City of Powell River will be receiving $120,000 in federal/provincial funding to supplement the salary of a new sustainability planner position. It is one of only two communities in BC to receive the funds.
The city had previously allocated $30,000 for its portion of the funding for the two-year staff position from the Community Works (Gas Tax) Fund.
“I am thrilled that we are one of only two communities in BC to be awarded this grant,” stated city councillor and chair of the sustainability committee CaroleAnn Leishman in a media release. “The city has a number of plans and assessments we have been working through to try and lower our carbon emissions for our corporate operations and these initiatives will also lower our operating and utility costs in a lot of cases. We need staff resources to accomplish this work.”
The city adopted its Integrated Community Sustainability Plan in 2015, a lighting audit was done in 2014/15, an emissions plan still has several actions outstanding and a Carbon Neutral Action Plan is in place.
“We have a lot of actions on the book, and a new staff person will help us implement greenhouse gas emission reduction actions and integrate existing action plans into the municipal decision-making process,” stated city director of planning services Thomas Knight.
A recent report from sustainability consultant Anastasia Lukyanova shows Powell River has opportunities to improve on energy efficiency and reduce carbon emission levels. Emissions from all city operated buildings, fleet and equipment in 2017 was 1,923 tonnes, and cost the city $1,662,442.
The new staff planning person will be hired to help coordinate the city’s activities in addressing climate change and, according to the media release, will work on specific municipal initiatives focused on greenhouse gas emission reductions and help initiate energy-efficiency upgrades to civic facilities, including Powell River Recreation Complex, which costs Powell River taxpayers $338,000 annually in energy inefficiencies.
Leishman stated the city has a duty to provide leadership and show that it takes the threat of climate change seriously by looking at its own emissions and solutions. She added that the ability to be bold and innovative in the city’s approach to facing climate change can boost the economy and create new job sectors in Powell River.
Sustainability improvements across Canada have saved municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“We need to start looking at our 100-year plan for the community and where we want to go,” said Leishman, “so we leave this a better place for the next generations.”
