On this Earth Day, Zibi is proud to share its 2024 One Planet Living® (OPL) Report. While many communities in Canada reference OPL principles in their planning documents and as part of their vision, Zibi is one of the few to actually be endorsed by UK-based Bioregional as an OPL community. This means that each year, Zibi must report on its progress and recommit itself to meeting or even exceeding its OPL goals. This commitment is core to Zibi’s values, and it is one of the reasons why it is such a special place to live.  

LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT ZIBI’S PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING ITS GOALS IN 2024.

1. Health and Happiness 

• 77% of Zibi’s residents rated their happiness as 4 out of 5 or better, exceeding our target of 75%. 

• 88% of residents rated their health as 4 out of 5 or better, again exceeding our target of 85%. 

2. Equity and Local Economy 

• Currently, 34% of units at Zibi are deemed “affordable” with 19 new “geared-to-income” units having come online at Voda in 2024.  

• Zibi hosted 28 events/workshops in 2024, seven of which were exclusive to the Zibi community. 

• Over 75,000 people visited or attended events at Zibi this past year. 

3. Culture and Community

• Zibi celebrated the opening of Tesasini Park by inviting members of the Algonquin Nation for a feast. Tesasini Park, which was designed in collaboration with the Algonquin community features elements tied to the lunar calendar.  

• Many new artworks from local or Indigenous artists were added to the public realm and in buildings, helping Zibi remain well above our target of 50% local and/or Indigenous art. 

• 81% of residents know at least 1 neighbour, exceeding our target of 70%. 

4. Land and Nature 

• Biodiversity in native flora at Zibi continues to rise, at 116% (target: 400%) compared to the baseline, with 55 species having been reintroduced to the site.  

• Using iNaturalist, Zibi launched a citizen science program resulting in keen residents identifying 65 fauna species, 8 of which had not been found in the baseline study. 

• There are 43 culturally significant plants on site that can be found in the parks, plazas and streetscapes at Zibi. Our target was 1 per park!  

5. Sustainable Water 

• An estimated 135L of potable water was consumed per day per person throughout the site in 2024, 3L less than our target.  

6. Local and Sustainable Food 

• Zibi now has enough gardening space for every 1 out of 9 households. Our target is 1:10. 

• Nearly 50% of residents indicated that 25% or more of their weekly meals are plant-based, up from 27% of residents last year, meaning more residents are eating low-carbon foods. 

7. Travel and Transportation 

• The Eddy/Booth corridor transformation is nearly complete, with new bus stops and dedicated cycling and pedestrian pathways now available.   

• Zibi’s WalkScore is improving with buildings in Ontario sharing a 61 score and Quebec buildings an 85. All properties now have “excellent transit” and are considered a “biker’s paradise.” Our target is to have a WalkScore of 90 when the project is 50% complete; we are currently at 25%.  

8. Materials and Products 

• Locally manufactured materials were procured for the construction of Voda and its neighbouring commercial building on Chaudière Island West contributing to at least 28% of the total cost of materials. (target: 20%) 

• Many resources from Zibi were saved from landfill in 2024, with 83% of residents having sold, traded or donated unwanted items in some way. Zibi also hosted another two Repair Cafés organized by the Ottawa Tool Library where over 165 items were fixed. 

9. Zero Waste 

• The waste diversion rate at Kanaal Condos was estimated at 73% based on visual audits, exceeding the 70% target.  

• Based on resident surveys, 94% of residents recycle and 71% compost.  

10. Zero Carbon 

• 8,422 MWh of energy were provided to Zibi buildings by the Zibi Community Utility – the district energy system – producing roughly 140 tonnes of CO2e, which represents an 88% savings compared to business as usual. (target: 100%). We are happy to report this is a 10% increase in savings from last year.  
• The remaining emissions have been offset through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits. 

While Zibi is extremely proud of these results 10 years into the community’s existence, we recognize that much still needs to be done to meet all our targets and improve our information tracking. Our plans to achieve these goals are outlined in the Report.  

Zibi could not be prouder of the results it has achieved so far in meeting its aggressive goals towards achieving our social and environmental sustainability. This success is due to the shared commitment of our employees, suppliers, residents and visitors. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve next year!   

Read the full 2024 One Planet Living Report. 

To learn more about living in a One Planet community, register at zibi.ca.