Council moves forward with climate change strategy

By a vote of 4-2, council supported an application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation Initiative to assist in the creation of a comprehensive climate change strategy for Kawartha Lakes.
If successful, the city will receive $105,000 that will help Kawartha Lakes pay for the preparation, creation and implementation of the strategy. Some on council were unsure if this was a good use of city staffs’ time, wanted more clarification of the city’s use of the word comprehensive and questioned whether the document would be a positive or negative for the city moving forward.
In a report on the possible grant application, prepared by Jenna Stephens, a planning officer responsible for environmental policy, council heard that the FCM offers a wide variety of funding opportunities for municipalities.
“One program in particular,” Stephens said, “the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) provides funding for all stages of environmentally friendly projects, from plans and feasibility studies to pilots and capital projects.”
“To date, Kawartha Lakes has received funding for four projects through the GMF,” Stephens said, “most recently the project studying the feasibility of a net-zero cultural centre in Kawartha Lakes.”
Stephens told council that in 2024 the FCM was accepting applications for climate-ready plans and processes to fund the development of climate adaption plans, climate-focused asset management strategies, community-wide risk assessments and capacity-building initiatives.
“After speaking with staff from the FCM, it was determined that the city qualifies for this funding stream for the creation of the climate change strategy, resulting in staff preparing an application,” Stephens said.
Stephens said that the FCM would cover up to 60 per cent of the $150,000 budget set aside by Kawartha Lakes in the 2025 city budget to produce a climate change study. All that is needed is council’s approval and the paperwork would be submitted.
Councillors Ron Ashmore and Emmett Yeo had questions about the climate strategy document.
Ashmore wondered if the creation of this document, requiring the labour of four different planners to bring to fruition, would in anyway interfere with existing applications before the city not being approved in a timely manner.
Leah Barrie, director of development services, appreciated Ashmore’s concerns about her department’s “precarious staffing.”
“Staff who would be involved with this project are not involved in on-going application reviews,” Barrie said. “Planning has staff who are dedicated to working on the climate change review.”
Yeo did not have a problem with the city applying for the partial grant from the FCM to help cover the cost of the city’s climate change strategy, but instead needed some clarification on the term comprehensive that is attached to the document.
“What does that mean?” Yeo asked.
Barrie responded that the term was used because it is the wording used in the application, but to her comprehensive means that the city “would be broad with their approach and thorough” in preparing their strategy.
Yeo said he hoped comprehensive was a term being used to indicate “more inclusion” perhaps in creation of the strategy rather than a “trick word” that would be problematic at a later date.
Ashmore added that he was still uncomfortable with the possibility of the strategy adding “more paperwork and costing more time” for residents in Kawartha Lakes.
Mayor Doug Elmslie was last to speak urging council to support the grant application process as the city is going to spend money in 2025 regardless preparing the climate strategy and “it would be nice to get the grant.”
Is this a joke ? Is it April 1st already ?
When you look at what’s happened to Lindsay in the past 40 years, I’d say we have reached, and surpassed, the goals of the left wing ‘environmentalists’ ….. all manufacturing has been wiped out, home prices/rentals are sky high, everyday items at the grocery stores are too expensive, there are more homeless/drug addicts than ever, and seniors, (the ones that caused this ‘climate catastrophe’ , according to the young leftys) living on fixed incomes, can barely survive. Mission accomplished. Lindsay is a great example for the rest of Canada, and the west, to follow. Why only spend a measly 100grand on a ‘climate change strategy’ here in Lindsay? Can’t we dig up a few million dollars of tax payer money to throw at this ? God knows , we have no other issues to deal with. Remember, China, India, all of Africa , South America and the good ole USA are all relying on Lindsay for guidance on these global issues.
I am a resident of Janetville and an expert on climate change. You can see my credentials on Wikipedia at Alan R. Emery. I would be happy to assist for free to provide expert advice on what changes to expect and how to adapt as a community.
Alan Emery, PhD
How about opening a conversation regarding urbanizing our farmland, DESTROYING our “culture”….agriculture. Problem with our modern day “social engineers and wordsmiths” .. they speak out of both sides of their mouths and our youth..they are so used to this duplicity….they recognize it not!
Alan Emery — you ever thought about going to China or India to give them some ‘expert advice’ ?
Hey, I’ve got an idea.
Instead of spending $105,000 on a study, how about investing that money in an EV Quick Charging Station at Kawartha Lakes Police Service which would then allows KLPS to start converting their gasoline powered fleet to EVs as they buy new vehicles.
Police vehicles are well used, sometimes up to 24 hours per day with multiple shifts, and with a lot of engine idling. Once the high speed charging system is installed, the barrier to adopting EVs would be removed. The higher purchase cost of the EV is typically offset by the fuel savings over it’s lifetime, and Ontario has relatively clean electricity with 86% not contributing to Greenhouse Gases.(53% Nuclear / 25% Hydro-Electric / 8% Wind / 13% Hydrocarbon / 2% Biofuel/Solar)
Randy Neals——The KLPS, Ontario and federal governments should all create websites that people like you can go to, submit your banking info, and have money withdrawn from your bank account on a regular basis, to fund great ideas like switching all police cars to EVs and installing charging stations all over Ontario and Canada. Lets see how many people , like you, would donate. (I’m betting the KLPS, Ontario and federal govs wouldn’t receive a dime) .