Image Source: Clean Air Partnership

Municipal Examples:

1. Toronto Green Standard

Most progressive standards in North America due to:

• its streamlined approach
• incentives for exceeding minimum requirements
• predictable longer term roadmap for industry.

Carbon intensity requirements provide a clear pathway to net-zero emissions by 2028.

Updated every 2 years with Tier 2 from previous version become the new Tier 1 mandatory requirement and Tier 3 becoming the voluntary Tier 2 in the updated standard.

Effective May 2022, TGS Version 4 of the TGS has a three-tiered approach towards high performance, high quality, low emissions and future-proofed developments.

Tier 1 is mandatory, and Tiers 2-3 are voluntary. Tiers are updated every 2 years.

2. Vaughan, Brampton, Richmond Hill, Markham Sustainability Metrics

Developed a common Sustainability Metrics Program in 2014 (Markham joined in 2019) to provide a consistent approach to evaluating and scoring environmental sustainability performance.

The program provides a menu of metrics that applicants can select from, with each metric worth a certain number of points.

Applicants must achieve and report a minimum sustainability score threshold as part of their development application submissions.

Recent GDS version updates:

Richmond Hill and Vaughan - January 2023

Brampton - July 2022

3. Halton Hills GDS

First developed in 2010 and updated in 2014 and 2021

The current version, GDS v3, consists of 12 measures, each allocated points.

Applicants must demonstrate achievement of at least 20 points.

Applicants are required to report their achieved points and performance thresholds and provide all relevant design briefs, drawings, models, calculations, and plans with their submission.

4. Whitby Green Standard (WGS)

First adopted in 2020.

The WGS provides a series of checklists to developers which outline both mandatory and voluntary sustainability criteria.

The WGS checklists are organized into nine sustainable development principles. Requirements for each principal has four tiers that developers can achieve:

Tier 1 is mandatory and Tiers 2 to 4 are voluntary.

The mandatory tier in the WGS updates every four years. Tier 2 becomes mandatory in 2024, and Tier 4 will become mandatory by 2036.

The goal is to make all new development near zero emissions by 2036, which aligns with the Town's GHG and energy targets.

5. Pickering Integrated Sustainable Design Standards

Launched on January 1, 2023, the Integrated Sustainable Design Standards (ISDS) replaced the 2007 Sustainable Development Guidelines

The ISDS provides two tiers of performance.

Tier 1 is mandatory

Tier 2 encourages to adopt higher performance standards a voluntary basis

The only municipality in GTHA conducting on-site verification to confirm the installation of sustainability features.