HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-06-15
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES
JUNE 15, 2017 CITY OF KITCHENER
The Environmental Committee met this date commencing at 4:01 p.m.
Present: Ms. C. Gaetani - Chair
Councillor Y. Fernandes, Messrs. J. Jackson and E. Saxon, and Ms. S. Danckert, Ms.
R. Joneja, Ms. E. Kelly, Ms. T. Driver, Ms. K. Milicic, and Ms. L. Bourassa.
Staff: B. Steiner, Senior Environmental Planner
S. Brown, Senior Sustainability Planner
M. Kamphuis, Kitchener Utilities
J. Bunn, Committee Administrator
S. Delaney, Administrative Clerk
1.COMMUNITY ENERGY INVESTMENT STRATEGY (CEIS): DRAFT FRAMEWORK
The Committee considered a presentation entitled ‘Community Energy Investment Strategy –
Framework Overview’ prepared by Mr. D. Roewade, Sustainability Specialist, Region of
Waterloo.
Mr. Roewade provided an overview of Community Energy Planning (CEP) which seeks to
improve and sustain Waterloo Region’s economic competitiveness and quality of life through
the coordination of targeted investments in energy management. He outlined the goals and
objectives of the Community Energy Investment Strategy (CEIS) which include: significantly
improving the energy performance of buildings; optimizing local energy generation and
stability; transitioning to a low-carbon local transportation network; and, cultivating a supportive
and innovative environment for energy investment.
Members of the Committee considered the following questions related to the Community
Energy Investment Strategy (CEIS):
Is the purpose of the CEIS easy to understand?
Are the proposed goals and objectives appropriate to guide energy investment in
Waterloo Region from now through to 2041?
Does the draft framework include all of the pieces you would expect to see in a
community energy plan/investment strategy? If not, what’s missing?
In response to questions, Mr. Roewade advised by locally addressing the Region’s collective
energy needs, the cost of energy to the consumer will lower, making energy more accessible
to those in the community.
Ms. Brown advised the strategy is one of the actions listed in the Community Climate Action
Plan for Waterloo Region (CCAP), and builds upon the relationships and partnerships between
utility companies and municipalities. She advised the City’s next steps include preparing a
completed strategy in the Fall of 2017 for local approval, and to submit the strategy to the
Ministry of Energy (MOE) in 2018. She advised the MOE requires a minimum 20-year plan,
noting the draft CEIS framework supports a 25-year plan to coincide with the next Official Plan
review. She encouraged any members having additional feedback to forward their comments
via email to sarah.brown@kitchener.ca, or to droewade@regionofwaterloo.ca by June 30,
2017.
2.PRESENTATION - STRASBURG CREEK RESTORATION AT WARDS AND BRIGADOON
PONDS; BACKGROUND
The Committee was in receipt this date of an article entitled ‘Kitchener subdivision’s trout
stream a haven’, dated August 2, 2015 regarding the cold water trout stream located in the
Brigadoon subdivision.
Ms. B. Steiner presented information regarding a catastrophic dam failure that occurred in
2003, which resulted in sedimentation downstream and habitat destruction, which led to the
eventual restoration of Wards pond and Brigadoon pond dam. She indicated additional
information would be provided during the walking site visit at Wards and Brigadoon Ponds
following her presentation this date.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES
JUNE 15, 2017 - 12 - CITY OF KITCHENER
2.PRESENTATION - STRASBURG CREEK RESTORATION AT WARDS AND BRIGADOON
PONDS; BACKGROUND (CONT’D)
The Committee recessed at 5:00 p.m. and reconvened at 5:30 p.m. at Strasburg Creek, Wards and
Brigadoon Ponds, chaired by Ms. C. Gaetani with Councillor Y. Fernandes, Messrs. E. Saxon, J.
Jackson, J. Bunn, Ms. E. Kelly, Ms. S.Danckert, Ms. B. Steiner, and Ms. S. Delaney present.
3.SITE VISIT - STRASBURG CREEK RESTORATION AT WARDS AND BRIGADOON PONDS
The Committee visited Strasburg Creek at Wards and Brigadoon Ponds. Ms. B. Steiner
conducted a walking tour and provided points of interest along the route and answered
questions posed by the Committee.
4.ADJOURNMENT
On motion, this meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m.
Jeff Bunn Siobhan Delaney
Committee Administrator Administrative Clerk