HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 1, 2009
City n¢~ Minutes/Meeting Summary
Sustainable Pickering Advisory Committee
i i December 1, 2009
PI ~KERING 2:30 pm
Main Committee Room
Attendees: Mayor Dave Ryan
Doug Dickerson, City Councillor, Ward 2 (Chair)
David Pickles, City Councillor, Ward 3
Tom Melymuk, Director, Office of Sustainability
Neil Carroll, Director, Planning & Development
Lynn Winterstein, Manager, Marketing & Business Development
Catherine Rose, Manager, Policy
Grant McGregor, Principal Planner - Policy
Ron Taylor, Coordinator, City Development
Chantal Whitaker, Coordinator, Sustainability
Jack McGinnis - Durham Sustain Ability
Marla Shim, Executive Assistant, Council (Recording Secretary)
Guests: Terry Green, Durham Sustain Ability
John Stillich, SUDA
Absent: Jennifer O'Connell, City Councillor, Ward 1 (Vice-Chair)
Item / Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items?
Ref # (summary of discussion) Status
(include deadline as
a ro hate
1. Welcome & Introductions
Councillor Dickerson welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Partners for Climate Protection Update
T. Melymuk introduced T. Green of Durham Sustain Ability
who provided a PowerPoint presentation on Partners for
Climate Protection (PCP). This included an update on the
City's cooperate and community energy and greenhouse gas
targets and progress to date.
• Pickering has completed milestones 1, 2 and 3 and
with the preparation of this update, will be in a position
to complete milestones 4 and 5 in 2010
• Mayor Ryan raised the question regarding Pickering
having an opportunity to obtain carbon credits
• Councillor Pickles advised that under the Green Energy
and Green Economy Act, the Province can acquire
carbon credits and suggested that Pickering look at a
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similar program
• Councillor Dickerson suggested that a press release be L. Winterstein to look
issued to highlight residential achievements and into difference in
mentioned the need for further action by IC&I sector. population vs. new
However, it must first be confirmed if the difference is business.
due to business growth or lack of population growth.
• Recommended Corporate Actions for consideration:
o Acquire energy management software C. Whitaker to
(automated monitoring, verifying and reporting contact OE&S staff to
system for energy and GHG) such as York review York Region's
Region's Energy and Environmental EEMS software
Management System (EEMS) program to find out if
o Designate responsibility for energy/greenhouse it would be
gas emissions coordination function appropriate for
o Conduct full energy audits on key community Pickering.
facilities
o Prioritize and fast-track Recreation Complex
projects from previous energy audit
o Conduct sustainability assessment of light duty
fleet vehicles, fleet management software, and
fleet procurement and corporate policies
o Develop detailed PCP submission report that
meets requirements of PCP milestones 4 and 5
for corporate operations
• Councillor Dickerson requested that staff prepare a
report for Council once PCP update report is complete Staff to prepare a
• Mayor Ryan requested that where applicable, the key Report to Council.
recommendations be included in the 2010 budget
2. Sustainable 'Development - SUDA
J. Stillich, Sustainable Urban Development Association
(SUDA) provided a presentation on sustainability
development. Key points in his presentation included:
• 20th century building practices will not work - failure to
achieve sustainability will mean unnecessary hardship
for people
• Sustainable urban development is highly compact, yet
family friendly and highly energy efficient
• In a sustainable urban environment, anyone who
wishes to, can conveniently access all daily
destinations, including employment, by means other
than personal automobile
• This, in turn, means that commerce needs to survive
and. prosper in environments where active
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transportation and transit are the principal means of
access, which in turn means that housing must be
much more dense than in today's suburbs
• This in turn, means a wide variety of compact
residential forms need to be provided, including
attached homes and apartment-style housing
• Sustainability also means that these environments must
be profitable for land developers to build
• Findings from a SUDA based survey indicate half or
more of respondents said living in a townhouse would
be 'acceptable' or 'may be acceptable'.
o Half or more said a condominium apartment
suitably sized would be 'acceptable' or `may be
acceptable'.
o 68% said being able to walk to daily destinations
is 'very important' or `must have'.
o 34% said energy prices would affect their choice
of housing.
o 68% would pay more taxes for better public
transit
• Do not assume that people want to live in three-storey
townhouses with little or no land. Need to build more
interesting models with: larger backyards, mixed retail
and residential and make more child friendly
N. Carroll commented on the legislative limitations as far as
what municipalities can require from developers.
Councillor Dickerson thanked J. Stillich for providing members
with such a detailed presentation. He noted that 99% of the
suggestions are in keeping with Pickering's objective.
3 Sustainable Pickering Corporate Policy/Procedures
C. Whitaker advised that even though the City delivers.
education campaigns to staff to encourage them to modify
their behaviour at work (waste free meetings, double-sided Staff to review and
printing, not idling or utilizing drive-thrus, etc.), not all staff report back to the
comply. While there is a need for ongoing staff education, Committee in 2010
there should also be a corporate sustainability policy/ on a corporate
procedure. Pickering would be a leader by doing so, since few sustainability policy.
GTA municipalities have taken this step.
4. Measuring Sustainabili Progress Report
C. Whitaker reported that at the last meeting, members were
updated on the Measuring Sustainability Progress Report.
Durham Sustain Ability has collected the baseline data and
staff are current) reviewing it. There will be a draft report for
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the committee to review in early 2010.
5. Sustainabie Contribution Program
Detailed discussion ensued on the Community Contribution
Program:
• It is necessary to treat all potential contributors similarly
• There would be a need to include a disclaimer on the
website noting that although the donor organizations are
providing a contribution to the Sustainable Pickering
program, this does not mean the City necessarily
sanctions or promotes such organizations as following or.
maintaining sustainable business practices.
• A community contribution target of $20,000 will be
established for 2010
• Sustainable Pickering donors would received a letter from
the City for income tax purposes
& Sustainable Pickering Da
L. Winterstein advised that, as directed at the last committee
meeting, staff met to discuss various ideas for the next
Sustainable Pickering Day. It was agreed that aligning
Sustainable Pickering Day with Earth Hour would be appropriate
and would allow for a focus in 2010 on energy conversation.
Pickering Town Centre has been tentatively booked for
Saturday, March 27, 2010.
7. Next Meeting
Tuesday, January 19, 2010.
Meeting Adjourned: 5:00 pm
Copy: (Acting) City Clerk
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