From TheStraight.com – Nov. 18, 2010

by Elizabeth Murphy

Many products that have made environmental green claims are being proven
to stretch the truth or be completely false. This is commonly known as
“greenwashing”. It appears that this also applies to the planning of our
towns and cities.

Metro Vancouver is proposing to replace the existing Livable Region
Strategic Plan with the Regional Growth Strategy. Even though the RGS
has been in development since the Gordon Campbell B.C. Liberals were
elected in 2001, the general public is still unaware of this plan and
what it means—even now as it goes to public hearing.

The RGS bylaw draft
went to the Metro Vancouver board on November 12 for first and second
reading of the RGS bylaws, and it was referred for public hearing
November 24 to December 2, 2010.

The Metro Vancouver regional planning committee meeting report dated
November 5 states that the RGS “is balanced in its approach to
addressing regional planning objectives while respecting local
government interests”. The RGS may address regional, provincial, and
TransLink objectives of transferring control of municipal land use
policies to senior governments. In doing so, however, the plan
jeopardizes environmental protection and undermines the interests of
local governments and communities.

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