|
 |
Home > News and events > Newsletters > >
 |
 |
|
The small stand tall: leading the charge on climate protection
The FCM–ICLEI Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program is a network of Canadian municipal governments — large and small — that have committed to reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) and acting on climate change. Small and rural municipalities dominate membership in the PCP program: about 66 per cent of member municipalities have populations under 50,000, and about half of those have populations under 10,000. Small communities are clearly doing their part!
Strength in numbers
How does a small municipality work to protect the climate with few staff and a tight budget? When resources are limited, think outside the walls of city hall. Regional municipalities, conservation authorities, planning districts, development authorities and academic institutions are all potential partners. The County of Inverness (pop. 19,000), Town of Port Hawkesbury (pop. 3,500) and County of Richmond (pop. 9,700), Nova Scotia, joined forces and worked collaboratively through the Strait Highlands Regional Development Agency. Their collective efforts enabled them to leverage funding from FCM’s Green Municipal Fund to achieve the first three milestones of the PCP five-milestone framework, and to create an innovative energy asset map to identify opportunities to develop renewable energy in the region.
Reaping rewards
In 2007, the City of Dawson Creek (pop. 11,000), British Columbia, won an FCM–CH2M HILL Sustainable Community award for its community energy plan. The city assessed the state of energy consumption in its buildings, infrastructure and vehicle fleet; the resulting recommendations gave rise to a number of projects that have helped the city meet its sustainability goals. Using low-voltage, high-pressure sodium street lights has reduced annual electricity consumption by 100,000 kWh and has saved the city $14,400 per year. Solar hot water systems in several municipal buildings each year offset approximately 60 GJ of natural gas and 3.3 tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions. The new purchasing policy regarding green vehicles has led to a more sustainable municipal fleet that produces eight fewer tonnes of GHGs per year. This will save the city more than $15,000 per vehicle over five years. These savings, combined with the savings resulting from the new traffic lights, will be used to fund building retrofits. The retrofits are expected to reduce GHGs by 40 per cent.
For more examples in British Columbia, check out the BC Climate Action Toolkit.
Little leaders
In January 2009, the Town of Stony Plain (pop. 10,000), Alberta, completed and implemented its local action plan to reduce emissions. The town’s plan is a leading example of how to deliver real reductions in emissions and energy consumption. On the other end of the country, the Town of Annapolis Royal (pop. 600), Nova Scotia, in partnership with Clean Annapolis River Project, has developed an energy efficiency plan. The plan includes a unique bylaw on solid waste material management and a proposed bylaw on renewable energy zoning that is based on a similar initiative by the City of Toronto.
Small municipalities are producing a wealth of resources and undertaking many projects that could be easily replicated. EcoPerth has been leading environmental initiatives in the Town of Perth (pop 6,000), Ontario, for more than 10 years. The EcoPerth website tracks past, current and upcoming projects that are local, practical and engaging for the community. The Town of Bouctouche (pop 2,300), New Brunswick, has produced a green toolbox to promote green practices in the private sector. An FCM webinar podcast recording on Small and Rural Municipalities Working Through PCP Milestones 1-3 provides more examples.
Small municipalities are offering up big sources of knowledge and lessons for all Canadian municipalities — it’s time to take advantage.
Do you have a climate action resource you would like to share with other municipalities? If so, contact Devin Causley at 613-907-6370 or at dcausley@fcm.ca.
|
|
|
|
|
