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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A national magazine has named Yellowknife one of the top nine "greenest cities of tomorrow."

Yellowknife had the smallest population on the list, which included Vancouver, Toronto, Okotoks, Greater Sudbury, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Halifax.

April Robinson/NNSL photo Allice Legat, left, and Karin Clark cross 50 Street after work Friday afternoon. Yellowknife's compact size, which makes it easier to walk or cycle, helped it make the "greenest cities of tomorrow" list in the spring issue of Green Living magazine. - April Robinson/NNSL photo

"There was a surprising consensus among experts," said Lindsay Borthwick, editor of Green Living magazine. The issue was distributed in the April 15 issue of the Globe and Mail.

"We wanted to really look at all corners of the country, and consider all the really unique features particular to these cities."

The magazine dubs Yellowknife as Canada's geo-thermal energy hot spot. The city's plan to use geothermal energy from the Con Mine to heat up to 2,000 homes grabbed the attention of environmental experts, Borthwick said.

Yellowknife's Community Energy Plan, strict building codes, green space, anti-sprawl planning, and programs to promote walking, cycling and transit were also highlighted in the magazine.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said he wasn't surprised Yellowknife made the list.

But the magazine failed to point out Yellowknifers use more wood pellet boiler heating systems than anywhere in Canada, he said.

Pellets, which are used to heat such buildings as the Bison Estates apartments, Sir John Franklin High School, and the Yellowknife Community Arena, curling club and pool. Wood pellet heating is considered greenhouse gas-neutral.

"We've increased our targets in the Community Energy Plan, and we're probably going to increase them again," he said.

Per-person greenhouse gas emissions in the city are nearly twice the national average, but the magazine points out it's partly because so much energy is required for heating during a longer part of the year.

"So it only makes sense to take the next step and making housing more efficient," Van Tighem said.

Within three years, all new homes will be required to be built with the EnerGuide 80 standard.

Van Tighem said part of the city's green appeal is inherited.

As a compact city, it's easy to walk, cycle or drive short distances to work.

The geothermal study on extracting heat from the old Con Mine is in its third phase, with a report expected by July.

It's these kind of initiatives that hint at a greener future for Canadians, Borthwick said.

"In this day and age, most citizens would see it as irresponsible not to take action," she said.

"Canadians are not looking good on the world stage."

So they are looking for leadership from all levels of government to make positive changes.

But the environment is tough to ignore in Northern communities, Van Tighem said.

"It's always something you're talking about. We're in a subarctic, cold climate, and fuel costs add up."