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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.