Zenn and the art of responsible motoring

I know, you're an intelligent, responsible person who just wants to do the right thing. You recyle, use compact flourscent light bulbs and avoid Wal-Mart like the plague, yet there's still that gnawing feeling something isn't right...

"I know that I should buy a more fuel efficient vehicle, yet the best are Japanese imports! What's a responsible Canadian consumer to do?"

Well, imagine that there existed a vehicle that produce zero emissions and was made right here in Canada. Yes, a truly responsible vehicle for those who must drive and it would support your Canadian economy. It exists.

But you can't buy one.

Rick Mercer doesn't understand either

Huh? "But Stephen Harper says that we can't meet our Kyoto obligations. Why on earth would he deny a zero emissions vehicle the right to Canadian roads? Wouldn't promoting vehicles like the Zenn move us in a direction of saving Canadian automotive jobs?"

Good question indeed. And one that you should personally ask the Ministry of Transportation if you want to see the Zenn car, and others like it, on our roads. (of course, you will do this after demanding more walkable, pedestrian friendly communities, therefore decreasing your need for a car in the first place, right?)

Can't we all just get along?

"Cities everywhere are facing shrinking revenue streams and struggling to provide municipal services. By working together and sharing resources, local governments can maintain and even improve essential public services like fire and police protection."

Sound familiar? What kind of progressive, downtown revitalization group would say such a thing? Nope, that was the Michigan Suburbs Alliance.

"In order for southeast Michigan to move forward, it is imperative that municipalities also cooperate with non-governmental regional stakeholders. Just as intergovernmental cooperation can stretch municipal resources, collaborating with others in the region, such as our world-renowned universities, can enable cities to make accomplishments they would not be able to individually. As funds continue to dry up, regionalism will prove to be not only important, but essential to maintaining the vitality of mature suburbs."

So they took the bull by the horns and actually did something about it. By creating the Creating Collaborative Communities program, they are teaching city managers, mayors, council members, human resource and finance directors, fire and police chiefs, and union leaders how to best approach joint service delivery and continue providing high quality services to their residents.

Can you say "Road Trip"?

There are many resources available to groups that deem it imperative in this day and age to work towards regional cooperation. The advantages of doing so in Windsor/Essex are crystal clear - survival.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has identified regional cooperation and coordinated regional planning as a priority. This is a timely issue as the global competition amongst regions becomes more pronounced. Virtually all growth-related issues—from how to achieve economic diversity to how to integrate land use and transportation planning in order to accommodate growing populations—are regional in scale. Recognizing the importance of regional cooperation to the future economic competitiveness and livability of metropolitan regions, ULI works with District Councils and ULI members on regional efforts that will enact change on the regional and local levels. They have recognised Regional Visioning as such an essential aspect of growth management, they've developed the Reality Check program to engage regional leaders in a regional dialogue on growth issues.

“Reality Check brought together many of Southern California’s warring constituencies and led to a broader and more inclusive vision for the growth of the Los Angeles region.”– Stuart R. Mork, Reality Check Chair, Los Angeles

After the evidence provided by Windsor city councillor Fulvio Valentinis last night, we couldn't be further away from our adjoing municipalities when it comes to regional cooperation. But to call them "warring constituencies"? Possibly.

What do you think? Is it time that our region's stakeholders get locked up into a room (like these folks (video) in Washington) until they come up with a solution? It is painfully obvious that the Windsor/Essex region will not move forward together unless they collectively deem it a priority. The video you just watched shows a region planning for unprecedented growth. We need to plan simply for survival.