Environmental Action Committee

Meeting #:
Date:	Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Time:	9:30 A.m. - 10:30 A.m.
Location:	Online Video Conference

Members

• Councillor Matt Mahoney, Ward 8 (Chair)
• Councillor Stephen Dasko, Ward 1 (Vice-Chair)
• Councillor George Carlson, Ward 11
• Brad Bass, Citizen Member
• Chelsea Dalton, Citizen Member
• Lea Ann Mallett, Citizen Member
• Pujita Verma, Citizen Member
• Alice Casselman, Association for Canadian Educational Resources
• Melanie Kramer, Credit Valley Conservation
• Britt McKee, Ecosource
• Jennifer Taves, Partners in Project Green
• Sydney Miller, UTM (University of Toronto Mississauga) Student
• Sophie Zhang, PEYA (Peel Environmental Youth Alliance)
• Andrea Rowe, Greening Sacred Spaces (Non-Voting Member)
• Brad Butt, Mississauga Board of Trade (Non-Voting Member)
• Sid Gendron, Sawmill Sid Inc. (Non-Voting Member)

Staff Present

Dianne Zimmerman, Manager of Environment

Diana Suzuki-Bracewell, Supervisor, Environmental Outreach

Heliya Babazadeh-Oleghi, Environmental Outreach Coordinator

Diane Gibson, Supervisor Climate Risks

Jay Smith, Manager, Animal Services

Gavin Longmuir, Manager Parks

Hana Lapp, Climate Change Coordinator

Michelle Sanstra, Legislative Coordinator

 

Teresa Chan, Supervisor Climate Change

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

Councillor Mahoney, Chair called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM.

2.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Approved (M. Kramer)

3.

DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

4.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

4.1

Environmental Action Committee DRAFT Minutes – October 5, 2021

Approved (B. Mckee)

5.

DEPUTATIONS

5.1

Wildlife, Waste Management and Signage

• Julie Knox, Resident

Ms. Knox provided a presentation on Wildlife, Waste Management in Parks and Tourist Area, Environmental Signage, Fire Proof Waste Bins, Improved Bin Design or Pick-up, No-mow Policies & Initiatives, Bird deterrence Policies and Bird Friendly Initiatives and Impact of Fireworks on Wildlife.

Councillor Dasko thanked Ms. Knox for the presentation and spoke to some of the challenges in his Ward regarding garbage bins on Front Street and the Lakeview site with respect to bird friendly initiatives.

Gavin Longmuir, Manager, Parks spoke to the implementation of the split bins, design, recycling programs, costs, pick-up schedule, and education and staffing.

Jay Smith, Manager, Animal Services spoke briefly to the Coyote Management report from spring this year, further enhancements to the program to broaden and strengthen some of the By-law language and an increase of fines. Mr. Smith also spoke to the robust communications programs in education to making changes to culture and behaviours.

Councillor Mahoney requested the presentation from Ms. Knox be sent to Mr. Smith and Mr. Longmuir

 

• RECOMMENDATION EAC-0030-2021
  Moved By Councillor Dasko

  That the deputation and associated presentation from Julie Knox, Resident regarding Wildlife, Waste Management and Signage be received.

  Received

5.2

Project Neutral

• Diana Suzuki-Bracewell, Supervisor, Environmental Outreach and Mariana Higgins, Student Intern at Project Neutral

Ms. Suzuki-Bracewell and Heliya Babazadeh, Environmental Outreach Coordinator and Ms. Mariana Higgins provided an overview on the Project neutral initiative, Ms. Suzuki-Bracewell spoke to Climate Change Outreach, Carbon Footprint Calculator, Project Neutral in Mississauga, Mississauga Dashboard, Social Campaign and Virtual Workshops.

Members of the Committee engaged in a demonstration on how to calculate their carbon footprint.

Brad Bass, Citizen Member inquired about surveying residents to see if the calculator encourages people to make changes rather than providing information. Ms. Suzuki-Bracewell responded that data is collected through those participating in deeper drive modules.  Ms. Higgins responded that it gets tracked to some extent and spoke to a four-week education course, which features discussion feedback for data collection.

Melanie Kramer, Community Group Member inquired about reporting back to the Committee the results from the program once it's completed. Ms. Suzuki-Bracewell responded that it's a one-year program that concludes in May 2022 and will share the results with the Committee in the New Year.

