About SCI

The Sustainable Cities Initiative is a Canadian partnership aimed at enhancing the sustainability of economic development in cities, and helping citizens improve their quality of life without compromising their future.

During the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Prime Minister of Canada announced the expansion of the Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) into 17 cities around the world. Over the next two years, the SCI will work to establish a presence in Africa, Asia, South America and Eastern Europe.

With over 50 per cent of the world’s population currently living in cities, and developing countries expected to account for 93 per cent of urban growth over the next 25 years, undertakings like the SCI are of significant importance. Ensuring sustainable urban growth in the developing world is crucial in enhancing the quality of life of citizens.

An innovative partnership between the Government of Canada, non-government organizations (NGOs) and the private sector to pursue sustainable economic development, the SCI’s main areas of focus are all priority areas for sustainable urban development: clean water, waste management, clean energy, transportation, housing, capacity-building, urban planning, telecommunications, urban infrastructure projects, and port development.

By partnering with cities in developing and emerging economies, the SCI helps cities meet their quality of life and sustainable development objectives. Multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder City Teams (Canadian private sector, government and NGOs) combine forces and resources with local authorities to develop and implement city sustainable development plans.

Led by Industry Canada, the SCI has been a success from the outset, and has proven to be an innovative partnership formula bringing together, over 1500 representatives from the private sector, NGOs, and government (federal, provincial and municipal) from Canada, as well as similar participation from the SCI partner cities. The Canadian and local partners work together to prepare a Roadmap for each city defining a vision for the future and targeted initiatives in service of urban sustainability.

By showcasing Canada’s expertise in sustainable development, technologies and services, the SCI demonstrates the important role the private sector can play in reducing poverty, enhancing quality of life and promoting the principles of good governance.

The SCI is active in sixteen sustainable cities - Salvador and Porto Alegre (Brazil), Qingdao (China), Katowice (Poland), San José (Costa Rica), Córdoba (Argentina), Durban (South Africa), Valparaíso/ViZa del Mar (Chile), Algiers (Algeria), Dakar (Senegal), Matamoros/Reynosa (Mexico), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Sula Valley (Honduras), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), and Bucharest (Romania).

SCI partner cities are identified based on a consultation process with Industry Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), other government agencies, the private sector, NGOs and the candidate cities.

The SCI was established in 1999 by the Government of Canada as a pilot project following recommendations from the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE), an independent advisory body that provides advice and recommendations for promoting sustainable development.