Canadian Urban Institute

Making Sense of Sustainability: A Unique Educational Opportunity for Government Decision Makers, Urban Professionals and Developers

Sweden is ranked at the top in world when it comes to sustainability. With a climate, lifestyle and industrial structure similar to Canada, Canadians can learn from Sweden. How is it possible that Swedish green-house gas emissions per capita are less than a third of those of Canadians? How is it possible to combine economic growth with reduction in green-house gas emissions? Join the SymbioCity Study Tour and find out! Sustainability: everywhere, always. Three words that sum up the ambitions of government decision makers and urban professionals throughout the Swedish society. In May 2010, the Swedish Trade Council and the Canadian Urban Institute, in co-operation with the Embassy of Sweden, ReNew Canada magazine and the Embassy of Canada, invite you to participate in a learning exchange and technical tour of Sweden to see first-hand how the principles of Sweden’s SymbioCity are revolutionizing urbanism and the process of city building.

Taking the key elements – essential urban functions such as housing, industry, recreation and cultural functions; energy; waste management; water supply and sanitation; traffic and transport; landscape planning; and sustainable architecture – SymbioCity applies integrated thinking to all parts of city infrastructure.

From passive energy housing to mixed use communities powered by district energy; from the transformation of defunct industrial complexes to culturally rich, internationally competitive knowledge hubs. No matter what your perspective or focus in city building is, this tour will provide insights and best practice approaches to help your community become more cost-effective, efficient and 'green'.

The tour starts in Stockholm – the 2010 European Green Capital. It will start with an overview of Swedish governance and industry perspectives. The first day concludes with a VIP Reception at the Canadian Ambassador’s residence. Over the course of the following week you will visit half a dozen communities which exemplify integrated planning and implementation of the key principles of sustainability. Coordinated visits include the world-renowned Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm, a former brownfield site which pioneered the concepts now known as SymbioCity; Älvstranden in Gothenburg, old shipyards where new housing development and job creation are seen as two sides of the same coin; and Västra Hamnen in Malmö, a vibrant waterfront community that combines energy self-sufficiency with architectural brilliance. The tour concludes in Malmö with a visit to a waste-to-energy facility and a tour of one of the largest infrastructure projects in Sweden. You will be leaving Scandinavia by taking the train over the iconic bridge between Sweden and Denmark, and returning to Canada via Copenhagen.

During the tour you will meet with the community leaders, educators, politicians and technical experts involved in building sustainable cities. The tour will investigate the interconnected systems that support these amazing places. How are these systems financed? What is the business and governance model? Why are Swedes embracing sustainability and how is public support for these efforts maintained? You’ll discover how these lessons can be applied in Canada and be given tools that you can immediately implement upon on your return. To get a flavour of what you’ll see, and to register, visit www.symbiocity.org. 

- Click here to view the Study Tour invitation and details

- Click here to view the tentative program