The City of Canada Bay has won the highest honour at the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW 2021 Sustainable Cities Awards.

The awards, held on Thursday at the Q Station in Manly, recognise and celebrate positive actions taken by councils and the community to protect and enhance their local environments.

Since 1994, it has recognised a variety of initiatives in recycling, litter prevention, protection of the environment and preservation of heritage and indigenous culture.

Val Southam, KAB NSW CEO, said the awards instil optimism and highlight positive outcomes during times of hardship.

The City of Canada Bay took home the Overall 2021 Sustainable Cities Award and it is the third time the City has won this award.

“This year’s Overall winner, City of Canada Bay, has set new benchmarks for sustainability, especially in engaging and empowering community to work collaboratively with Council to enhance the entire Canada Bay Local Government Area,” Ms Southam said in a statement.

Peter Clark, a judge at the awards, said the City delivered a range of range of diverse programs that actively engaged the community.

“These programs enable Council to effectively manage the myriad of sustainability and environmental challenges for decades to come,” Mr Clark said in a statement.

“Through its excellent initiatives and programs, City of Canada Bay continues to showcase the importance of communities and Council working collaboratively to achieve common goals and connections across diverse and important range of issues.”

“This year’s Overall winner, City of Canada Bay, has set new benchmarks for sustainability.” – Val Southam, KAB NSW CEO

Angelo Tsirekas, Mayor of City of Canada Bay, would like the City to lead by example when it comes to caring for the natural environment.

“It is great to be recognised for our innovation and hard work in this area, and it shows a strong organisation-wide effort, great collaboration and a resolve to keep improving and enhancing our services for the community,” he said in a statement.

“We remain committed to tackling climate change, reducing our emissions and enhancing the urban canopy and biodiversity in our local area, and we look forward to working with other councils on this important journey.”

Other notable wins at the awards include Randwick City Council and Strathfield Municipal Council for winning awards in multiple categories.

Main image: Mayor Angelo Tsirekas and General Manager John Clark with the sustainability team (Image supplied by City of Canada Bay)