Business, Economics, Education, Entrepreneurs,
Environment, Science and Technology
|
|
|
|
____________________
Environment - Action Plan
City of Kitchener Committee approves LEAF criteria, operating principles
KITCHENER - Keeping the public's environmental priorities in mind, earlier today the city's development and technical services committee supported a set of operating guidelines for the Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF).
The guidelines focus on reducing, or repairing, Kitchener's impact on the environment through the reduction of greenhouse gases and the enhancement of the community's ability to live sustainably into the future.
''I have always said that that a healthy environment starts at the local level; and if we are going to achieve any real progress on the environment, we need to make long-term investments. LEAF is that long-term investment,'' said Mayor Carl Zehr, who introduced the idea of creating the environmental fund in his inaugural address in 2006.
In April 2007, city council approved the $5 million LEAF and directed staff to develop criteria for the fund based on public input obtained as part of the update to the council-adopted Strategic Plan for the Environment, which will set out strategy to address the environmental priorities of the citizens of Kitchener.
Last December, the city held public workshops to engage citizens in the update of its Strategic Plan for the Environment, and seek their input on the criteria and operating characteristics of LEAF. Approximately 100 citizens participated. In addition, at the February 2008 meeting of the city's environment committee, the operating framework was considered and supported.
According to the fund's operating principles, projects or programs supported by LEAF should:
Contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases produced by the city's own operations and/or the community at large; and
Increase public awareness of the environmental impact of the behaviours of municipal governments, communities, businesses, families and individuals, and promote changed behaviour at the local level.
Every project or program funded by LEAF should also accomplish one or more of the following:
Contribute to enhanced local air quality
Result in reduced energy use, increased energy efficiency, increased use of alternative energy sources
Increase city ownership of significant natural lands where other techniques for acquisition have not succeeded
Provide capital enhancements to city-owned and managed natural lands over and above what would occur as part of normal city procedures
Facilitate capital improvements that will make existing communities more complete and residents of those communities less dependent on the automobile
''I think it's very important that we've restricted our focus to projects and programs that will have a direct impact on our local environment,'' said Councillor Berry Vrbanovic, co-chair of the city's environment committee. ''That way we can ensure a great deal of care and attention is focused in these areas - as opposed to spreading the funding too thin. And it also allows us to get more bang for our buck.''
The success of LEAF can be measured through the city meeting its commitments to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Partners for Climate Protection. The City of Kitchener became a member of this program in 1998.
The city believes the existing 5-Milestone Framework, established by Partners for Climate Protection, can track measurable outcomes that the community cares about and supports.
The five milestones are:
Creating a greenhouse-gas emissions inventory and forecast
Setting an emissions reduction plan
Developing a local action plan
Implementing the local action plan or a set of activities; and
Monitoring progress and reporting results
''The five milestones are great benchmarks to have in place when it comes to deciding which initiatives the city should support through LEAF,'' said Councillor Christina Weylie, chair of the development and technical services committee. ''And it's a good way for us to keep track of, and celebrate, our own progress.''
|
|
|
| © Copyright 2008/Exchange Morning Post/Exchange Business Communications Inc. |
