City of Leduc council approved the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Action Plan for 2020-2030 at the May 13 regular meeting.

The plan sets an overall target of 3 per cent below business-as-usual projections by 2030. The plan outlined low, medium and high scenario actions that would result in 3, 5 and 9 per cent projections respectively.

After engaging with the community in a variety of ways city staff recommended approval of the plan at the low projection to allow for measures to be cost effective.

According to the plan, “Even though the low scenario target is recommended at this time, due to the fiscal climate, all actions have been retained in the plan to provide the opportunity for the City of Leduc to implement them if budget becomes available over the next 10 year period.”

Measures included in the low scenario include: LED streetlights, solar on LRC, energy retrofits to city buildings, infill/density development policy, mixed use development policy, bio cover for landfill, garbage baling and tree planting. All the measures have either taken place, are ongoing or are planned for 2020.

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan will build on other environmental commitments the city has made in the Municipal Development Plan, the Environmental Plan and the Weather and Climate Readiness Plan according to the document.

Before approving the plan Coun. Lars Hansen reiterated that although the lower target is being approved, the city can include individual actions from the medium and high scenarios if funding is available.

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