Discussion WR: climate change & environment agenda

Kitchener's Climate Change and Environment Committee is having a meeting on April 16th, 4:00-6:00 pm in the Conestoga Room of City Hall, 200 King Street W, Kitchener
Here is the agenda
https://pub-kitchener.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=34666

This is the committee that proposes all of Kitchener's 17 Sustainable Goals from the United Nations to achieve net zero. This month there are 3 items on the agenda that I have an interested in checking out. The first is section 5.1.a "Sustainable Food Systems", section 5.1.c "High Performance Development Standards" and lastly the "Tree Conservation and Management-Trees on Private Property".

There was no information given regarding the food systems item to be given by the sub-committe. EngageWR is a consultant firm hired by the Waterloo Region to do all of the consulting for the region's green goals. When I looked up their plan for sustainable food it had mentioned that there was no expectation of increased farmland for this region as the population increasing to match the city's Official Plan 2051. There was also a suggestion of "meatless Monday's". I'm interested to see if during this 5 minute delegation anything new has been added.

The "High Performance Development Standards" is a pilot project for the developers to implement a few of the 17 sustainable goals. There are no financial incentives at this time, "however may be explored in a future phase of this work." I am interpreting this as an experiment to change building codes for the future to comply with the desire for net zero.

The revamping of the private tree canopy. In Section 12 of the report on the Urban Forestry Program it states

"12.Licensing of tree care professionals
About: Staff are exploring a business licensing program for tree care professionals that are working within the City. The licensing bylaw includes a definition of“contractor” that mentions landscaping without explicitly including “tree care professionals and arborist work.” The licensing process verifies that contractors are insured. An administrative update to the licensing bylaw can clarify who requires a business license and the contractor qualifications specific to tree care, raising the standards for those who work with trees in our community."

Interpretation: All landscapers that work in Kitchener that do not explicitly include tree care will be required to pay for a yearly license. City bylaw will be out to ensure that the hired help has one.


The communication Program. I clicked on the video links and they did not work...404 Error

"Further, in collaboration with Communications, staff have implemented routine educational posts on forestry topics. This includes a five-video series, “Ask aForester”, that responded to resident-submitted questions. These videos highlight important topics, featuring staff and showcasing the City’s natural spaces. The Instagram videos can be seen here: Video 1, Video 2, Video 3, Video 4, and Video5."


In the report to Planning and Stategic Initiatives Committee regarding the Tree Canopy Target for Kitchener

https://lf.kitchener.ca/WebLinkExt/PDF10/90efc3fc-a3b3-434f-a61d-bd1dfa05c738/1962456

More than 50% of the existing trees in Kitchener are on private property.
More than 2000 community members participated in an online survey regarding tree issues.
Kitchener's goal is 30% coverage in all wards.

I was at a talk on the weekend and many farmers were present. The new bylaws are affecting them financially. They are being told what to plant, how to plant, what needs to be pruned, where to prune.
It seems to be a much bigger issue than I ever thought possible. Its worth keeping an eye on.

How the UN and Federal Government Influence Municipal Governance

Section 92 of the Constitution Act, 1867 grants exclusive authority over municipalities to provincial governments (Constitution Act, 1867). However, this constitutional framework has been effectively bypassed by the United Nations and the federal government through the use of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) as an intermediary. By channeling funding and influence through the FCM, this approach circumvents provincial oversight and pressures municipalities to adopt United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), tying financial incentives to compliance with international mandates. Bypassing Section 92: How the UN and Federal Government Influence Municipal Governance
This is a good article which explains how international organizations have an influence over our local matters and governance. The emphasis on international sustainability goals at the expense of addressing urgent local issues raises questions about priority-setting and local autonomy. Global impact is important but it should not overshadow immediate community needs.