Vancouver’s new deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston is one of the founding members of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, which is comprised of the sustainability managers from a host of major metropolis’ from across the United States and purposed with building “a professional network of city sustainability directors that enables members to easily exchange information, collaborate to advance their practice, and more quickly find solutions to their sustainability challenges.”

With the federal government completely uninterested in environmental stewardship and sustainability, and the provinces headed in a number of different and at times conflicting policy directions (most with self-interest at the core of their intent), this is a fantastic idea that Canadian cities should definitely consider.  I am sure the the Federation of Canadian Municipalities talks about sustainability issues on the periphery of its broader discussions (which in this country is most often caught up with jurisdiction, taxes and complaining about the two other levels of government), but there is currently no forum where best prctices and collaboration can move forward at such a finite and targeted level of engagement.