evoc.ca

Opportunities

Eastern Ontario is a sustainable region within Canada. It has a character and a sense of place that is manifested in a healthy balance between urban versus rural communities, natural versus built systems, historic versus modern things and traditional economies versus contemporary, high technology economies.

The cities and various districts or landscapes in Eastern Ontario are often recognized and celebrated by international designations including UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites and references to “best places to live” and “best places to do business” rankings in various magazines. While it is receiving recognition, it remains a “real” place that exhibits rather modest property values and strong economic vitality.

The following directions and opportunities are some of the ways Eastern Ontario could advance in the future.

1. Sympathetic and perhaps modern infill projects should be encouraged along mainstreets and in the older parts of our communities. This will add to the existing strength of Eastern Ontario as a place that respects its mainstreets and heritage structures.

2. More work needs to be done to recognize agricultural landscapes and to protect them from urban expansion. This will help preserve farming districts for future food security and energy production.

3. Marginal farmland should be put to better use than extensive estate lot development. Government incentives should be explored to encourage local food production, agricultural tourism, environmental stewardship, reforestation and by highlighting the demand for greater food security. Large estate lot areas are unsustainable forms of housing.

4. Regional planning should consider establishing new villages in line with existing villages that can be connected by district-wide transit systems as a model for future rural development.

5. With its location and proximity to Canada’s two largest cities, Eastern Ontario is positioned to take advance of day-trips and other sustainable forms of ecotourism. If sustainable eco-tourism is the future, then the extensive system of trails and scenic routes that show off our natural and cultural diversity should be recognized, protected and expanded.

6. The ratio of urban to rural areas allows Eastern Ontario to be considered as a model sustainable region. The wide range of excellent colleges, universities and government research facilities that are available in Eastern Ontario lend themselves to the exploration and discovery of future models for sustainability.

7. There appears to be sufficient good quality woodlands for a sustainable forest products industry.

8. Large retail centers should be better integrated with the established community fabric of Eastern Ontario settlements. Otherwise they may harm the visual character and the economic vitality of these settlements. Public expenditures that subsidize single-use and uninteresting development without revitalizing traditional main streets should be questioned.

9. Ways should be found to re-use older hamlets and other settlements that are not located on postwar transportation routes. With creative transportation solutions, perhaps they could be considered as a place for affordable housing.

10. Consideration should be given to establishing an independent planning agency to manage and protect the Rideau Canal Waterway.