The Town is looking to hire a climate change and energy specialist to oversee the 2019 sustainability initiatives.
Reporting to Dawn Smith, Okotoks environment and sustainability co-ordinator, this new position will focus on the planning and implementation of municipal climate change priorities.
Smith said the first thing the climate change and energy specialist will be working on is defining a benchmark for greenhouse gas emissions and develop a forecast on emissions. The full greenhouse gas inventory and forecast is to be completed by mid-December, so that plans for mitigating effects can be implemented next year.
“This role is very important,” Smith said. “We added in the energy component specifically to really push both initiatives [energy and greenhouse gas emissions] forward over the next few years, both on a corporate level and the community.
“Of course that has a financial benefit for our citizens, as well, using less energy costs less money. [The position] will play a really important role to look at our corporate practices, and to help create community-based programs.”
The Town applied for a grant for this position through the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program, a program run by the Federation for Canadian Municipalities. One of the few municipalities to be selected, the grant will pay for 80 per cent of the salary for the two-year contract.
This contract position will be responsible for the organization of the Town’s greenhouse gas inventory, forecast and reduction targets program and implementation of the greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies identified within the Environmental Master Plan (EMP).
Additional focuses for the role entail assisting in the development and implementation of municipal climate change mitigation work.
The application cut-off is Jan. 25, with aims to fill the position by the end of February.
Town council approved the Environmental Master Plan in October 2018. The ‘living’ document connects the Town’s Community Sustainability Plan, the Municipal Development Plan and its long-term goals of developing a community of resiliency in a sustainable manner.
“One of the main foundations on the EMP is looking to reduce our impact on the environment,” Smith said. “We already know one of our largest impacts on greenhouse gas emissions is transportation, because we have a large vehicle-ownership rate and a lot of people commute, and the second is heating our homes.”
When detailing the work done towards the EMP, Smith stressed that it is a long-term document with over 255 initiatives. While the Town has done a lot of work on the water and waste sectors, there has been less work on energy expenditure and conservation of resources.
One particular area of concern was the impact of development on wetlands.
“So going forward, how do we protect wetlands from future development?” she said. “What’s the financial impact of developing wetlands on taxpayers, long-term?
“So the goal [with this position] is to learn where we’re starting from.”
An additional role for this new position is setting climate change mitigation and adaption priorities.
Looking at the impact of climate change and extreme weather events, this role will analyze the risks and vulnerabilities such as bridges and infrastructure in the case of another flood, and develop plans to mitigate these affects to help protect the community’s health and wellness.
The Town considers the Environmental Master Plan to be a vital document for the community going forward.
“This important document reflects our commitment to environmental excellence and will help guide Okotoks toward being the leader in environmental protection and preservation in Alberta,” said Mayor Bill Robertson at the approval of the plan. “This plan will help administration, and all councils going forward, to lead by example and demonstrate innovation through its own operations, planning and policy-making to ensure we remain on the leading edge of environmental
initiatives.”
The EMP is a 30-year plan organized into seven action areas, including, ecosystems and agriculture; land use and urban design; energy, emissions, and air quality; waste systems; water systems; climate adaptation and resilience; and fostering a green economy.
