Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Goal 11 takes interest into city and community improvements. It recognizes struggles of rapid urbanization through worsening air pollution, inadequate infrastructure, and inaccessible services in communities. Adapting to change with adjustments to new norms is necessary to achieving this goal and demonstration of change can be seen in successful strategies to contain and lower the cases of COVID-19 in communities.
Taking Action
Initiatives at Brock University
UNESCO Chair
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair on community sustainability at Brock collaborates on initiatives to strengthen sustainable science and build upon its practical transformation to society. The mandate focuses on sustainable agriculture from the community’s natural resource management in China, Africa, and Ecuador, with a passion to empower women.
The Prudhommes Project
The Prudhommes Project involves the Town of Lincoln, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, and Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, in a five-year partnership to help build resilient reliable communities.
Brock Lincoln Living Lab 
The Brock Lincoln Living Lab is a partnership that involves Brock University and the town of Lincoln. The partnership has been set to last five years to conduct assessments, prioritize objectives, and promote engagement in communities.
Aboriginal Education Council
Brock’s Aboriginal Education Council was founded in 2000 and works closely to collaborate the importance of friendship now and in the future. Brock University is aware that the land it is own is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. Remembering the land, we are on allows us to see the importance of our friendship for quality standard living in relation to the resources we need. They have partnered with the Anishinabek Education Institute, Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre, Grand River Employment and Training, and Grand River Post-Secondary Office.
Niagara Community Observatory
The Niagara Community Observatory provides partnerships to organizations in the Niagara community to accelerate evidence-based policy and decision making of current and emerging issues. It values the essential need for partnerships to be utilized to gain research in Niagara Region’s workplace planning, population, income, and future outlooks.
Conservation Area Passes
To make the beauty of nature more inclusive and accessible to students, the Brock Library and Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority have partnered together to offer NaturePlus membership passes for students to loan. The pass includes access to daily admission for one vehicle and all its occupants to sites like Ball’s Falls, Binbrook, Chippawa Creek and Long Beach.
Initiatives in the Niagara Region
Emergency Management Program
The Niagara region has devised an Emergency Management Program to address hazards in Niagara, promote public awareness, and discuss evacuation and shelter resources in communities. They focus on natural disasters and how to handle them as well as provides latest information on the corona virus.
Community Safety Zones
Niagara Region is implementing more community safety zones to prevent distracted drivers and reduce speed limits. It also looks at areas of prioritized concern to provide safety on the roads.
Niagara Regional Native Centre
The Niagara Regional Native Centre through Niagara Knowledge Exchange aims to promote awareness of Indigenous culture within the community and to intergrade respectful relationships of mutual understanding.
Niagara Region Transit
A newly combined transit system will connect Niagara under one transit operator. The Niagara Region Transit system combines Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland, and Fort Erie to make transit more accessible across Niagara.
Individual Actions
People everywhere can celebrate their culture and learn from people all around. Accepting and acknowledging those around us lead to better relationships and communities. Knowledge and collaboration with indigenous peoples are key factors to protect land and heritage that is needed to move towards a more sustainable future.
- Start using more sustainable transportation methods like biking, public transit, or carpooling.
- Know your neighbourhood and shop at facilities around it.
- Use solar energy and encourage others to do so too.
- Start a garden to create urban gardening in your community.
- Only flush toilet paper, all other products can cause issues on pipes, water contamination, and environmental health
- Encourage sport and recreation facilities in the community to build healthier and happier members.
- Educate yourself about the community you live in. Learn of its culture and natural heritage.
- Reach out to underprivileged locations and look to understand the faults in current systems to improve on while integrating them into decision making process.
- Advocate for sustainable change in your city and elect representatives who stand by sustainable practice.
