Green Infrastructure Innovations: Developing a Sustainable Community in Pemberton, B.C.

Looking ahead, housing will continue to play a significant role in BC’s economic and social development. Pressures on the housing supply resulting from population growth, urbanization, and the need to foster continued economic growth in the province will likely only escalate. In addition, Canadians face a growing number of environmental, public health, and social concerns, including the maintenance of water and air quality, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity. Green infrastructure (GI) offers an approach to development that can produce lower cost and more resilient systems. Furthermore, recognizing the role of green infrastructure in housing has a critical role to play in meeting the challenge of climate change adaptation, as well as other environmental and social issues.

This paper gives a comprehensive overview of green infrastructures as the “next generation” of development, using a “three-pillars of sustainability” approach to evaluate environmental, social, and economic benefits and considerations. Lastly, this paper overviews the planned Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Solutions Lab process to create a framework for GI delivery which will be piloted at the case study: ‘The Shire of Pemberton’, a proposed development in Pemberton, BC.