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

The report outlines a proposed model for Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) in Winnipeg, designed to shift environmental action from a top-down municipal approach to a neighbourhood-level service delivery model. Based on a review of local precedents like Business Improvement Zones and international examples such as Montreal's Eco-quartiers, the report recommends that EIZs be established through multi-partite agreements between the City of Winnipeg, the Province of Manitoba, and Environment Canada. The proposed model suggests anchoring EIZs in existing community-based organizations, governed by neighbourhood steering committees, and focusing on service innovation and delivery rather than broad sustainability mandates. It provides a detailed implementation roadmap for 2005-2006, including the selection of five pilot neighbourhoods and the hiring of a dedicated coordinator.

• The proposed model recommends that EIZs in Winnipeg focus specifically 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 via a multi-partite project agreement between the City of Winnipeg, Environment Canada, and the Province of Manitoba for a minimum of five years, with a secretariat hosted by the City's Planning, Property and Development Department.
• The primary function of EIZs should be service-innovation and delivery at the neighbourhood level, with the goal of sharing lessons learned and making evidence-based policy recommendations as they gain experience.
• EIZs should be implemented at the neighbourhood level, though a single organization may request to manage multiple zones up to the scale of one Community Area.
• The model suggests that EIZs be coordinated by existing community-based organizations (CBOs) with related mandates, or by new registered organizations if no appropriate CBO exists.
• Anchor institutions must establish an EZ Zone steering committee composed of equal numbers of members elected at large, per neighbourhood, and from local organizations including businesses.
• Initial implementation should leverage the Province of Manitoba’s Climate Change Community Challenge (C4) Phase 2 to fund an EIZs Coordinator and select five pilot neighbourhoods.
• Access to neighbourhood-level environmental performance data from all three levels of government is deemed essential for EIZs to establish targets and demonstrate progress.
• Analysis of Montreal's Eco-quartier program suggests that using electoral districts rather than sociological neighbourhoods can limit innovation and fail to align with recognized community boundaries.
• The report identifies that Winnipeg has a history of innovative neighbourhood governance, such as Resident Advisory Groups (RAGs), but these often failed due to a lack of municipal support and resources.

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} }