HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-04-18 - Climate Change and Environment Committee Minutes
Climate Change and Environment Committee
Committee Minutes
April 18, 2024, 4:00 p.m.
Conestoga Room
City of Kitchener
200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 407
Present: K. Bockasten, Member
M. Garner, Vice-Chair
F. Tohidi, Member
Councillor S. Stretch, Member
Staff: C. Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner
N. Goss, Manager, Policy & Research
A. Cipriani, Corporate Sustainability Officer
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1. Commencement
The meeting began 4:10 p.m. with a Land Acknowledgement given by the Chair.
2. Discussion Items
Quorum was not met at this meeting and the following items were received as
information items only.
2.1 Plant Based Treaty - Presentation to the Climate Change and Environment
Committee
4 members of the Plant Based Treaty organization attended. J. McDonnell was in
attendance to make a presentation to the committee on Plant Based Treaty, a
grassroots campaign focused on transitioning food systems from animal based to
plant based to mitigate climate change. The 5 programs within PBT are:
1. Collecting Plant Based Treaty endorsements
2. Plant Based Treaty City Program
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3. Menu change and public education
4. Advocacy at global climate talks
5. Training and capacity building
The core principles outlined are:
Relinquish
Redirect
Restore
The presentation also included a visual aid which depicted the estimated
reduction in land use for agriculture through adoption of a plant-based diet. If the
global population adopted a plant-based diet, it is estimated that land use would
reduce by 75%.
There are over 20 cities internationally that have endorsed the Plant Based
Treaty and some of the actions taken were shared with the committee. An
overview of carbon labelling was provided and resources to learn further,
including a PBT endorsement tool kit were discussed.
PBT would like the City to includes these considerations in a Climate Action Plan.
Even though there is no quorum today would still like this put on an agenda for
consideration.
K. Bockasten raised the question of whether there will be a VegFest. It was
confirmed VegFest will be in Waterloo Square on May 11.
Are you soliciting that the City endorse the plant based treaty? What do you
foresee in the future?
Staff informed of the Actions of TransformWR. Staff outlined a youth grant
opportunity that may be available to the Plant Based Treaty
K.Bockasten advised that the WR Climate Collaborative group may be a good
group to connect with and also knowledge share.
M.Garner questioned whether there any negatives or downsides to the plant
based treaty?
2.2 CorCAP 2.0 - Part 2 - TransformWR, DSD-2024-158
H. Irving and A.M. Cipriani were in attendance to present on CorCAP 2.0 - Part 2
TransformWR. The shift in focus from Corporate GHG Emissions in Part 1 to
Community GHG Emissions in Part 2 was explained. H. Irving reviewed the
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actions within TransformWR where the City of Kitchener was assigned as Lead.
A discussion on where the committee thought efforts best be deployed resulting
in the greatest reduction in GHG emissions. The following feedback was
captured by the members present:
There was a priority for advancing work on Action 5.11, 5.4.2, and 11.4 as
a top 3 priority.
Discussion on 5.11 – should focus on intensification rather than sprawl.
Discussion on 11.4 – 11.3 and 11.4 are linked. Make parking more
challenging in downtown. Locations of parking garages downtown are
important, disperse them to encourage walking. Important that people feel
safe using active transportation choices. What about bike storage
Discussion on 4.2.1 – This ties into district energy. Should be capturing
waste heat.
Discussion 4.2.4 – Staff commented that we will continue to explore what
authority we have on this one. Could it be part of the GDS
2.3 Sub-Committee Updates
No sub-committee updates were shared at this meeting.
3. Information Items
3.1 Kitchener Becoming a Bird Friendly City - DSD-2024-081
4. Adjournment
On motion, this meeting adjourned at 6:02 p.m.
Natalie Goss on behalf of
Committee Administrator
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