There is such a thing as being too far in front. That is the problem with a proposal before the city's planning committee today to require a "green roof" for every new Toronto building beyond a certain size.
If this measure is approved, Toronto would be the first city in North America with a bylaw requiring green roofs and establishing construction standards for them.
Environmentalists value these roofs for their ability to keep buildings cool in summer, absorb rainwater, and reduce the urban "heat island effect" that results from vast expanses of asphalt. Several American cities have programs promoting green roofs. But they rely on incentives, such as grants and tax abatements, rather than mandatory regulations.
Toronto already has its own green roof incentive program, approved by city council just last November. It provides grants of up to $100,000 for eligible projects. But the program is tailored for the retrofitting of existing buildings. New buildings are eligible for the grants, but only for one year. After that, the incentive disappears.
Given the success of incentive programs south of the border, it behooves council to allow the existing Toronto program to operate for longer, gauge its success, and perhaps enrich it, before jumping to rules making green roofs mandatory.
In other words, it would be wiser to offer skeptical developers a carrot rather than a stick.
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