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PLANNING & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES COMMITTEE MINUTES <br /> <br />JUNE 14, 2021 CITY OF KITCHENER <br /> <br />The Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee held an electronic meeting this date, commencing <br />electronically at 2:40 p.m. with all members present. <br /> <br />Present: Councillor P. Singh - Chair <br />Mayor B. Vrbanovic and Councillors D. Chapman, K. Galloway-Sealock, J. Gazzola, B. <br />Ioannidis, M. Johnston, C. Michaud, D. Schnider, S. Davey and S. Marsh. <br /> <br />Staff: D. Chapman, Chief Administrative Officer <br /> J. Readman, General Manager, Development Services <br /> D. McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services <br /> R. Bustamante, Director, Planning <br /> J. Oosterveld, Manager, Site Development and Customer Service <br />S. Tavenor, Sustainability Office Associate <br />G. St. Louis, Director of Utilities <br /> T. Malone-Wright, Senior Planner, Policy <br /> D. Edwards, Senior Planner, Urban Design <br />C. Dumart, Planner <br /> R. Kelly-Ruetz, Project Manager <br /> A. Pinnell, Senior Planner <br />H. Fylactou, Acting Deputy Clerk and Manager of Licensing <br />D. Saunderson, Committee Administrator <br /> S. Goldrup, Committee Administrator <br /> <br />1. DSD-2021-94 - COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TRANSFORMWR STRATEGY <br /> <br />The Committee considered Development Services Department report DSD-2021-94, dated May <br />10, 2021, recommending endorsement of the TransformWR Strategy. The Committee was also <br />in receipt of written submissions from Schlegel Urban Developments and Alex Latta. <br /> <br />Mary Jane Patterson, Reep Green Solutions, and Tova Davidson, Sustainable Waterloo Region, <br />spoke on behalf of the ClimateActionWR Collaborative to present the TransformWR Strategy, <br />including community and technical engagement, sustainable development goals, the need for <br />transformative change, and the goal of 50% emission reduction by 2030. They further discussed <br />changes to active transportation, electric vehicle, clean energy sources, waste reduction, and <br />advocacy. <br /> <br />S. Travenor and G. St. Louis presented previous corporate and community sustainability <br />initiatives, the TransformWR Strategy, the action items for the City of Kitchener and Kitchener <br /> <br /> <br />The Committee heard delegations from Gordon Nicholls, Friends of Hidden Valley; Devon <br />Fernandes; Scott Morton Ninomiya; Meg Ruttan Walker; Lesley Johnston, Fossil Free <br />UWaterloo; Mike Morrice; Kai Reimer-Watts; Eric Hunsberger and Ron Hill, Faith Climate <br />Justice; Carol Burrows; Tanya Schmah; Alisa McClurg, KW Urban Harvester; and, Bruce Taylor <br />Enviro-Stewards Inc., in support of the report. Delegates spoke to the need to reduce carbon <br />emissions, protect green spaces, encourage waste reduction and clean energy solutions, <br />advocate for the target of 50% emission reduction by 2030, and recognize the economic <br />development benefits of sustainability. Delegations further noted climate action as social justice, <br />food sustainability and local production, density and limiting urban sprawl, community <br />partnerships and citizen engagement, and potential cost savings created by sustainability efforts. <br /> <br />In response to questions from the Committee, staff spoke to implications to Kitchener Utilities, <br />implementation of the TransformWR Strategy, considerations for future strategic planning, <br />funding, and advocacy. <br /> <br />Mayor B. Vrbanovic brought forward a motion to approve the staff recommendation as outlined <br />in report DSD-2021-94. <br /> <br />Councillor D. Chapman brought forward an amendment to Mayor B. Vrbanovic motion to add <br />the endorsement in principle of an emissions reduction target of 50% by 2030 and a call for <br />action to the provincial and federal government for support in reaching such targets. <br /> <br /> <br />