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We are pleased to announce that the 2010 Sustainable Cities : PLUS Network Biennial Conference will be held in Canada’s Capital Region. The City of Ottawa, in partnership with the City of Gatineau and the National Capital Commission (NCC), are looking forward to being your hosts!

This year’s theme: IMPLEMENTATION

In 2008, our conference focused on the PLUS Planning Cycle as a format for conference sessions. Participants had the opportunity to place themselves and their cities, towns and regions within the context of this long-term planning framework.

We worked with our delegation of members to further the intellectual capital of the Sustainable Cities: PLUS Network cities through an in-depth exploration of the stages of the Planning Cycle as practiced by member cities. We did this by with the intention of gathering stories from the field and distilling core principles and lessons learned.

This year, at the request of many of our member cities, the 2010 PLUS Network Biennial Conference will focus on the theme of implementation. The goals will be for participants to learn - through practical examples and discussion - the conditions necessary for successful implementation of sustainability initiatives and how to understand and adapt to those conditions in their own town, city or region.

Please stay tuned for further program and conference event details!

ABOUT OTTAWA

The 2010 Biennial Conference is particularly timely, as the partners are working on the Region’s long term sustainability plan.

Choosing our Future is a joint, innovative and long-term planning initiative. The goal of this multi-year project is to help Canada’s Capital Region address the challenges of the 21st century and integrate concepts of sustainability and resiliency into all facets of regional planning and design.

In September 2010, the project partners will be engaging residents to take an active role in the Region’s preferred future by attending a public event: Charting a Course for the Future. The event agenda will include an implementation strategy and the selection of catalyst projects to move the partners towards a preferred future. This event, held in conjunction with the Sustainable Cities : PLUS Network Conference, is a unique opportunity to see long-term planning in action and for conference attendees to share their insights and experiences.

Unique features of Canada’s Capital Region

The natural environment is a large part of the Region’s identity and offers a wide range of natural open spaces and recreational activities.

The Rideau Canal is the world's largest, naturally frozen ice rink and the oldest, continuously operated canal system in North America. The canal was built from 1826 to 1832 to link Ottawa to the Great Lakes and was one of the great engineering feats of the 19th century. UNESCO has recently designated the Rideau Canal a World Heritage Site. Winterlude, a must‑see event, takes place at various sites around the Capital and attracts many visitors from outside the area, who want to experience the joys of winter.

Cyclists and in-line skaters enjoy the Capital Pathway, which consists of 170 kilometres of recreational pathways and is the most extensive off-road, multi-use system of its kind in North America. In addition, Gatineau offers nature and sports enthusiasts’ two major urban outdoor centres at Beauchamp Lake and Leamy Lake.

The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival runs from September 3-6, 2010, and will give visitors an opportunity to discover the region from above and attend outdoor concerts by well-known artists.

Another way of discovering the region is to take the Hull‑Chelsea‑Wakefield train. Built in 1907, the oldest steam locomotive in the country carries nostalgic visitors, outdoor enthusiasts and explorers to the picturesque village of Wakefield.

The Casino du Lac-Leamy located on Leamy Lake in Gatineau, just minutes from Parliament Hill provides unforgettable moments amidst a spectacular setting of greenery, water and light. In the summer, the International Firework Competition, Sound of Light, takes place on the lake.

The Central Experimental Farm, a 500-hectare Federal government agricultural research facility, was founded in 1886 to serve as the showpiece for Canada’s scientific and agricultural ambitions within the world. The Central Experimental Farm is now both a National Historic Site and an active research facility in the heart of the Capital.

The Capital region benefits from a 200-square-kilometre National Greenbelt located around Ottawa’s urban core. This Greenbelt features a mix of farms, wetlands and forest that offer a range of outdoor opportunities and provides a unique rural setting in the Capital.

Farmland occupies almost 40% of Gatineau’s territory and is accessible by car or bicycle.