Britt McKee, Community Group Member inquired if new action cards could be added. Ms. Higgins responded that there is a feature on the website that allows for you to add your own action cards to the dash board and that the website is in the process of being revamped.

• RECOMMENDATION EAC-0031-2021
  Moved By M. Kramer

  That the deputation and associated presentation from Diana Suzuki-Bracewell, Supervisor, Environmental Outreach and Mariana Higgins, Student Intern at Project Neutral, regarding Project Neutral, be received.

  Received

5.3

Climate Change Action Plan Progress Report 2021

• Hana Lapp, Climate Change Coordinator and Teresa Chan, Supervisor Climate Change

Ms. Zimmerman, Manager, Environment provided introductory remarks. 

Ms. Lapp and Ms. Chan provided a 2021 progress report on the Climate Change Action Plan, the urgency to act: IPCC report, Progress report, Community GHG Inventory, Status Snapshot, Action Highlights, Corporate Emissions Sources, Mapping a path forward and Recommendations.
Members of the Committee commented on the first recommendation and suggested to restrict emissions to the 1.5 degree and that targets need to be revisited and strengthened.  Ms. Chan responded that the pathway and target will be refined in a year to keep on track with the goals. Ms. Zimmerman responded that the goal is to get to net zero through dedicated time, research, science and understanding. 

Brad Butt, Vice President, Government and Stakeholder Relations, Mississauga Board of Trade commented that the business community is interested in contributing to improving operations, energy conservation, other efforts to reduce green house gas emissions and carbon footprint, and to be part of the solution and not the problem. Ms. Chan responded that it is currently a work in progress to connect with the business community to involve with the Climate Change Action Plan.

Ms. Lapp and Ms. Chan advised that they will provide an update to the Committee at a future meeting.

• RECOMMENDATION EAC-0032-2021
  Moved By Councillor Carlson

  That the deputation and associated presentation from Hana Lapp, Climate Change Coordinator and Teresa Chan, Supervisor Climate Change, regarding Climate Change Action Plan Progress Report 2021, be received.

  Received
• RECOMMENDATION EAC-0033-2021
  Moved By B. Bass
  1. That the Environmental Action Committee acknowledged the findings outlined in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report and that it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the planet and widespread, rapid changes have occurred and that human-induced climate change is affecting weather and climate extremes across the globe, and the climate is warming faster now than in previous decades.
     
     
  2. That the Environmental Action Committee are in support of the Climate Change Action Plan: Progress Report 2021 and recommend endorsement from General Committee on December 1, 2021.
  Received

6.

PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD - 15 Minute Limit 

Sharif Siddiqui, Resident asked two questions;
Q. In spirit of the million trees program, is the city mandating that developers replace, and guarantee maintenance of replaced trees for a number of years, which are removed for various projects?

A. Dianne Zimmerman, Manager, Environment responded that there are two tree by-laws, the private tree and public protection tree by-law which requires permits for removal with some level of replacement and security around survival of a one year requirement with a security deposit.

Q. The city has highlighted the GHG emissions that buildings contribute, are there more details available for the home retrofits design study? Whether that focuses on electric heating or replacing natural gas with hydrogen gas for home heating?

A. Teresa Chan, Supervisor, Climate Change responded that Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon are currently in the early phase of designing a home retrofit program and spoke to future plans. Dianne Zimmerman, Manager, Environment  spoke to an undertaking of refreshing the green development standards, which would apply to commercial, residential and multi dwelling units , for energy, efficiency and deep energy retrofits.

7.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED

7.1

Environmental Action Committee (EAC) Work Plan

No discussion took place regarding this item.

• RECOMMENDATION EAC-0034-2021
  Moved By Councillor Dasko

  That the Environmental Action Committee Work Plan be approved as discussed at the November 2, 2021 EAC meeting.

  Received

8.

INFORMATION ITEMS

8.1

Environmental Action Committee 2022 Meeting Dates

No discussion took place regarding this item.

• RECOMMENDATION EAC-0035-2021
  Moved By C. Dalton

  That the Environmental Action Committee Meeting dates for 2022, be received.

  Received

9.

OTHER BUSINESS/ENQUIRIES

Chelsea Dalton, Citizen Member announced two major projects at the University of Toronto; the process to divest all holdings in fossil fuel companies to reduce the carbon footprint, and the University of Toronto St. George campus committing to a climate positive campus by 2050.

10.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.

Via Online Video Conference

11.

ADJOURNMENT

11:15 AM (M. Kramer)