Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZ): A Model for Engaging Winnipeg neighbourhoods in local action

The report proposes a model for implementing Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) in Winnipeg to engage neighbourhoods in local environmental action. It suggests a service-innovation and delivery focus, anchored by existing community-based organizations and supported by a multi-partite agreement between the City of Winnipeg, Environment Canada, and the Province of Manitoba.

• The proposed model for Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) in Winnipeg recommends a primary focus on the environment rather than a broader sustainability mandate to ensure a simpler framework for activity planning and better public understanding.
• EIZs should be established through a multi-partite project agreement between the City of Winnipeg, Environment Canada, and the Province of Manitoba for a minimum of five years, preferably six to eight years.
• The report recommends that EIZs serve primarily as a mechanism for service-innovation and delivery at the neighbourhood level, with the potential to provide evidence-based policy recommendations as they gain experience.
• EIZs should be anchored in existing community-based organizations (CBOs) with related mandates to leverage existing infrastructure and trust, though new registered organizations may be formed if no appropriate CBO exists.
• The model requires anchor institutions to establish an EZ Zone steering committee responsible for overseeing the EZ Plan, selecting priority targets, approving project proposals, and annual reporting.
• Implementation should begin at the neighbourhood level, but the model allows a single organization to manage multiple EIZs up to the scale of a single Community Area.
• The report suggests using the Province of Manitoba’s Climate Change Community Challenge (C4) Phase 2 to fund the initial creation of EIZs, including the hiring of a coordinator and the selection of five pilot neighbourhoods.
• Access to neighbourhood-level environmental performance data from all three levels of government is identified as essential for EIZs to establish targets and demonstrate progress.
• The report identifies a historical lack of success with Resident Advisory Groups (RAGs) in Winnipeg, noting that a lack of awareness, poor communication, and insufficient support from councillors hindered their effectiveness.
• Analysis of the Montreal Eco-quartier program suggests that while it reached a wide population through communication, it fostered limited innovation at the neighbourhood level and engaged less than 7% of the population.

APA

Willard, T. (2005). Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZ): A Model for Engaging Winnipeg neighbourhoods in local action. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/communities_eiz_model.pdf

Chicago

Willard, Terri. Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZ): A Model for Engaging Winnipeg neighbourhoods in local action. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2005. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/communities_eiz_model.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Willard |first1=Terri |title=Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZ): A Model for Engaging Winnipeg neighbourhoods in local action |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2005 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/communities_eiz_model.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{willard2005environmental, author = {Willard, Terri}, title = {{Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZ): A Model for Engaging Winnipeg neighbourhoods in local action}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2005}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/communities_eiz_model.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }