Re-Imagining our Neighbourhoods Forum: Thought Leader Lunch as part of AREF's 20th Anniversary (Edmonton, AB)

The sustainability challenges facing Canadian communities and neighbourhoods are unprecedented: urban sprawl, growth in major city centres, shrinking populations in rural communities, greenhouse gas emissions, falling incomes of immigrant families, summer water shortages, declining participation rates in elections, increased air and water pollution, increased health impacts, waste management issues, and a widening gap between wealthy and poor families all present serious risks to quality of life both today and in the future. Neighbourhoods are the building blocks of society. They are the places we call home, where we live, work and play. What are the characteristics of a livable, vibrant, sustainable neighbourhood?

Join us for lunch on November 30 to engage in a conversation about the future of our neighbourhoods. Building on a decade of experience working with sustainable communities, The Natural Step Canada will present the results of an online forum with hundreds of Albertans and conversations with a number of sustainability leaders from across Canada on re-imagining the sustainable future of our neighbourhoods. This lunch will be an interactive dialogue to bring together opinions and insight on the characteristics of sustainable neighbourhoods in Alberta.

• DATE: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
• TIME: 11:30am-1:30pm
• LOCATION: Salon 10, Shaw Conference Centre, 9797 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB (map)
• SPEAKER: John Purkis, Senior Sustainability Advisor & Senior Manager, Sustainable Communities, The Natural Step Canada
• MODERATOR: Cheryl De Paoli, Executive Director, AREF
• Lunch will be provided, no cost to attend
  

Please RSVP online here and direct any questions to Dora Bundgaard at dorab@aref.ab.ca.

Re-Imagining our Neighbourhoods is an initiative of The Natural Step Canada and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) as a contribution to the AREF’s 20th Anniversary Thought Leadership series.

Join the discussion on Facebook!

The Re-Imagining our Neighbourhoods initiative also involves engaging Albertans in an online forum and survey about the future of Albertan neighbourhoods. To join the online forum, please visit our special Facebook group, "Like" the page, and engage in the discussion underway. We encourage you to share your thoughts and comments, "Like" other people's comments, and invite your friends, colleagues, and contacts to join this important conversation.

Each week we will issue a new question related to sustainable neighbourhoods and we invite discussion and dialogue from all Albertans and Canadian's with an interest in sustainable communities and sustainable neighbourhoods. The forum will be running until mid-October.

If you prefer to contribute to our research anonymously, please complete our anonymous online survey.

About the Alberta Real Estate Foundation

The Alberta Real Estate Foundation supports and originates initiatives that enhance the real estate industry and benefit the people of Alberta.

About The Natural Step Canada

The Natural Step Canada is a dynamic non-profit organization with over a decade of experience helping organizations and individuals understand and make meaningful progress toward sustainability.