MOUNT DENNIS ECO-NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE

WHO WE ARE

The MDeNI team is made up of the MDCA, local service providers, the TRCA, and city-wide partners. Of this multi-layered team, we meet with planning agencies, developers, relevant City of Toronto departments, Mount Dennis residents, and Indigenous advisors to better inform our work. 

Vision

To embody sustainability at a community scale by addressing the priority areas of: environment and infrastructure, livability, equity, health, and prosperity.

Objective

The Mount Dennis Eco-Neighbourhood Project looks to answer the question of how can people in a highly diverse and historically disadvantaged community be empowered to create the conditions for establishing a sustainable neighbourhood.

An integrated planning and implementation process will aim to reverse factors that contribute to a changing climate, while regenerating environmental health, building local resilience and promoting an inclusive green economy.

Guiding Principles:
  • a collaborative project with ongoing participation from residents, businesses, all levels of government, policy makers, property owners, and not-for profits
  • integrate, build-on, and enhance existing community, city and regional initiatives, programs and priorities
  • include strategies that leverage cross-sector collaboration and address multiple priority areas: environment and infrastructure, livability, equity, health, and prosperity
  • encourage ongoing community based stewardship, evaluation, and reporting 
TIMELINE AND MILESTONES
1970s-2014
Before the MDeNI

Before the launch of the MDeNI project, the MDCA acted as a community engagement representative for Mount Dennis in many consultations and planning frameworks in regards to community improvements and sustainability. By maintaining a relationship with local politicians and the community, the MDCA has played a large role in preserving Mount Dennis's distinct culture heritage as a green neighbourhood. Some of many examples include saving the Kodak building from being torn down, and providing alternative green solutions to development projects. 

2014
Preliminary Work

The concept of "EcoNeighbourhoods" is an integrated social, economic, and environmental community development approach to addressing sustainability at neighbourhood level, based upon the international EcoDistricts model.

 In 2014, Canada Green Building Council Advisor Wayne Olsen set up a Toronto reference group to identify a pilot area and Mount Dennis was recognized. After various stages of showcases at public meetings, Neighbourhood Action Plan (NAP) and TransformTO consultations, meetings to align various municipal and TRCA planning systems, the MDeNI project came to fruition. MDeNI served as a way to focus the MDCA's environmental efforts into a robust strategy.

2015-2016
Launch

After engaging NAP members, community residents and agencies through preliminary project team steering meetings, engaging system planning authorities at the City of Toronto and Toronto Region Conservation authority, the MDeNI was able to gain larger support and buy-in. The MDeNI went on to apply and receive funding from the Toronto Region and Conservation Foundation to deepen community engagement and implementation.

2017
Recognitions and Community Open House

In 2017, the City of Toronto designated Mount Dennis as a pilot net-zero energy neighbourhood. In April, the MDeNI team presented its vision for what a net-zero neighbourhood could look like, sharing ideas for a greener and equitable Mount Dennis at an open house to residents, local politicians, and partners. Attendees were able to share questions and feedback about the project.

2020
Climate Action Summit

Before the launch of the MDeNI project, the MDCA acted as a community engagement representative for Mount Dennis in many consultations and planning frameworks in regards to community improvements and sustainability. By maintaining a relationship with local politicians and the community, the MDCA has played a large role in preserving Mount Dennis's distinct culture heritage as a green neighborhood. Some of many examples include saving the Kodak building from being torn down, and providing alternative green solutions to development projects.