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Making policy |
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The City's interest
The City of Toronto has had an interest in encouraging green roofs for some time, starting with its participation in the construction of two demonstration green roofs on the podium of City Hall and the roof of the Eastview Community Centre. At the policy level, support for green roofs is found in the recommendations of the Environmental Plan, which called for a strategy to encourage green roofs and rooftop gardens, and in the policies of the new Official Plan that state "... green building design and construction practices will be supported and encouraged in building renovation and redevelopment through... the development of innovative green spaces such as green roofs, and designs that will reduce the urban heat island effect".
| Toronto's Green Roof Strategy |
| There were a number of steps in preparing Toronto's green roof strategy. In 2004, the City commissioned a team from Ryerson University to prepare a study on the potential environmental benefits of widespread implementation of green roofs to the City of Toronto, given the local environment and climate. The Study, titled The Environmental Benefits and Costs of Green Roof Technology, was undertaken with a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Green Municipal Funds, and in partnership with Earth and Environmental Technologies, one of five Ontario Centres for Excellence, supported by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. |
This Study indicated that widespread implementation of green roofs in Toronto would provide significant economic benefits to the City, particularly in the areas of stormwater management and reducing the urban heat island and associated energy use for cooling. Read more about the study findings here.
Breakdown of the stakeholders at workshop
The City held a set of consultation workshops with green roof stakeholders to receive input on its proposed strategies to encourage green roofs. Following these consultations, the City prepared a discussion paper, called Making Green Roofs Happen, which proposed options for encouraging implementation of green roofs. These options were based on a discussion and analysis of the results of The Environmental Benefits and Costs of Green Roof Technology study, the policies of municipalities considered international leaders in green roof development, and the findings of the stakeholder workshops. The paper also proposed criteria for defining green roofs, and identified barriers and solutions to green roof implementation. This discussion paper can be downloaded here.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Section 1 Summary of the Consultants's Report:Environmental Benefits and Costs of Green Roofs
Section 2 Learning from International Leaders in green roof policy
Section 3 Summary of findings of Stakeholder Workshops
Section 4 Defining Green Roofs: Response to Workshop Input and Recommendations
Section 5 Making Green Roofs Happen: Options and Strategies to Implement Green Roof Technology
Conclusions
In November 2005, Making Green Roofs Happen was presented at a public meeting of Toronto's Roundtable on the Environment, an advisory body to City Council on matters of sustainability. Mayor Miller attended the meeting and spoke of his desire for Toronto to become a leader in green roof policies. "In addition to the direct benefits, green roofs are also about Toronto being a leader and an innovator. I would like Toronto to be a showcase for the world on green roof initiatives."
Following some additional suggestions from the Roundtable, on February 1, 2006, Toronto City Council approved a set of recommendations to encourage green roofs which, for over 3 years, effectively comprised Toronto's green roof strategy. The initiatives in this strategy fell into four main categories: installation of green roofs on City buildings; a pilot grant program; use of the development approval process to encourage green roofs; publicity and education.
The City of Toronto Act (COTA) of 2006 provided Toronto City Council with the authority to pass a bylaw requiring and governing the construction of green roofs. In contrast to the initiatives under Toronto's original green roof strategy, which were to encourage green roofs on new private development, the new authority under COTA allows the City to require green roofs as-of-right on new private development. The provincial authority was specific in allowing the City to set standards only for green roofs. This is an "exception" to the Building Code Act, 1992 which generally prohibits municipal bylaws from exceeding the requirements of the Ontario Building Code.
In a joint report in October 2008, City Planning and Toronto Building provided a draft framework and draft construction standard for a Green Roof Bylaw. The City conducted two rounds of stakeholder consultations in 2008 and early 2009, on the draft proposal to require green roofs in Toronto. Included among the more than 150 participants were building owners, architects, landscape architects, developers, green roof designers, installers and manufacturers, roofing contractors and manufacturers, industry associations, City ABCDs and interested members of the public and business community. In facilitated workshop sessions, the participants identified key issues and provided valuable feedback on the proposed thresholds for requiring green roofs and on the construction standard. Staff received 149 written submissions from individuals who attended the consultation sessions and 14 written submissions on the draft proposals for the Green Roof Bylaw. Comments were generally supportive of the intent of the Bylaw; however there were many suggestions as to how best the Green Roof Bylaw could support the sustainability objectives of the City.
Several meetings were also held with individual stakeholders including the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and roofing contractors to further explore issues raised during the public consultation. Also, a Green Roof Technical Advisory Group (TAG), comprised of stakeholders with expertise in green roofs and building regulation, was convened and tasked with providing technical comments on the draft Toronto Green Roof Construction Standard.
After the input of the various stakeholder groups was incorporated, Toronto City Council adopted the Green Roof Bylaw in May 2009, to require and govern the construction of green roofs in Toronto.
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