FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2013
BC MAYORS CALL FOR GREATER ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
VANCOUVER – The BC Mayors Climate Leadership Council is calling on the Provincial and Federal Governments to show visible leadership on climate change. The call comes as local government elected officials gather in Vancouver for their annual conference (UBCM AGM).
“A number of years ago the Province took significant steps to address climate change and since then we have seen dramatic change at the community level but we have to keep that momentum going,” says BCMCLC Chair Richard Walton, Mayor of the District of North Vancouver. “Now is not the time to pause and reflect but rather it’s time for the Province to show visible leadership in developing stronger policies that reduce carbon emissions and provide even greater tools to help local governments address climate change.”
The group, which includes representatives from each region of the province and with very different political philosophies, have jointly endorsed the Carbon Tax in British Columbia saying that while the nuances of the tax can be argued with respect to its impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, there can be no question that the general policy direction has resulted in momentum at the local government level to address climate change.
The BCMCLC has also endorsed three resolutions on Climate Change that will be put before the delegates at the UBCM Convention later this week. The first is from the City of Richmond and calls on the federal government to work with UBCM and FCM to develop a new energy strategy prioritizing green-sector jobs and clean-energy innovation. The second resolution that got the nod from the BCMCLC is from the City of Vancouver and calls on the Province to create and support a bold Green Jobs Plan for British Columbia.
The final resolution that got the support from the BCMCLC is from the City of Vernon that calls on the provincial government that the provincial tax on fuel sales be increased $0.001 and that the entirety of the proposed increase be allocated to local governments on a per capita basis for infrastructure improvements for active transportation.
BACKGROUND
The BC Mayors Climate Leadership Council was formed four years ago to recognize and support local government leaders who are taking action to address climate change in their communities. The elected representatives must have made a commitment to climate action while the communities they represent must have a proven track record of action to reduce greenhouse gas emission while focusing on creating more sustainable communities.
The Community Energy Association of BC continues to act as secretariat for the BCMCLC which among other things has conducted local government workshops around the province recognizing and encouraging greater climate action at the community level.
The current members of the BCMCLC include:
Mayor Richard Walton, (Chair) District of North Vancouver
Mayor Gregor Robertson, City of Vancouver
Mayor Darrell Mussatto, City of North Vancouver
Mayor Dean Fortin, City of Victoria
Mayor Lawrence Chernoff, City of Castlegar
Mayor Luke Strimbold, Village of Burns Lake
Also participating in the BCMCLC meeting at the 2013 UBCM:
· Andrea Reimer, Councillor City of Vancouver
· Cheryl Shuman, Councillor City of Dawson Creek
· Judith Cullington, Councillor City of Colwood
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
BCMCLC, Chair
Mayor Richard Walton
District of North Vancouver
Email: waltonr@dnv.org
C: 604 240-7721
