HomeMy WebLinkAbout8. Climate Change and Environment Committee Agenda- 2022-12-15
Climate Change and Environment Committee
Agenda
Thursday December 15, 2022
Department of Development
4:00p.m. -5:15p.m.
Services
Kitchener City Hall Virtual Meeting
th
200 King St.W. – 9 Floor
Kitchener ON N2G 4G7
Page 1Chair –Vacant Vice-Chair –Vacant
Members of the public interested in participating in this meeting can register to participate electronically by
contacting the Committee Administrator at SHANNON.LODENQUAI@KITCHENER.CA.
Written comments will be circulated prior to the meeting and will form part of the public record. Accessible
formats and communication supports are available upon request.
If you require assistance to take part in a city meeting or event, please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-
9994.
Delegations
Pursuant to Council’s Procedural By-law, delegations are permitted to address the Committee for a maximum of 5
minutes.
None
Discussion Items
1. Welcome and Committee Member Introductions (15 min)
Carrie Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner, Development Services
Samantha Tavenor, Sustainability Office Associate, Development Services
2. Climate Change and Environment Committee Terms of Reference (15 min)
Natalie Goss, Manager Policy and Research, Planning Division, Development Services
3. Orientation and Procedural Training (30 min)
Dianna Saunderson, Manager, Council/Committee Services/Deputy City Clerk
4. Election - Chair and Vice-Chair (10 min)
Dianna Saunderson, Manager, Council/Committee Services/Deputy City Clerk
5. Climate Change and Environment Committee Meeting Date - March 2023 (5 min)
Carrie Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner, Development Services
Information Items
None
Committee Administrator
Shannon Lodenquai
** Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. If you require assistance to
take part in a city meeting or event, please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1866-969-9994 **
Policy No: GOV-BOA-100
Policy Title: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE -TERMS OF REFERENCE
POLICYPolicy No: GOV-BOA-100
Policy Title:CLIMATE CHANGE AND Approval Date:January18, 2010
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
-TERMS OF REFERENCE
Policy Type:COUNCILReviewed Date: July2016
Next Review Date:July2028
Reviewed Date:
Category:GovernanceLast Amended:August 2022
Sub-Board & CommitteeReplaces:
Category:
Author:Author UnknownRepealed:
Dept/Div:Development Services / Replaced by:
Administration
Related Policies, Procedures and/or Guidelines:
GOV-BOA-060 (Advisory Committees)
GOV-BOA-063(Appointment to Boards & Committees)
GOV-COU-005(Code of Conduct for Members of Council, Local Boards & Advisory
Committees)
Municipal Code Chapter 25 (Procedures)
1.PURPOSE:
The Environmental Committee is to support and advise Council in implementing the
environmental goals and policies concerning climate changeand other environmental matters
within the City of Kitchener.
2.MANDATE:
strategic priorities as outlined in the Strategic Plan, Strategic
Plan for the Environment, Corporate Climate Action Plan, and the TransformWR Climate Action
Strategy.
Specific duties of the Committee may include:
a)Provide input on relevantenvironmental issues, policies, projects, or programs that are
within the jurisdiction of the municipality.
b)Serve as a forum for delegations to provide public input on environmental matters.
c)Discuss new, relevant, or unexplored environmentalor climate change issues.
d)Assist Council and staff in identifying research needs and environmental data gaps,assist
in gathering data, undertaking research,and formulating a strategy to improve the
information available for private and public use.
e)Support approved municipal initiatives with respect to the education of citizens on matters
of environment significance.
f)Undertake other environmental projects assigned by Council from time to time.
3.DEFINITIONS:
a)Climate Change: along-term change in the weather conditions of a region, due to
natural processes or human-induced changes in the composition of theatmosphere.
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Policy No: GOV-BOA-100
Policy Title: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE -TERMS OF REFERENCE
b)Climate Change Adaptation: actions taken to lower the risks posed by the consequences
ofclimatic changes.
c)Climate Change Mitigation: actions taken to decrease the greenhouse gas emissions that
cause climatechange.
d)Environment: is all encompassing and includes air, land, landscapes, water, plant and
animal life, and anythingmade by human beings.
e)Ecologically Sound Environment: implies an environment that is healthy and capable of
sustaining all forms of life ina natural state.
