Local climate change plans starved for cash, alliance says
City councillor says Hamilton needs help with mounting costs
Hamilton and other cities need provincial cash to turn climate change action plans into reality, says a new report card from an environmental coalition.
The Urban Climate Alliance evaluated the progress on climate change plans in Hamilton, Windsor, Oakville, Ottawa and Toronto in a report card available at environmenthamilton.org.
The group gives the cities props for leading the way with specific planning for climate change but also suggests most are falling down on funding concrete actions.
“I think the shared challenges point to the need for other levels of government to step up and ensure municipalities have the resources and capability to act on their plans,” said Lynda Lukasik, who heads alliance member Environment Hamilton.
“We know cities are on the front line when it comes to dealing with the consequences of climate change, but they need help.”
The report card suggests Hamilton’s emission-cutting goals are not ambitious enough; the city does not track progress via its annual budget or set aside adequate funds for the plan.
The report card comes just a few days after city staffers were asked to report on the possibility of creating a “climate reserve” fund to help cover the growing costs of climate change.
That request came from Coun. Chad Collins, who represents the beach strip recently devastated by April’s storm surge and the previous year’s record high water levels. “I think we need to do a better job on both educating people and accounting for what climate change may be costing us.” He pointed to millions of dollars of damage over the past decade on basement flooding, regular escarpment mudslides, record high lake levels and even this month’s home-battering storm surge. “Each time disaster strikes we ask the same question: how are we going to pay for this?” said Collins, who also argued the city can’t handle the mounting costs alone. “We need partners.”
The current Liberal federal and provincial governments have committed to carbon pricing as a way to encourage emission cuts and help pay for the fight against climate change. But the new leader of the provincial Progressive Conservatives, Doug Ford, has vowed to scrap what he calls a “carbon tax.”
However that battle plays out, Hamilton is still moving ahead on climate change planning.
Last year, Hamilton teamed up with Mohawk College and neighbouring city Burlington with the goal of creating a regional climate partnership modelled on the harbour-restoring Bay Area Restoration Council.
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“We know cities are on the front line when it comes to dealing with the consequences of climate change, but they need help.” LYNDA LUKASIK
Environment Hamilton