The Corporation of The Town of Cobourg

Sustainability and Climate Change Advisory Committee

MINUTES

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Electronic Participation
Members Present:
  • Minnie de Jong, Chair
  • Anthony Pitts, Vice-Chair
  • Councillor Adam Bureau
  • Marius Marsh
  • Warren McCarthy
  • John Vickers
Staff Present:
  • Krystal Christopher, Deputy Clerk
  • Judy Smith, Environmental Officer, County of Northumberland
  • Linda Gregg, Sustainable Coburg Representative
Staff Absent:
  • Brent Larmer, Municipal Clerk / Manager of Legislative Services

1.
CALL TO ORDER
 

Chair, Minnie de Jong, called the Meeting to Order at 2:00 P.M.

2.
TRADITIONAL LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT STATEMENT
 

Chair, Minnie de Jong, recited the Traditional Land Acknowledgment Statement. 

3.
APPROVAL/ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
 

Chair, Minnie de Jong, requested the following be added to the agenda:

  • Update on the ICSP Green Development Standard
  • Moved byMarius Marsh

    THAT the Agenda dated  May 5, 2021 be approved as amended. 

    Carried

4.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS
 

There were no Declarations of Interest Declared by Committee Members. 

5.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
This item has attachments. 

  • Moved byJohn Vickers

    THAT the minutes dated April 7, 2021 be adopted as presented

    Carried
  • Moved byMarius Marsh

    THAT the minutes dated  April 15, 2021 be adopted as presented.

    Carried

6.
DELEGATIONS/PRESENTATIONS
 

6.1
Bicycle Action Committee to speak regarding the Prioritization of Cycling Infrastructure in the Town of Cobourg
This item has attachments. 

Winston Emery spoke to the role of active transportation in Cobourg, the existing cycling network and the current infrastructure within the Town. W. Emery provided comments on the gaps in the current cycling network and areas for improvement. The presentation highlighted the prioritized cycling routes and cycling infrastructure.

Members engaged in a discussion regarding the BAC recommendation to Council. It was suggested that a more detailed recommendation be provided to SCCAC to support. Judy Smith, Environmental Officer and Chair, Minnie de Jong, agreed to work with W. Emery to revise the current recommendation. The matter was referred to the next meeting to allow receipt for the revised recommendation.

7.
COMMUNICATIONS/CORRESPONDENCE
 

8.
REPORTS
 

9.
NEW BUSINESS
 

9.1
Motion regarding Changes to the Terms of Reference
This item has attachments. 

Councillor Adam Bureau noted the motion was approved by Council.

Chair, Minnie de Jong, introduced Sister Linda Gregg as the representative for Sustainable Cobourg.

  • Moved byAnthony Pitts, Vice-Chair

    THAT Linda Gregg be named as the representative for Sustainable Cobourg on the Sustainability and Climate Change Advisory Committee

    Carried

9.2
Motion regarding Environmental Officer Position
This item has attachments. 

Councillor Adam Bureau and Krystal Christopher, Recording Secretary, noted the motion was approved by Council with amendments

9.3
SCCAC Position on Sidewalks
 

Chair, Minnie de Jong, noted the report was submitted to the Regular Council meeting on April 26, 2021 and was received for information. M.de Jong noted Councillor Brian Darling thanked the committee for their feedback on the matter.

9.4
Installation of EV Charging Stations in Cobourg
This item has attachments. 

Members engaged in a discussion regarding the proposed motion and the status of the installation of EV charging stations in Cobourg. Judy Smith, Environmental Officer, noted a grant was awarded to cover the costs for the supply and installation of the units and spoke to a possible motion of support in 2019 by Council for EV charging units. Councillor Adam Bureau spoke to EV units in relation to the Town's annual budget. Krystal Christopher, Recording Secretary, noted the item was not included in the 2021 budget and agreed to provide information from the 2021 Budget discussions as to the reasoning for excluding funding for EV charging from the 2021 budget.

