CSCD: What advice would you give other municipalities who are on the path or about to go down the path of becoming a sustainable community?

Emanuel Machado: Take small steps that are appropriate for your community. In Dawson Creek, we started with energy planning, which made sense for us. It’s important for each community to find an entry point that makes sense for them and develop out from there. It was our experience that once we started really exploring energy, we realized that it is connected to many different aspects of our community.

A second piece of advice would be to engage in a larger planning process if that makes sense for your community, but not to lose sight of achieving early successes. It has been our experience that people’s enthusiasm and energy stays high when small things are happening in the community all the time, like our solar hot water heaters on city hall and the fire station.

CSCD: What does a sustainable community mean to you?

Emanuel Machado: A sustainable community is one that is planned for people. It is a community that people are proud and happy to be a part of; it’s safe, accessible, healthy, and its citizens enjoy clean air and water. In a sustainable community, decisions are made according to a framework that considers not just economic, but also the social, environmental, cultural and governance implications on every issue it faces.

CSCD: What are some of the major challenges facing the City of Dawson Creek today? What sets it apart from other communities in the surrounding area?

Emanuel Machado: Dawson Creek is suffering the effects of strong economy, generated mostly by the energy sector. It has led to an affordable housing shortage, crime and drug abuse. The Kiskatinaw River, our one and only water source, is under a great deal of pressure from industrial activity such as oil and gas. Acquiring a second source would cost millions, thus conservation has to be our priority.

A focus on becoming sustainable, our vitality, a sense of community, a positive outlook on the future, the anticipated opening of a first-class sports and cultural complex, job opportunities and our people are some of the things that set us apart from other communities.

CSCD: Why has Dawson Creek decided to take this path?

Emanuel Machado: As we worked through our energy plan and introduced policies such as the Green Vehicle Policy we were able to realize early successes which showed how a decision-making framework that incorporated more than just economics provided benefits that went beyond just energy savings. We then wanted to apply that same framework onto other decisions. Sustainability planning is the roadmap to get us there.

CSCD: What are some of the challenges you face in helping to take Dawson Creek down this path?

Emanuel Machado: I think it is important to recognize from the beginning that this is not a one-person job. Internally, to get people on board you need to spend time explaining the process and then supporting it from a policy perspective. Externally, communication becomes very crucial hence our focus in developing a marketing plan, including the website. Because we are on the cusp of developing a relatively new process, we had to hire professionals such as the Pembina Institute and others to help us pick the right framework in the first place and then adjust our policies to achieve the desired outcomes. While there is help from provincial and federal governments, FCM and other agencies, it is still expensive and time consuming.

CSCD: How do you engage the community?

Emanuel Machado: What makes sustainability exciting is that it applies to everyone and everything we do as a community. So it is relatively easy to help people relate to it. At the end of the day, irrespective of beliefs or political stripes, most people would like to have access to a house they can afford, green space, safe neighbourhoods, a rewarding job and a community that gives them a sense of belonging. Partnerships with learning institutions, service groups and others inside and outside the community are key.

CSCD: How do you keep the momentum going? How do you sustain your sustainability efforts?

Emanuel Machado: Plan, plan, plan… Well, to be honest, sometimes it’s a bit difficult. I am sometimes overwhelmed by all of our sustainability projects, not to mention all the things that we need to do just to keep the city running from day to day. But I am surrounded by people who share this vision, and that gives me a tremendous amount of energy. I am also energized by a new vision for what our community could be in the future.

CSCD: What motivates you personally to do this?

Emanuel Machado: I have a very strong sense of family. I think that the things that make a family succeed, such as respect, teamwork, a vision and a plan to get there, also make a community succeed.
Naturally, I worry about the future of the planet, our country, and our communities. I am, nevertheless, inspired by the creativity that I see around me as we all work to ensure that we leave a sustainable legacy for future generations. I am confident that we are on the right path and if we prioritize those things that are truly important to us, we will end up with a community that is healthy and safe for our citizens and the planet.

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