Comparing Neighbourhoods for Sustainable Features

Thinking of moving to a different home?

This guide can help you compare neighbourhoods for certain aspects of affordability, livability and the environment.

Baldwin Street neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario

A neighbourhood with sustainable features is one that meets your needs while protecting the environment and leaving an affordable legacy. This type of neighbourhood offers homes that are located near shops, schools, recreation, work and other daily destinations. Like a village, these places are a pleasant, convenient and safe walk, cycle or bus ride from home. This helps you reduce driving costs and enjoy the health benefits of walking and cycling. Land and services, like roads, are used efficiently. Old or new, they also feature a choice of homes that you can afford.

How do real neighbourhoods compare?

Bois-Franc, Montréal, Quebec

A CMHC study compares six types of neighbourhoods in five Canadian cities for:

• How close are the homes to schools, jobs and other daily destinations, so people can choose how to get there (for example by walking, biking or using public transit)?
• Do people get by with fewer cars or do they drive less, which can save money?
• Monthly costs to rent or own a home.
• How many rooms are there in the homes?
• Do people reduce greenhouse gas emissions by driving less?
• Is there a range of housing choices available, so people can remain in the neighbourhood as their needs change?

Select the city that interests you:

Vancouver

Calgary

Toronto

Ottawa

Montréal

Features that make a neighbourhood more sustainable

• Cornell, Markham, Ontario

  A village atmosphere
• Value for money
• A place where you can make your daily trips on foot, bike or bus
• A safe neighbourhood
• A neighbourhood you can stay in
• A green neighbourhood that preserves the countryside
• A healthy place to live in
• A place that keeps freshwater clean