4.SCOPE:
POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:
All UnionAll Union
All Union ManagementC.U.P.E. 68 Civic
Non-UnionC.U.P.E. 68 Mechanics
TemporaryC.U.P.E. 791
StudentI.B.E.W. 636
Part-Time EmployeesK.P.F.F.A.
Specified Positions only:Other:
CouncilLocal Boards & Advisory Committees
5.COMMITTEE COMPOSITION:
a)TheCommitteeshallbecomprisedofeight(8)to twelve(12) members of the community-
at-largeandone(1)memberofCouncil.
b)Quorum shall be a simple majority of the total number of committee members (i.e.,
50%). If determined practical, a meeting may proceed without a quorum, however,
substantive recommendations are not fully ratified until supported by the majority of
members.
c)The Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee shall be elected from among the members at
the first meeting of each calendar year.
6.APPOINTMENTS:
a)Appointmentsshallbebasedonandemonstratedinterestandparticipationin
environmentalmatters, academicqualification, workexperience, knowledge,and
professionalexpertise.
b)Optimally, two-thirdsoftheCommitteeshallhaveformaltraininginanenvironmental
discipline. Consideration will also be given to diversity of age, education, and lived
experience.
c)Membersareappointedasindividualsandnotasrepresentativesoftheirrespective
employersorinterestgroups.
d)Appointments will run a term of 2 years with eligibility for re-appointment for a maximum
of two additional terms.
e)Membership terms may be staggered to allow for the continuationof experience.
f)Ifamembermissesthree (3) consecutivemeetingswithoutanacceptablereason, the
appointmenttotheCommitteemayberevoked at the discretion of staff and/or
Council.
7.MEETING STRUCTURE:
a)Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Municipal Code Chapter 25 (Procedures)
as adopted by Council.
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Policy No: GOV-BOA-100
Policy Title: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE -TERMS OF REFERENCE
b)The Committee shall endeavor to meet monthlyexcept July and August (up to ten (10)
meetings per year).
c)Meetings shall commence at 4:00p.m.on the third Thursday of the month, with a goal of
being a maximum of two (2) hours in duration.
d)In consultation with the committee chair, staff will generate content for each meeting to
work plan.
e)Agendas for each meeting will be distributed tomembers in a timely manner via email
along with the minutes of the previous meeting.
f)Minutes will be received by Council and relevantrecommendations will be forwarded to
staff for review and action if deemed necessary. Recommendationsmust relate to the
8.GENERAL CONDUCT:
a)All members will abide by the City of Kitchener Code of Conduct for Members of Council,
Local Boards & Advisory Committees (Policy GOV-COU-005) and other applicable City
policies and guidelines.
9.WORK PLAN:
a)At the beginning of each term,the committee in cooperation with staff will prepare awork
planthat identifies priority environmental issues and actions.
b)At the beginning of each year, the committee will update the work planandwillsummarize
the actionscompleted in the previous year. The committee will forward the summary of
actions completed to Council.
10.SUB-COMMITTEES:
a)Sub-committees may
mandate and work planbut must report through the committee.
b)The Chair may be considered analternate member of all sub-committees allowing them
to attend a sub-committee meeting in place of one of its appointed members when it is
c)Asub-committee shall not meet or exceed quorum.
11.REPORTING:
a)TheEnvironmentalCommitteeisanadvisorycommitteeestablishedbyCouncilin
accordancewiththeseadoptedTermsofReference.
b)The committee does not have any delegated authority. Recommendations requiring
implementation, expenditures, reports, or staff actions must first be considered by staff
and/or Council.
c)TheEnvironmentalCommitteereportstothePlanning & StrategicInitiativesCommittee
unlesstheCouncillorLiaison, inconsultationwiththeCommitteeAdministrator, deemsit
expedientthatareportbemadedirectlytoCouncil.
12.HISTORYOFPOLICYCHANGES
AdministrativeUpdates
2016-07-01 -I-100 policy template re-formatted to new numbering system and given number
GOV-BOA-100
2018-04-03 -Department name change due to corporate re-organization.
FormalAmendments
Noamendmenthistorytodate.
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