Quesnel Council Highlights - Oct 1st mtg

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets

In May 2018, the Province of British Columbia established new Greenhouse Gas reduction targets: a 40% reduction in emissions from 2007 levels by 2030, 60% below by 2040, and 80% below for 2050. The reduction target for the community of Quesnel has previously been set to match the targets proposed by Province. The City of Quesnel corporate operations have not had a formalized target for emission reductions in the past.
Council approved the following Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction targets for the community of Quesnel, and for the City of Quesnel corporate operations:
COMMUNITY OF QUESNEL TARGET

Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions from 2007 levels by 40% by 2030, 60% by 2040, and 80% by 2050.
CITY OF QUESNEL CORPORATE OPERATIONS TARGET

Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 3.5% annually for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, with new targets set in 2022 for future years.
Ideas on how do we get to the 40% GHG emissions reduction in the Community by 2030:
5% decrease in mobile fuel use would result in 2,592 tonnes of CO2e eliminated annually.
5% decrease in Natural gas use would result in 1,407 tonnes of CO2e eliminated annually.
Connect commercial downtown buildings to a biomass district energy system.
Diverting organics from the landfill and composting the materials.
Ideas on how do we get the 3.5% GHG emissions decrease for the City of Quesnel corporate operations:
5% savings in mobile fuel use would result in 49 tonnes of Co2e eliminated annually.
5% savings in Natural gas use would result in 17 tonnes of C02e eliminated annually.
Next Steps:
Over the next 18 months, the City will have a Carbon Review Coordinator, whom will be actively seeking areas of change within the City, to determine the following for both the community and the City of Quesnel corporate operations:
What is possible for Greenhouse Gas reduction target setting;
A business plan for Greenhouse Gas reduction target setting;
A Federal and Provincial lobbying plan for Council that will outline what the City needs help with from the Federal and Provincial governments in order to meet both the community and the City of Quesnel corporate operations Greenhouse Gas target reductions; and
Research further what types of actions would be required to authentically meet the challenge for Council to consider declaring a climate emergency in Quesnel.
Retail Cannabis Stores – Reschedule Public Hearing

On September 17, 2019 Council passed the first two readings for proposed City of Quesnel Zone Amendment Bylaw No. 1874 of 2019 that would allow for a maximum of five (5) Retail Cannabis Stores within the City. Council has rescheduled the Public Hearing from October 1, 2019 to 6 pm, Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at City Hall Council Chambers, due to an error in the publication of required newspaper statutory notices.
Bylaw

1874 - Zone Amendment – Cannabis Retail Stores – Maximum of Five Stores – Public Hearing Rescheduled to 6 pm, October 22, 2019 at City Hall Council Chambers
Next Meeting

6 pm – October 22, 2019 – Regular Council Meeting