Two instances of ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives), and green-technology policies were brought up during Midland’s three days of budget discussions, as Mayor Bill Gordon asked questions to staff and guests regarding deputations at other municipalities last year.
The topic was initiated by a replacement entry for the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre on a $150,000 ice resurfacer – a product which includes the brand name Zamboni – within the capital budget.
Gordon took the opportunity to resurface regional concerns by deputations at Tay and Tiny Township councils by KICLEI last year.
“There has been some appetite circulating, mostly with the rural councils – we haven’t had deputations here yet – about some groups that are rightly concerned about the cost of ‘greenification’, and ‘are municipalities unwitting participants in globalism that’s going to cost the local ratepayer more?’” said Gordon, who asked if Midland was paying a premium to buy an electric-driven machine as opposed to the current natural gas equipment.
“I think it’s about 25 per cent more,” replied North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre operations manager Dave Bressette. He added that not having carbon monoxide within the enclosed building was “a huge benefit”, and with a 20-year battery that would last the lifespan of the equipment, “the 25 per cent is money well spent just for the health benefits alone.”
The capital request was approved.
A later deputation was made by the Severn Sound Environmental Association, with chair Steffen Walma who also sits on Tiny council.
It included a slide requesting $12,914 from Midland as part of the Sustainable Severn Sound project, which allowed Gordon to ask if those costs were optional or not, and how they were directly or indirectly impacted by the goals and objectives of ICLEI.
“(KICLEI) specifically has concerns about multinational control over decisions at the Canadian, provincial, and trickling right down into the lower tiers like us – made by climate organizations and perhaps driving climate mandates that maybe make things unaffordable for municipalities,” said Gordon, who summarized the group’s mission as “to encourage financial responsibility to municipalities, which is a noble mission I think we’ll all agree.”
Walma replied that costs were optional based on council decisions after weighing SSEA expert recommendations.
“ICLEI creates the criteria for the (Partners for Climate Protection) program, which is administered by (the Federation of Canadian Municipalities). All the municipalities in the county of Simcoe are members of FCM, through their membership by the county,” said Walma.
As a designated municipal staff member would need to track greenhouse gas emissions, electrical consumption for fuel and fleet, Walma said, “there’s no direct billing back to the municipalities.”
Walma noted that by controlling greenhouse gas reductions, Tiny Township had been awarded a $10,000 Enbridge grant for two straight years, adding that Midland also received the grant.
“So your $12,000 investment did leverage an additional $10,000 back into the program as well,” said Walma. “ICLEI does make – if there was a concern, I would not see it at the municipal level; it would be about policies that are built into development more than what we’re administering at the municipal level.”
Gordon thanked Walma for the explanation. “I just wanted to talk about that because you are our environmental experts, and I thought it’d be worth preemptively having the conversation just to assuage any concerns.”
The website for ICLEI Canada includes a page for misinformation and frequently asked questions, including municipal roles in reducing climate change.
Detailed information, timelines and reports on the 2025 budget can be found on the budget and finance page of the Town of Midland’s website.
The three-day 2025 budget deliberation recordings are available on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.