On June 13th city councilors voted to recommend a “fair wage” policy for contracts over S1 million. Workers affected by this policy would likely be those in the construction trades. The policy is supported by Terry Dorgan, an agent of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 894, who believes the policy “promotes safety on the job, assures that you’re getting the most qualified people on the job and taxpayers will definitely get their money’s worth.”
Year: 2011
Home CETA: A hot topic at gathering of municipal leaders
At the recent FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) annual conference, nearly two thirds of municipal delegates voted to make CETA (The Canadian European Trade Agreement) a topic of debate. Although trade negotiations are not typically a part of FCM discussions, the parameters of CETA directly impact the ability of local governments to protect local procurement policies and local public services.
The Centre for Civic Governance comissioned a briefing from the CCPA’s Scott Sinclair on municipal procurement. It was presented at a dialogue session held during FCM.
“Municipal leaders at the Columbia Institute session energetically discussed strategies for putting the CETA issue back on the conference’s agenda. Meanwhile, a strong CUPE and labour contingent was organising inside the convention centre and outside local Council of Canadians activists were leafleting and talking to delegates about the CETA.”
Municipalities, Progressive Purchasing and the Canada EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), by Scott Sinclair
Vancouver plans for more mid-rise development
Many of Vancouver’s transit corridors are comprised of single family dwellings and low rise apartments, but as the city plans for population increases it is looking at mid-rise developments as a model for development. Unlike the downtown which is comprised of towers, 30 stories or more, city planners have settled on a 6-12 story model for key corridors such as Cambie Blvd. The goal is to keep neighborhoods intact and to provide housing of varying affordability and type, to increase retail space, childcare spaces and parks.
Read more at New Urban Network.
Patrick Condon – Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities from Centre for Civic Governance on Vimeo.
Edmonton may incorporate food security into neighbourhood planning
The City of Edmonton is looking at incorporating lands reserved for agriculture, as well as community and backyard food gardens, into its city planning. A huge demand for local produce combined with disappearing agricultural land has motivated the city to start looking at the long range picture, “There has to be a balance with how we are going to grow and how we are going to use our land,” said Edmonton Mayor, Stephen Mandel.
Read more in The Edmonton Sun.
Toronto councillors launch their own task forces and committees
Frustrated by Toronto Mayor, Rob Ford’s attempts to scrap 20 well-established citizen groups, several councilors are going ahead and forming their own committees and task forces so they can continue to address important civic issues from childcare to cycling infrastructure. Read more in the Toronto Star.
Wild weather hammers home case for green jobs
Written by Charley Beresford.
Read this story on The Tyee
Recent spring flooding across Canada, and the carnage wrought by tornadoes in the American Midwest, are terrifying reminders of the potential implications of climate change. Let’s face it, Mother Nature is mad as hell, and she’s not going to take it anymore. These dramatic climate events are a sign of what our planet is in for if we don’t clean up our act and dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions — fast.
So-called “green jobs” are also top of mind for many politicians at every level of government, and for good reason. With fisheries in decline, oil and gas becoming harder and more expensive to extract, pine beetles on the offensive in B.C. forests and energy prices increasing every day, Canadians know we no longer rely on traditional resource industries alone to fuel our economy.
Last week, municipal representatives from across Canada met in Halifax for the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference. Climate change — and how municipalities can prepare to deal with it — were a hot topic, and to help frame that conversation, the Columbia Institute released our study, This Green House — Building Fast Action on Climate Change and Green Jobs.
Financial innovations
The report examines the role Canadian municipalities can play in setting up financing programs for residential energy retrofits, whereby loans provided to homeowners by municipalities, financial institutions, utilities or other funders can be paid back gradually through small payments on property taxes or utility bills — removing a key financial barrier for many homeowners.
Loan payments can be made from energy bill savings, and because municipalities are providing loans — not grants — to homeowners, there is no net cost to municipalities and their ratepayers.
In 2008, heating, cooling and electricity use in buildings accounted for 28 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy use. Our research shows that modest investments in energy conservation in homes can save Canadian homeowners thousands of dollars, and dramatically and rapidly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada. With energy efficiency retrofits, Canadian homeowners have earned average energy savings of between 26 and 35 per cent per home.
And that’s not all. Energy efficiency retrofits create 20 jobs — green jobs — for each $1 million invested, compared with the oil and gas industry in Canada, which creates only 5.2 jobs for each $1 million invested. Clearly, energy efficiency retrofits don’t just make good environmental sense — they make good economic sense, too.
Save money in the long run
So what’s the bottom line? At current energy prices, a homeowner can double their return — over $12,000 on an average $6,000 investment in energy efficiency over 25 years — by making simple changes like upgrading hot water tanks, home heating and cooling systems, and improving weatherization and insulation of homes. With energy prices going up every year, the savings to homeowners will increase even more over time.
A small investment in one’s home — supported with loans provided at the municipal level — will give homeowners significant energy savings that they can take to the bank. Successful programs in San Francisco, Portland and Colorado — along with similar projects underway Winnipeg and Halifax — show that these programs are both affordable and effective.
The concept of municipal financing of energy efficiency retrofits is gaining momentum across Canada — with support from city councillors like Andrea Reimer in Vancouver, Charlie Clark in Saskatoon and Shelley Carroll in Toronto. In fact, the Vancouver City Council just approved an energy efficiency retrofit pilot project for Vancouver homeowners last week.
The next step is getting the regulatory changes necessary to make these kinds of partnerships possible in communities across Canada — municipalities need the support of their provincial governments to establish municipal retrofit financing mechanisms
A modest investment in energy conservation will save homeowners thousands over time — and save the environment at the same time. The time for action is now.
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT: This Green House: Building Fast Action for Climate Change and Green Jobs
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Canada releases emissions report
Environment Canada has just released an Executive Summary of the 1990-2009 National Inventory Report, the Canadian Government’s 2011 Submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Find the report here.
BC School Boards receive fresh blow from the Ministry of Education
Last Friday the Ministry of Education informed school boards that they are now responsible for paying property insurance premiums. This carves a significant amount of money out of already stretched school board budgets. Vancouver’s school board will have to pay the highest premiums at $291,285.27, amounting to significant cuts to school programs and staff. Read more in The Tyee.
Students support a policy to create safety and respect for LGBTQs
The Burnaby school district has drafted a policy, No. 5.45, to support students and employees who are (or are assumed to be) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit or queer (LGBTQ). While the policy is being met with protest from some parents and church groups, students are overwhelmingly in favour of the policy.
Read more in the Burnaby Now.
Read the draft policy here.
City of Surrey uses multiple approaches to combat crime
During the past four years the city of Surrey has greatly reduced criminal activity by employing a variety of strategies: increasing police presence at hotspots for crime, creating more affordable housing, neighbourhood beautification and increasing community and school programs for youth. Surrey’s innovative crime reduction program is the result of “community partnerships, innovative programs and public involvement.”
Read more on the city’s website.