| DNV gets $350K to green its OCP |
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DNV gets $350K to green its OCP "It's also a reminder that the issues faced by our cities and communities are not solved by any single order of government," he said. The grant is a part of the FCM's Green Municipal Fund -- a federally funded program aimed at supporting local governments to integrate sustainable measures into their communities. Money is largely directed at updating community plans, as is the case for the district, but it is also granted for studies or loaned for specific capital projects, such as waste-water facilities or transportation development. The FCM has been charged with allocating $550 million in federal funds to communities across the country through an extensive application process. The district is among other Metro Vancouver municipalities, including Port Coquitlam, to receive funding to help redevelop sustainable strategies for district policy. "Through the FCM municipal fund we saw an opportunity last year to develop our new OCP as a sustainable community plan," Mayor Richard Walton said. The district's current OCP dates back to 1990. Walton said it will also benefit staff in continuing to educate and encourage residents to actively participate in the review process. "A high level of community awareness and engagement is essential to the new OCP to be truly reflective of all that is important for the community," he said. According to Walton, approximately 2,500 local residents have been "engaged" in some way in the six months since the district began public consultation. "It could not be achieved without the grant," he said. North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton was also on hand to present the cheque and said he sees the grant as an opportunity for the district to improve the quality of life for local residents and to protect the local environment. "This plan will address ways to achieve sustainability," Saxton said. "(It) will address a spectrum of issues from global trends, such as climate change, to regional trends, such as an aging population and rising housing costs . . . right down to local concerns such as school closures," he said. The district is required to meet certain criteria throughout its OCP development process and will have to report back to the FCM on how its planning is going. The aim is that other communities can learn from the models developed in municipalities that have revamped their OCPs with financial help from the municipal fund. The district is expected to finalize its OCP by December 2010. (Picture, courtesy North Shore News)
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