The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide - Democrats Against UN ...

The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide
appropriate, provides access for all citizens of Hamilton-Wentworth.” Proposed indicators included:
• total area protected as a percentage of all Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs). Target: 100 percent;
• total kilometers of linked public walking/biking trails. Target: Greenlands policy;
• an indicator of species diversity. Indicator species and targets would be determined with the Hamilton Region
Conservation Authority (HRCA), Naturalists’ Club, and the Remedial Action Plan;
• participation in environmental education programs run by the Naturalists’ Club, school boards, and other
relevant groups; and
• number of visitors to conservation areas in the Region.
Another example of an area to be considered for indicators is personal health and well-being. The objectives for this category
include the following:
• to increase the number of years of good health for all citizens by reducing illness, disability, and premature death;
• to develop cultural institutions that reflect our historical development and to encourage contributions from our
increasingly diverse population;
• to ensure that all levels of government are coordinated, efficient, effective, and easily accessible to all citizens; and
• to develop a population that is literate, educated, possesses the skills of lifelong learning, and supports the concept
of sustainable development.
Proposed indicators included:
• regional adult literacy rate. Goal: 100 percent;
• indicators of the state of children and youth in Hamilton-Wentworth. Could include indicators such as the
percentage of babies born to mothers under 20 years of age; the percentage of children participating in regional
nutrition programs; or the percentage of children living below the poverty line;
• percentage of the adult population living above the poverty line (or adequate budget levels developed by SPRC);
• the availability of affordable housing (waiting lists, waiting time, etc.);
• percentage of the regional health budget spent on health promotion and disease prevention;
• indicator of voluntarism, such as rates of participation, hours contributed, etc.; and
• percentage of the adult population with a library card/per capita.
Once the Indicator Project Team had developed a list of possible indicators for each of the 11 areas, a community consultation
process was developed for further discussion and modification of the indicators.
Citizens and Indicators
Public input has been an essential component in the development of community indicators for Hamilton-Wentworth. The aim is to
encourage broad-based participation from across the Region and its different sectors so that the selection of indicators may be
understandable, realistic, motivational, and credible in the eyes of the entire community. Community discussion was sought to
provide insight on indicators as a means to motivate personal action. Citizens are asked in focus groups if indicator results will
create a change in their own lifestyle choices.
The community consultation process included focus groups, a youth seminar, and working groups. This process was used to reduce
the number of indicators to between 30 and 40. Once the indicators were finalized, a process was developed for monitoring the
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