Statement made on 22 April 2009 by Senator Claudette Tardif
Hon. Claudette Tardif (Deputy Leader of the Opposition):
Honourable senators, as a senator from Alberta, I am pleased to share the results of a recent study of Canadian cities that ranks my home town, Edmonton, first among sustainable cities in Canada, in the large city category. The study, published in the winter 2009 issue of Corporate Knights magazine, evaluated cities on the following criteria: ecological integrity, economic security, governance, infrastructure and social well-being.
Air quality, water usage, waste restrictions, recycling programs, violent crime and voter turnout are just a few of the factors taken into account to rank the cities, and Edmonton did better than all the others.
Edmonton is known as festival city. Indeed, over 40 festivals and major events were held in Edmonton in 2008, more than in any other Canadian city. It obtained the highest score in the area of economic security.
Edmonton hopes to become an innovation centre for value-added and green technologies and products. I am confident it will succeed with its many programs. For example, the city promotes the local economy. Last November was the first Buy Local Month, one of Edmonton's programs. This great initiative sets an excellent example, especially on this Earth Day.
Having climbed from fifth to first place in this annual ranking, the City of Edmonton has made, and continues to make, considerable progress in the area of sustainability. The citizens of Edmonton are among the most eco-friendly on the planet, and continue to be recognized in Canada and around the world for their environmentally-friendly practices. They enjoy more than 700 kilometres of bicycle paths to get around and to exercise.
A sustainable city is a place where people like — and are able — to live, work, be entertained and develop. Every day, the city takes more practical steps to become as sustainable as possible. Edmonton has an excellent recycling program and many environmental awareness programs that target the residential, business and school sectors.
In addition, the 18 faculties of the University of Alberta attract a student population of more than 37,000 from all Canadian provinces and territories, as well as from abroad. The 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the most prestigious teaching award at the undergraduate level, has been bestowed on 28 professors at the University of Alberta since 1986, far more than any other Canadian university. In addition, I would like to point out that the University of Alberta will have the honour of welcoming the poet and playwright Derek Walcott, who won the Nobel Prize in 1992.
Notwithstanding all the efforts made by municipalities and the variety of programs offered to create a better city, this honour belongs to the citizens of Edmonton, who make it a great city in which to live.