Tiny is ready to see if it’s easy being green as they explore the connection of climate change to the financial component of the township.
Following up on a deputation last month from governance resource advocate group KICLEI (Kicking the International Council Out of Local Environmental Initiatives), Coun. Dave Brunelle asked the municipality to explore one of the group's inquiries.
“I believe it was a valid presentation,” stated Brunelle. “Due to the key concepts of high costs and financial impact, and also the urban bias and rural underfunding, I’d like (council to have staff) identify and declare the costs of implementing the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program since signing on in 2018.”
The PCP is a 350-municipality initiative from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability Canada, aimed at providing resources and education toward reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change action, supported financially by ICLEI Canada and the federal government.
A presentation by the Severn Sound Environmental Association in early 2024, through the Sustainable Severn Sound project, noted that from 2015 data Tiny Township held the largest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in North Simcoe with three-quarters of the amount attributed to the municipal fleet; it was a number that had been reduced over the decade.
As a commitment to Tiny’s environment, a climate change action plan was developed in 2018 with assistance from the Severn Sound Environmental Association.
Within the committee of the whole, Brunelle’s request was given approval but members had questions on how shallow or deep the request was to explore.
Coun. Steffen Walma offered from his role as chair of the SSEA that nearly $13,000 was the cost to each SSS municipality, but it included not only the PCP program “but all of the corporate reduction of (greenhouse gas emissions) that we undertake”. He noted that the cost was easily obtainable as a SSEA line item for the previous six years.
Deputy CAO, corporate services director and treasurer Haley Leblond also confirmed: “It’s contained within that cost that we pay for already with the SSEA; there are no additional costs that we are paying for this program”.
She also noted that for the second year in a row, a $10,000 greenhouse gas reduction grant had been awarded to Tiny by Enbridge Gas. “The whole point of that grant is to invest in climate action projects,” said Leblond. “These types of investments, we’re receiving because we have invested in our fleet in electrifying them.”
Public works director Tim Leitch also weighed in by stating that there wasn’t a large cost difference to change from gas to electric or hybrid-electric vehicles within the municipal fleet, but the savings on the change were of great benefit.
“Our objectives on the greenhouse gas (emissions), our reductions, a lot of it is organic in what we’re doing,” said Leitch. “I get the impression from this, it looks like we’re spending a bunch of extra money on everything we do in order to reduce greenhouse gases.
“However, a lot of these reductions that we’re seeing are not coming with a specific price tag attached to them; as a matter of fact, they’re coming up with some financial advantages. Hybrid vehicles: less on gas, less on brakes, less on maintenance – and in the end they’re actually cheaper to run for the taxpayers by doing the greenhouse gas objectives,” Leitch added.
Mayor Dave Evans also showed interest in knowing the costs for the program, but questioned why eight years were necessary. Brunelle replied that a static cost would be ideal, but “if it’s been double or triple since 2018, that might be a concern.”
Evans also declared he would be attending this year’s FCM conference to learn more about it. Earlier, Walma commented that “if there was a deputation for (greenhouse gas emissions) it would be more specific to FCM, but FCM is a much larger portfolio than just the PCP (part).”
Archives of council meetings are available to view on the township’s YouTube channel.
