Calgary city council to debate $87B climate strategy
Calgary councillors are scheduled to debate and vote on a 99-page climate strategy on Tuesday.
In May, a city committee endorsed a plan to reach net-zero by 2050 in an effort to become climate resilient through dozens of initiatives, including building retrofits, renewable energy projects and bolstering low-carbon transportation projects.
The $87 billion price tag, or $3.1 billion annually for the next 28 years, would be covered by all levels of government as well as stakeholders in the private sector.
The vote was initially scheduled to take place in June, but was delayed as some council members had to travel to Toronto for city business.
There were also concerns about the messaging around the strategy and some questions that went unanswered.
The delay was met with criticism from Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
"What message are we sending to the world, who is in our city, watching us to be leaders in energy transformation? Well, the message that some of my colleagues sent today is 'Meh, this can wait,'" she said on June 7.
"That is not driving investor confidence, and I hope they get what they need out of that July 5 meeting."
Members of the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good and the Calgary Climate Hub will be outside city hall Tuesday afternoon to show their support for Calgary Climate Strategy - Pathways to 2050.
"When my kids and I go for walks in our nearby park, they ask, 'Mom, what are we doing to keep this place nice?' My kids are worried about what climate change will do to this city that they love. Our choices today can be beneficial or harmful to the generations that follow us. Climate issues disproportionately impact the most vulnerable in our city," said Dr. Beth Stovell, a spokesperson for Calgary Alliance for the Common Good.
"A Calgary climate strategy isn't just about addressing the environmental emergency we face. It's also about working towards a more just and healthy place for all of us. It is remembering our responsibility to the next generation."
Tuesday's rally is scheduled to begin shortly after noon on the front steps of city hall.
With files from CTV News' Jordan Kanygin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.