Youth demand city act more quickly
Regina needs to be fully on renewables within 10 years, group argues in report
Regina’s youth are calling on city council to up the ante and commit to a 100-per-cent renewable city by 2030, instead of the current goal of 2050.
“2050 is actually too late for Regina to become 100-per-cent renewable because of the urgency that we’re facing right now on our planet,” said Mac Findlay, a member of Fridays for Future Regina, a group that has been organizing climate strikes in front of the Legislative Building.
The call to action is part of a report summarizing a youth forum held in November that collected ideas on Regina’s energy future from residents under the age of 35.
The report will be released Wednesday by Findlay, fellow Fridays for Future member Sydney Taylor Chadwick and Katie Wilson, a member of Mother Earth Justice Advocates. It includes key messages from the forum, eight priority areas for action, five “proposals” or calls to action and next steps.
One of the calls to action is to transition the city to a zero-waste community through things like a mandatory compost program.
The report applauds the city’s curbside organic waste processing pilot project, which will subsequently be expanded citywide, but points out pilot projects delay action.
“Instead, (forum) participants support immediately phasing in a citywide compost system, including compost stations at all waste facilities, curbside pickup together with waste and recycling, and mandatory compost bins,” says the report.
It also recommends incentives for low garbage production. Other proposals include: Creating complete communities everywhere in the city so residents have walking or biking access to life’s essentials;
Making the whole city, not just city operations 100 per cent renewable;
Subsidizing solar panels for all households;
And considering converting the wastewater treatment plan to produce biofuel for all vehicles.
“Bold ideas” centred on themes like a just transition (equity, building safe and inclusive communities) and respectful civil disobedience, like Friday’s climate strikes, are highlighted in the report. Values like youth first, urgency, community engagement and decolonization are also identified in the report as key issues that should inform Regina’s energy transition.
“Most importantly ... these transition plans must be informed by science, global scientific consensus on climate change ... and that our entire Regina community, particularly youth and Indigenous peoples, those who will be most effected by climate change in the future, have the opportunity to voice their opinions and to be heard by our city council,” said Findlay.
As part of the call for an expedited timeline to become 100-percent renewable, the report also recommends the creation of a working group within the City of Regina with “high community membership” to keep the city accountable to its Renewable Regina motion.
“Local residents are keen to work with the city to achieve that 100 per cent renewable energy target and to create a sustainable, resilient future for all,” says the report.
Once it is released, Chadwick, Findlay and Wilson will start contacting their city councillors to talk to them about the report and the group hopes to meet with city administration and maybe even Mayor Michael Fougere to discuss next steps, which might include a request to speak at the city’s upcoming Reimagine Regina conference.
The reports notes administration has already shown a desire to listen to to residents and engage with youth.
Carole Tink, the city’s director of technology and digital innovation, as well as member of the city’s diversity and inclusion committee attended the forum in November and some city councillors have expressed interest in attending other forums, dialogues and exchanges, according to the report.
To read the report, visit envirocollective.ca.
Residents are keen to work with the city to achieve that 100% renewable energy target and to create a sustainable, resilient future...