St. Albert, Alberta – Celebrating History and Accelerating Climate Action

By Rebecca Calder

St. Albert is one of Alberta’s oldest communities – notably the oldest non-fortified settlement in the province. With deep roots in the region, the City continues to reflect and learn from its past. Today, over 65,000 people call St. Albert home, and the municipality is looking out for them with their environmental programming. They feature programs and events, design resources for homeowners and businesses, and put a focus on protecting their natural areas and urban biodiversity.

But their commitment goes further than policy. It’s part of who they are as a community. The City spent a year consulting with residents to develop their Community Vision and Pillars of Sustainability, which will guide them in planning and decision-making for the next 50 years.

Stewardship and sustainability are further embedded into the City’s direction through the creation of their Environmental Advisory Committee which is made up of members of the community.

A history of environmental and planning work

“We do try to ensure the community is sustainable, green, and environmentally friendly,” says Meghan Meyers, Manager, Environment with the City of St. Albert. “Some examples of this include Clean and Green Riverfest, which is an annual event that the City puts on where the community helps to clean up litter around the river, plants trees, and contributes to a sense of community.”

“Other community events that help to promote a sense of community and environmental responsibility,” she adds, “include our Weed Warriors events, our annual Rain Barrel Sale, and projects like our Green Community Grant Program.”

It is St. Albert’s long history of environmental and planning work that spurred them to update their climate action plans. Following their 2012 Local Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, the City is working with the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) and QUEST Canada to update their climate goals, targets, and actions.

Process can be challenging

Redevelopment of the Local Action Plan creates an opportunity to refine community goals, build on past success, apply lessons learned, and further embed sustainability as a priority. However, this process can be challenging. Measuring progress on initial actions can be complex, especially when outcomes are in progress still or data is limited. St. Albert must also continue to respond to changing priorities, keep up with emerging technology and innovative climate solutions, and balance ambition with practicality.

“Their willingness to take on the challenge of revising an existing planning document and setting a new path forward for the community reflects the level of commitment that the St. Albert team brings to all their work,” says Andrea Miller, Project Lead at the MCCAC, who has worked extensively with St. Albert. “And as leaders in the region, they are always the first to share what they learn with others along the way.”

Important issues have changed

Back in 2003, when the City started environmental planning, it was “a one-man show,” according to Gage Tweedy, Municipal Energy Specialist with St. Albert. A large part of this early planning was developing community buy-in.

Over time, the most important issues have changed, and so have the tactics. From policy requiring new buildings to have third-party energy certification to hiring a full-time energy manager, St. Albert has been responsive to the needs of their community.

Focusing on the community has made some of their sustainability work easier. Programs like the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) require work and investment from multiple city departments.

“Sustainability has become culturally important at the City,” Meghan continues. “Multiple departments, like finance, buy in. Further community buy-in creates stewardship and ownership.”

And, the City empowers the community to create change by funding the Green Community Grant program, allowing residents to complete projects that demonstrate environmental benefits or improvements.

Work to understand community perspectives

That buy-in can sometimes be hard-earned, but the Environmental Advisory Committee goes a long way in building residents’ support and trust. Their priorities are based on the Municipal Development Plan, but they work with the public to understand community perspectives, alongside reviewing applications under the Green Community Grant and providing strategic advice to City Council.

Made up of seven residents with voting authority and one City Councillor in an advisory role, the Committee ensures City initiatives remain closely connected to both the goals of the organization and the lived experience of those who call it home.

With community buy-in comes community pride. Gage remembers a time when electric vehicle charging stations were vandalized. Building a narrative around EVs and tying them to St. Albert’s identity and appreciation for the environment was essential in garnering support for the project.

In the end, the challenges and eventual success of the initiative make it to the top of Gage’s success list: “repairs, resiliency measures, and other issues after installation made the program challenging and personally satisfying” while filling a need for the community.

A boost to the economy

As projects like EV chargers, LEED certification, and solar photovoltaic installations become more commonplace, the community begins to expect and anticipate them. Bringing some of these tangible measures directly to community members through CEIP – which helps make solar and other clean energy improvements more affordable for homeowners – has the effect of both making sustainability more visible as just part of the landscape in St. Albert.

Sustainability measures have another effect on the community, one that isn’t always as obvious: they offer a boost to the economy. Labour is required for installing any physical assets; planning and energy management require engineers, “and, well, my position,” Gage says with a mixture of sheepishness and pride.

As St. Albert, Alberta continues to invest in clean energy and community-driven planning, its journey offers a blueprint for other municipalities striving toward sustainability.

About QUEST Canada

QUEST Canada is a registered Canadian charity that supports communities in Canada on their pathway to net-zero. Since 2007, we’ve been facilitating connections, empowering community champions and advising decision-makers to implement energy use and emissions reduction solutions that best meet community needs and maximize local opportunities. We develop tools and resources, convene stakeholders and rights holders, and advise decision-makers — all with the goal of encouraging, assisting and enabling communities to contribute to Canada’s net-zero goals.