Smart Planning for Communities Initiative (formerly Integrated Community Sustainability Planning)

What is Smart Planning?

Smart Planning is a process for envisioning and planning for the long-term well being of communities. Smart Planning builds on existing planning tools in B.C. It provides a framework that helps communities plan for their own needs while ensuring that the needs of future generations can be met. Smart Planning emphasizes:

• Long-term thinking
• Broad scope
• Integration
• Collaboration
• Public engagement and education
• Implementation
• Monitoring and evaluation

Gas Tax Funding Available to do Smart Planning

The Canada – BC - UBCM Gas Tax Agreement (GTA) has been extended to 2014. The GTA is administered by UBCM and funding under GTA can be used toward Smart Planning projects. See the UBCM website and the Capacity Building and ICSP Program Guide (.PDF 450 KB) for details on how to use and apply for these funds.
 

Community assessments can be funded under the GTA capacity building and ICSP funding. A community assessment tool helps the community identify ways in which it can move forward with Smart Planning. While no one model or method will suit all situations, a generic community assessment template (.DOC 347KB) has been developed by the Ministry of Community and Rural Development to provide local governments with a starting point.
 

What is the Smart Planning for Communities Initiative?

In response to the call for “Integrated Community Sustainability Planning” (ICSP) in the 2005 Federal/ Provincial/ UBCM Gas Tax Agreement, the Ministry of Community and Rural Development facilitated the creation of the Smart Planning for Communities initiative. Administered by the Fraser Basin Council, Smart Planning for Communities is a BC-wide collaborative initiative to assist local and First Nations governments in addressing their long-term sustainability challenges by providing resources and tools for planning socially, culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable communities. The initiative consists of the following key components:

• A BC-wide network of Sustainability Facilitators supported by leading-edge sustainability practitioners and experts
• An information-sharing and resource network that will develop and expand linkages among sustainability experts, resources, and communities, and
• toolkit.bc.ca website - a direct link to sustainability planning resources.

Please visit the Fraser Basin Council’s Smart Planning for Communities site for more information on the initiative, e.g. Sustainability Facilitator’s contact information and links to funding, tools and resources.