New hire will help city reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change

Sault Ste. Marie City Council agreed last night to start recruiting for a new contract position related to climate change.

City officials successfully applied recently for a climate-change staff grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

The grant covers up to 80 per cent of eligible expendures, up to a maximum of $125,000 over a two-year period starting this month.

The city's share of the cost will be $31,250, expected to come from the municipality's green committee reserve with any additional administrative funding to be supplied by FutureSSM.

Interestingly, city councillors learned last night that the Ontario government has withdrawn its commitment to provide a $1.4-million contribution to FutureSSM.

The new hire "ties in perfectly to support the FutureSSM environmental sustainability pillar," said Tom Vair, the city's deputy chief administrative officer for community development and enterprise services, in a report to Mayor Provenzano and city councillors.

Both FutureSSM and the green committee have expressed interest in creating greenhouse gas emission inventories and incorporating climate-change practices into daily municipal processes.

In an unrelated development, City Council voted last night to pass the following resolution. Mayor Provenzano said: "I do think we have some interest from our First Nation partners to participate in this."

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First Nation/ Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative

Mover: Councillor Matthew Scott

Seconder: Councillor Corey Gardi

Whereas the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) have a First Nation - Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI);

Whereas there is an opportunity for the city to submit an application with one of or both of Batchewana First Nation and Garden River First Nation to participate in the CEDI;

Whereas the city embraces the opportunity to partner with and work with either of or both of Batchewana First Nation and Garden River First Nation;

Now therefore be it resolved that City Council support the submission of an application to participate in the CEDI with either of or both of Batchewana First Nation and Garden River First Nation and directs staff to work with either of or both of them to complete and submit an application accordingly.

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