Manitobans will be taking a leadership role in developing grassroots solutions to climate change under a new initiative to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 20 per cent over the next three years, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton and Science, Technology, Energy and Mines Minister Jim Rondeau announced.
Fourteen rural and urban centres, including six neighbourhood organizations, have been selected for funding under a new four-year (2008-2012), Community Led Emissions Reduction pilot program. The aim of the initiative is to develop projects and incentives that will encourage and support the greatest immediate emissions reductions and build toward long-term, lasting changes. Local government and not-for-profit community organization program participants may initiate projects or activities in the following areas:
• waste-reduction measures such as recycling or reusing salvageable goods, composting or recovering landfill gases;
• water-reduction measures through home or building retrofits, grey or rain water capture and reduced water usage;
• transportation measures such as commuting programs, trail or bike path development, driving techniques to reduce fuel consumption, anti-idling campaigns or more efficient vehicle choices such as hybrids for municipal fleets;
• energy measures through home or building retrofits, more efficient lighting choices or alternative energies such as solar, wind or biomass;
• green procurement or purchasing choices such as choosing less packaged, recycled or reused products;
• green landscaping and lawn-care measures such as community gardens, tree planting, tree banding or developing naturalized landscapes that require reduced mowing, watering and pesticide use; and
• land-use measures such as zoning or land-use policy changes to promote high-density or mixed‑use development, or bonuses and incentives for green development.
“Manitobans know we all have a shared responsibility to do our part to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. These communities and neighbourhoods are clearly committed to living more sustainably and fighting climate change,” Ashton said. “Since research tells us that up to half of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada are generated at the community level, municipalities and individual citizens are key partners in climate change initiatives.”
“Our province has been a leader in taking action on climate change and the launch of this grassroots climate-change initiative ensures we will continue to build on that record by engaging Manitobans as individuals, business owners, in community groups, neighbourhoods and municipalities,” Rondeau said.
“Brandonites are proud to have played a strong role in grassroots climate-change initiatives such as the One Tonne Challenge. The Community Led Emissions Reduction program helps us build on ongoing priorities and previous accomplishments,” said Brandon Mayor Dave Burgess.
“When it comes to the environment, we’re told to ‘think globally and act locally,’ and climate change is one area where action in small communities can make a big difference,” said St-Pierre-Jolys Mayor Réal Curé.
“Daniel McIntyre-St. Matthews’ residents already recognize that greening our neighbourhood has the added benefits of enhancing local recreational, housing and safety priorities. Participating in this pilot program will help us get our green plan off the ground,” said Kemlin Nembhard, executive director of Daniel McIntyre/St. Matthews Neighbourhoods Alive! Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation.
The initiative will work through five stages:
• establishing an emissions inventory to shows how many GHGs are being emitted in the areas of energy, transportation and waste;
• setting emissions reduction goals;
• developing a local climate-change action plan with community input;
• implementing emissions-reduction projects and activities; and
• monitoring progress and reporting results.
The pilot program will be delivered in partnership with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities, Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba (CDEM), Manitoba Hydro, local not-for-profit environmental organizations and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
The Community Led Emissions Reduction program builds on the groundbreaking work of the former Climate Change Community Challenge (C4), Green Manitoba’s Municipal Baseline Project and the continued dedication of local non-profit organizations such as Resource Conservation MB, the MB Eco-Network and Climate Change Connection.
In 2008, the province launched Kyoto and Beyond, Manitoba’s blueprint to reach and go beyond its legislated Kyoto target to reduce GHG emissions by six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. This pilot initiative is part of the Beyond Kyoto commitment.
