Municipal sustainability changemakers and champions from across Canada visited Zibi on February 7

On February 7, close to 30 municipal sustainability changemakers and champions from across Canada visited Zibi, the National capital Region’s new 34-acre master-planned neighbourhood steeped in history and poised to become one of Canada’s most sustainable communities.

The visitors were in the region to take part in the popular Sustainable Communities Conference, hosted by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Here is an overview of what they learned about the community:

Zibi Community Utility

The guests visited the one-of-a-kind Zibi Community Utility, which uses effluents from the nearby Kruger plant as well as the cold water from the Ottawa River to heat and cool all of Zibi’s buildings (more than 4 million sq. ft. when completed!), on both sides of the Ottawa River.

** The ZCU received a $20 million in debt financing from the FCM and a $3 million grant from the Green Municipal Fund to support the building of this innovative plant – the first in North America to use post-industrial waste recovery in a master-planned community. **

One Planet Centre

Guests also visited the One Planet Centre, where they learned the ways in which Zibi – Canada’s only One Planet Community – brings to life the 10 principles outlined by UK-based Bioregional.

Zibi’s One Planet Action Plan includes ambitious goals such as:

• Decreasing building energy demand by 30% below code-compliant baseline building
• Diverting 70% of residential and 90% of construction waste
• Achieving a 90 walk score by the time the project is half-completed
• Provide a 1:10 ratio of food-growing garden spaces to households

A model of collaboration with the Algonquin Anishinabe Peoples

Guests learned about the ways in which Zibi has made it a top priority to engage the Indigenous community at every stage of the development process. Zibi is committed to improving the way Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous private sector companies work together. For example, Zibi has put in place collaborative benefits agreements with Pikwakanagan and the Algonquins of Ontario, and has been working in collaboration with the Memengweshii Council, a group of Algonquin Anishinabe women who advise on cultural issues.

Zibi House

Lastly, guests toured Zibi House, the award-winning sales centre, which celebrates Zibi across the five senses. Some also took in the whole site, including the magnificent Chaudière Falls, from atop the observation tower!

We thank the FCM for organizing this great tour! It was a wonderful day of learning and networking with our peers and friends from across the country.

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