VANCOUVER: A groundbreaking new tool allows developers, planners, and policy makers to evaluate how well a given British Columbia community is prospering, ensuring access to affordable housing and green spaces, and preparing for the impacts of-while reducing its contribution to-climate change.
The Real Estate Foundation of BC details the new Built Environment Snapshot tool in a report, released today, called In Search of the Good Life. The report details seven desired impacts, or "ideal conditions," that contribute to a high quality of life without undermining natural systems. They include housing affordability, economic vitality, availability of jobs, and access to greenspace. It also suggests 10 ways we might measure those desired impacts.
"Too often, we evaluate communities through a narrow single-issue lens, such as housing affordability or greenhouse-gas emissions," says Jack Wong, CEO of the Real Estate Foundation of BC. "While these are obviously very important, they don't tell the whole story. We now have a framework that factors in all of the key things—some obvious, some less so—that make a good community great."
The foundation developed the evaluation tool with the support of a team of planning, transportation, housing, and energy experts. Cities, towns, and villages that make measurable progress in the areas the team identified will offer their residents a high quality of life, which will in turn generate competitive advantages.
"The way we design and build our communities significantly influences the health, happiness, and overall well-being of those who live in them," says Mandy Hansen, Chair of the Real Estate Foundation of BC. "This framework will help those who plan, design, and govern cities, towns, and villages to take stock of what's working and what needs attention."
In Search of the Good Life aims to spur discussions about how to improve data collection, monitoring, and reporting on the factors that influence livability and community vitality in British Columbia.
