The Environment
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Definition
To ensure a sustainable community for future generations, responsible action must be taken today to improve air, 
water and land quality. There are many factors
that affect the environment and the strategies identified in most of the other priority areas will positively impact the environment. For example, reducing
urban sprawl and promoting alternate forms of transportation will help reduce smog and improve air quality. Long-range infrastructure planning is required to
finance and build a better sewer system. Clean waterfront that invites people to participate in water activities promotes tourism and a sense of community pride.
The City has a dedicated Environment Division that works closely with the Kingston Environmental Advisory Forum (KEAF) and Utilities Kingston to curb pollution. The Environment Division manages and restores environmentally sensitive municipal properties and infrastructure, such as closed landfill sites and other properties, which have been "polluted" by historic operations.
In 1992, the City developed a long-term Pollution Control Plan that identified a series of major infrastructure improvements to substantially reduce or eliminate overflows from combined sewers. Most of these improvements will serve to increase the capacity of the sewer system so that it overflows less often. The City and Utilities Kingston have implemented many of the recommendations in the Pollution Control Plan and the Plan was recently updated to target further improvements to the system. The City of Kingston is committed to minimizing impacts on the rivers and lakes. Because there are so many factors that influence the Environment, detail on every positive action cannot be provided in this publication. The strategies included in this plan focus on projects that are not part of the Pollution Control Plan. More information on other environmental projects can be viewed on the City's Web site.
Stormwater Management
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Protect and improve surface water quality by improving the quality of stormwater run-off, providing education and promoting the appropriate use of these systems by the public.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Develop an inventory of stormwater pollution and prioritize problem stormwater outfalls for treatment solutions or intervention.
- Contribute to cleaner and more inviting leisure and recreational use of the waterfront.
- Develop a salt management program to reduce the amount of road salt that we use for winter control.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Reduction in the amount of stormwater pollution bacteria, from heavy metals and nutrients, that flows into the lakes, creeks and rivers.
- Elimination or reduction of beach closures due to bacterial contamination.
- Reduction in weed and algae growth due to nutrient contamination.
Rural Groundwater Quality
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Protect and improve rural groundwater quality by developing an inventory of sensitive groundwater resources, developing and implementing management plans to protect these resources and identifying groundwater improvement projects.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Identify and develop an inventory of ground-water resource areas that are sensitive to contamination or depletion.
- Develop a rural groundwater management protection plan.
- Create a public education plan to build public awareness of how to protect and improve rural groundwater resources.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Increase the number of abandoned wells that are properly sealed.
- Increase the number of septic systems upgraded or repaired.
- Increase the total number of nutrient management plans implemented by farm operations.
- Improve public awareness of key issues affecting groundwater quality.
Air Quality
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
As part of the Partners in Climate Protection Program, implement municipal management practices and standards at the corporate and community level which reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and pollution.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Develop a complete inventory of municipal and community GHG Emissions.
- Identify GHG Emissions reduction strategies and associated funding requirements.
- Develop standards and procedures to maximize municipal energy and cost efficiencies.
- Develop policy that supports air quality protection.
- Increase the level of voluntary participation and compliance by the industrial, commercial, institutional and residential sectors.
- Influence official planning so the community develops with minimal impact on air quality.
- Develop policy to encourage selection of environmentally preferable products and services.
- Provide information to City Council on alternative energy options, particularly wind energy generation.
- Achieve recognition as a "Centre of Excellence" for best practices associated with air quality and climate protection.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Reduction of carbon dioxide released into the air.
- Reduction in the contribution to the number of smog warning and smog alert days registered for Kingston and areas downward of Kingston.
- Reduction in the total number of hours of poor/moderate air quality rate per total hours tested.
- Monitor illnesses related to poor air quality - source Medical Officer of Health.
Brownfields Redevelopment Strategy
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Develop a Brownfields Strategy to encourage clean up and redevelopment of public and private sector lands within the municipality. The strategy will deal with underutilized or contaminated lands and transform them into safe and usable properties through the development of municipal policies and tax-based incentives that encourage clean-up.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Current inventory of Brownfield properties within the municipality.
- A model that includes strategies and policies to assess, market, utilize and redevelop contaminated and underutilized private, public and abandoned properties.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Increase in the number of acres of cleaned-up land.
- Increase in the total tax dollars remitted on Brownfields properties.
Greenspace Master Plan
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Improve the health, appearance and function of all lands within the municipality by developing a master plan to improve and increase greenspace.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Inventory of greenspace within the City.
- Strategies and policies for planning, managing and improving greenspace.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Increased area of greenspace within the urban environment.
- The quality of greenspace as measured by its degree of naturalization and supported bio-diversity (number of species of desirable plants, animals, insects, etc.).
- Number of kilometres of inter-connected greenspace.
Solid Waste - Reduce what's going to landfill
In 2001, Kingston City Council established the "Solid Waste Task Force" as a Committee of Council that is developing a long-term strategic direction for the City's solid waste services.
The task force has recommended a series of actions that will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill sites and will help increase the City's current waste diversion rate of 38%. Their work to date has led to the expansion of the City's blue box program to the downtown area, bag limit reductions and changes to the way waste management taxes are assessed and accounted for. The task force is determined to increase Kingston's diversion rate to 50 per cent or more, and will continue to develop strategies to achieve this goal.
Source Separated Organics
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Research the costs and benefits of implementing a municipal collection program for kitchen waste and other household compostables. Otherwise known as a source separated organics program, this program will complement the existing blue box and other waste management programs.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Review other community source separated programs to determine various program delivery options.
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Identify the complexities and challenges of implementing an organics program.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Report that provides the Task Force with the information required to assess the feasibility of implementing this program in the City of Kingston.
Environmental Assessment and Awareness
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
To increase the community's environmental awareness and participation by compiling, documenting, and distributing information on a ongoing basis as follows:
PROJECT OUTCOMES
- Annual State of the Environment Report.
- Community Recognition Program for environ-mental achievements.
- Improved access to information.
- Well informed community and increased community pride.
- Community feedback to improve services which have a positive environmental impact.
- Increased two-way communication between the public and the Municipality.
- Improved perception regarding the cleanliness of Kingston's lakes and rivers.
PROGRESS INDICATORS
- Monitoring indicates consistent performance.
- Increased number of visits to the environment pages of the City's Web site.
- Increased number of positive environmental comments and a decrease in the number of complaints.
- Increased participation at public meetings.
- Increased awareness of key environmental issues and change in public perception of cleanliness of water.
- Increased usage of waterfront areas that have a poor reputation.
