Smart Planning for Communities Initiative (formerly Integrated Community Sustainability Planning)

What is Smart Planning?

Smart Planning is a process for envisioning and planning for the long-term well being of communities. Smart Planning builds on existing planning tools in B.C. It provides a framework that helps communities plan for their own needs while ensuring that the needs of future generations can be met. Smart Planning emphasizes:

• long-term thinking;
• broad scope;
• integration;
• collaboration;
• public engagement and education;
• implementation; and,
• monitoring and evaluation.

What is the Smart Planning for Communities Initiative?

In response to the call for Integrated Community Sustainability Planning (ICSP) in the 2005 Federal/ Provincial/ UBCM Gas Tax Agreement, the Ministry of Community Development facilitated the creation of the Smart Planning for Communities initiative. Administered by the Fraser Basin Council, Smart Planning for Communities is a B.C.-wide collaborative initiative to assist local and First Nations governments in addressing their long-term sustainability challenges by providing resources and tools for planning socially, culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable communities. The initiative consists of the following key components:

• BC-wide network of Sustainability Facilitators supported by leading-edge sustainability practitioners and experts
• An information-sharing and resource network that will develop and expand linkages among sustainability experts, resources, and communities, and
• A "first-stop" website linking to sustainability planning resources.

Please visit the Fraser Basin Council's Smart Planning for Communities site for more information on the initiative, e.g. Sustainability Facilitator’s contact information and links to funding, tools and resources.