Critics pan city's 'inadequate' environment budget

After three hours of debate and a close vote on reallocating money for two staff members dedicated to the city's greenhouse gas reduction plan, the environment committee approved its portion of the the 2018 draft budget without change Tuesday.

A number of public delegations addressed the committee Tuesday morning and accused the city of underfunding its own environmental priorities.

"This budget isinadequate," said JaniceAshworthof the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce's sustainability committee.

Over the past four years, the city has only spent $1 million on energy efficiency instead of the planned $2 million, for example. And its aggressive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 per cent below 2012 levels by 2050 a plan that falls under the city's own "energy evolution" strategy is woefully behind schedule.

"What we see with the 2018 budget is that it continues a trend of under-investment on this specific initiative," RobbBarnes of Ecology Ottawa told the committee.

33 projects unfunded

The city's greenhouse gas reduction strategy includes a list of 33 projects that aren't being funded, he said; things like energy efficiency projects "that would yield not only tangible benefits from a climate lens," but also save the city money in reduced energy costs in the long term.

Ecology Ottawa was looking for $1.5 million in new money for energy evolution projects, but pointed out there's only $500,000 in new funding for grants for environmentalprograms.

The budget renews both$1 million in "energy managementinvesting" for upgrading city buildings, and $500,000 for greening the city's fleet, but advocates don't consider either of these funds as additionalmoney.

No dedicated staff

A number of delegations, and some committee members, argued it would be difficult to move on any additional energy evolution plans without dedicated staff.

To that end, Coun. Catherine McKenneymoved a motion to use $200,000 of the $500,000 for community grants to hire two staff members to work on the strategy. It lost on a tiedvote.

Coun. David Chernushenko, who chairs the committee, voted against the motion because he said he doesn't want to divert capital investment from environmental projects. He also saidsenior management have assured him they will be able to find more resources in the broader city public service to work on the strategy.

Although he said he believes the city's environmental plans are underfunded,Chernushenkowon't be trying to find more money for those projects in the wider budget when council meets onDec. 13.

"I don't believe anything more than additional taxation would find money for this, and my reading is there isn't the appetite for this."

Budget approved

The committee approved an increase in theoperating budget of $1.2 million for a total of $45.4 million, as well as the previously reported rate increases: fourper centfor drinking water rates, and fiveper cent for bothsanitaryand storm water sewer services.

McKenney and Coun. Jeff Leiper voted against the capital budget, from which they wanted to divert funds for new staff.

The energy evolution strategywas to be discussed in more detail on Tuesday afternoon by the committee.