The local Environment Network hosted The Natural Step Canada in training a group of 15 people from local businesses, organizations and the municipality of Collingwood, Ontario.

The intent was to provide participants with a shared understanding and common language of sustainability so they could identify initiatives to overcome current and future sustainability challenges in a collaborative, strategic and systematic way.

With a common understanding and language of sustainability, participants will apply a systematic approach to evaluate programs, operations and policies using sustainability principles.  The Natural Step Framework provides a context for making decisions and prioritizing the most strategic actions are in the short, medium and long-term.

One outcome of this project has been a proposed “Georgian Basin Sustainability Plan,” as well as a Carbon plan for The Town of Blue Mountain.