The Vancouver School Board says it’s getting ready to lay off dozens of staff, close at least one school, and shorten the school year by 10 days, citing an $18.1-million deficit it blames on the provincial government. Provincial funding for schools has failed to keep pace with rising labor costs and mandated energy -efficiency retrofits for buildings. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
The City of Richmond has finalized a 3-year agreement with the Richmond Food Security Society, providing the group with a $15,000 grant to maintain the city’s four commuity gardens. The region has recently seen a surge in the popularity of community gardening, city farms, and food security. Read the full story in The Vancouver Sun.
Vancouver City Council adds its name to the list of over 300 North American cities that have amended their by-laws to allow for backyard chickens. The enthusiasm for backyard chickens stem from issues of sustainability, food security, and consumption of locally grown food. Read the full story in CTV News.
As urban populations grow at a rapid rate, communities around the world are turning to city agriculture to produce cheap, locally grown produce. City farms provide nutritional benefits and bring communities together. China, Japan and Cuba have successfully run city farms for decades, and the idea is growing popular in the U.K., Africa and North America. Read the full story in CNN World.
Dawson Creek will soon begin construction on a new wastewater treatment plant that will enhance the quality of 400,00 cubic metres of sewage per day so that it is useable by the oil and gas industry. The cleaner wastewater can then be use by the oil and gas industry, thereby reducing water use and transportation costs. Shell Canada agreed to pay for the construction. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
Ontario will soon have the highest electicity prices in Canada, as residents will see a 25% increase in their electricity bills by the end of 2011, and more increases will come by 2012. These increased rates will stem from new wind, solar and biomass energy projects that are expected to provide cleaner air and a new economic future. BEC Green has compiled some tips for reducing your energy costs. Read them here.
The City of North Vancouver’s "100 Year Sustainability Vision" highlights what is likely one of the first attempts to use greenhouse gas reduction targets as part of the long-term design of a city. The project looks at North Vancouver’s expected growth, and aims to increase residential and job density while maintaining aesthetic appeal. Read the full article in the Terrain.org Blog.
Ontario’s government raised minimum wage by 75 cents, to $10.25 an hour. This is now the highest minimum in Canada, and far surpasses BC’s $8 minimum. Average wages have grown 4% in the last 3 years, which is the best wage performance for Canadian workers since the 1970s. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
On October 2, 2009, Gordon Campbell announced the creation of the Local Government Elections Task Force to make recommendations for legislative changes intended to improve the electoral process for local government elections across the province. Read more about the Task Force here.
The federal government is cutting funding to Industry Canada’s “Community Access Program”, which helps hundreds of community groups and hospitals provide free internet access. Rural areas will be the most affected by new funding criteria, and some argue a divide will be created between rural and urban communities across the country. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
The District of Tofino is currently drafting a by-law that would ban franchises from setting up shop in the district. The legislation aims to protects the uniqueness of the community. Read more here.