9.5
Request Council to Approve Name Change for the SCCAC
This item has attachments. 

Members agreed to the proposed motion provided by member, Warren McCarthy, to change the name of the committee,

  • Moved byWarren McCarthy

    WHEREAS in December 2019, Cobourg Council officially declared a Climate Emergency, conveying its recognition that we are facing an unprecedented crisis requiring unprecedented climate mitigation measures; and

    WHEREAS the need to address the Climate Emergency is ever more urgent as time moves on and additional actions must be implemented; and

    WHEREAS global heating is an emergency of a worse scale than the pandemic; it will have way more severe and long lasting consequences; and

    WHEREAS, according to April’s ‘Scientific American’ - “We are living in a Climate Emergency, and we’re going to say so. It’s time to use a term that more than 13,000 scientists agree is needed. Why “emergency”? Because words matter.” - - Scientific American has agreed with major news outlets worldwide to start using the term “climate emergency” in its coverage of climate change.
    https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-are-living-in-a-climate-emergency-and-were-going-to-say-so/ 

    NOW THEREFORE THE SCCAC Recommends that Cobourg immediately approve the SCCAC’s recommendation to change the Committee’s name from the ‘Sustainability and Climate Change Advisory Committee’ to the ‘Sustainability and Climate Emergency Advisory Committee’ (SCEAC).

    Carried

9.6
Impact of Work Plan Objective on Reducing CO2/GHG emissions
This item has attachments. 

Member, Warren McCarthy, provided an overview of how the committee could apply a weighted score to work plan objectives. Members discussed the value of associating a score to work plan objectives and how it could be applied to all Advisory Committees. W. McCarthy noted he created a document to assist in applying low/medium/high scoring to the SCCAC Work Plan objectives and requested members complete the document to help determine its suitability. Members agreed to complete the document and forward them to W. McCarthy to consolidate answers. Members also agreed to have this matter referred to the next meeting for further discussion.

9.7
Carbon Footprint Calculator
 

Members engaged in a discussion regarding the purpose, outcome and usefulness of a carbon footprint calculator and which carbon footprint calculator to recommend to residents.

Krystal Christopher, Recording Secretary, noted concerns were raised by member, Marius Marsh, at the last meeting regarding the committee recommending a non-profit vs. profit calculator. K. Christopher advised that after consulting with the Municipal Clerk, there are no concerns with recommending a profit based calculator. However, it should be made clear to residents that the purchase of offsets is not required and the calculator is for information purposes.

Sister Linda Gregg, Sustainable Cobourg representative, provided comments in support of the use of a carbon foot print calculator and offered to provide an overview of calculators she would recommend at the next meeting.1

9.8
Follow Up Response to TAC
 

The committee agreed a follow up response is not required.

9.9
Update on the ICSP Green Development Standard
 

Chair, Minnie de Jong, provided comments on whether the committee should seek a status update on the GDS/ICSP. Members raised concerns on the progress of the GDS/ICSP and spoke to how concerns could be addressed.

Councillor Bureau noted the pandemic, staffing and new planning developments have delayed the creation of the GDS/ICSP. Member, Sister Linda Gregg, raised concerns with the presence of radon gas in buildings caused by air tight buildings. 

The committee agreed to send an email to Cobourg's Chief Administrative Officer asking for the status of the GDS/ICSP and how it could be expedited. 

10.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
 

10.1
Outstanding Items
 

  • Partnering with the Art Gallery: Member, Warren McCarthy and Councillor Adam Bureau agreed to include in the Outreach proposal 
  • Inviting Derik Paul of Lakefront Utilities to an SCCAC Meeting: Committee members agreed report to the June 2nd meeting with ideas of what the committee should discuss with Derik Paul
  • Closure of Brookside (what to do with the land): Member, John Vickers, agreed to join the community group led by Keith Olivier, who is working on this. The committee agreed not to work on this issue. J. Vickers will advise if the Brookside group is seeking SCCAC endorsement of their proposal for the use of the land.
  • Two applications before Planning and Development: The committee noted that the following two applications (3 storey hotel at 1144 Division Street, and single story addition for spa/salon near We-Fix-U) are moving forward in the absence of a GDS.
  • SCCAC position on development density in Cobourg: Chair, Minnie de Jong, agreed to provide more information at the June meeting on what would be required to form to a position on density.
  • County Official Plan Update: Chair, Minnie de Jong, agreed to send committee members a status update on the County Official Plan

11.
ADJOURNMENT
 

  • Moved byAnthony Pitts, Vice-Chair

    THAT the meeting be adjourned. (4:01 PM)

    Carried

12.
NEXT MEETING
 

June 2, 2021

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