
FCM Sustainable Communities Awards
“Across Canada, municipal governments are implementing innovative projects that contribute to sustainable community development,” stated Claude Dauphin, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), in reflecting on the 
2014 Sustainable Communities Awards.
“Truly sustainable projects take a holistic, integrated approach, where economic, social and environmental factors are inextricably linked. Sustainable communities can take many forms: large or small, urban or rural, central or remote. Their paths to sustainability are equally varied.
“Best practices in sustainable community development are celebrated each year with the FCM Sustainable Communities Awards program, established in 2000. The Awards are open to all municipal governments and their private-sector partners. The recognition offered by the Sustainable Communities Awards program can generate national and local media attention for the winning communities and projects.”
The FCM’s Sustainability Awards recognize innovation and excellence in municipal sustainable development. They are presented in six categories: brownfields, energy, neighbourhood development, transportation, waste and water. The City of Mississauga received the “water award” for its green approach to rainwater (stormwater) management.
Green Rainwater Management: Elm Drive Right-of-Way Retrofit in the City of Mississauga
The City of Mississauga’s Elm Drive right-of-way retrofit project uses low-impact development (LID) practices that capture and treat rainwater and stormwater runoff through permeable pavement and bioretention planters.
“The Elm Drive retrofit is a first of its kind in Ontario,” said Martin Powell, Mississauga commissioner Transportation and Works. “The project gave us an excellent opportunity to lead change in our community. It’s a great example of partnership and commitment to environmental sustainability.”
To protect natural environments and promote a green culture, the city partnered with Credit Valley Conservation to channel rainwater through innovative roadway landscaping and reduce runoff into the storm sewer system. The high cost of land makes building end-of-pipe stormwater management systems in developed areas very expensive. This space-efficient approach uses the existing road allowance and an adjacent school property.
The Elm Drive project was completed in partnership with Credit Valley Conservation and the Peel District School Board. Each partner was responsible for specific aspects:
- City of Mississauga: design, construction and long term maintenance
- Credit Valley Conservation: inspections, ongoing monitoring and technical support
- Peel District School Board: agreement for the use of school board property and project collaboration
“We used low impact development practices to complete the retrofit,” explained Steve Barrett, manager Transportation Asset Management. “That means, it soaks up rainwater and stormwater runoff from the road and filters it as it passes through specially designed paving stones, soil and plants. This improves the quality of the water and reduces the amount that enters storm sewers and the creek.”
To Learn More:
To download the project profile produced by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority, click on Elm Drive Case Study. This provides complete details about concept, design and construction.
Also, click on watch video and learn more about Mississauga’s Elm Drive retrofit.
