Inspired by the Climate Action Summit, the mayor of Maple Ridge plans to establish a Mayor’s Task Force on Climate Action.
Dan Ruimy made the announcement at the city’s first leadership summit on Thursday, April 13, at the new Albion Community Centre, where leaders including local, regional, provincially elected officials, and municipal climate experts converged – both in-person and virtually – to discuss different strategies to tackle climate change.
The Mayor’s Task Force on Climate Action will by led by Ruimy and include other city councillors, community members, and experts in climate change. The purpose of the task force will be to develop policy recommendations and establish Maple Ridge as a leader among local governments in addressing climate change.
Ruimy plans to announce new details about the task force, including the names of members, their duties and expected term of service, in coming days.
A Priorities and Action Plan resulting from discussions at the Climate Action Summit will provide the launching pad for the task force as it begins its work, said Ruimy.
“I want to thank everyone who took part in our first leadership summit and for your inspiring contributions,” said Mayor Ruimy to the room of about 65 people. “This will help Council and City staff understand where we can play an important role with action to address climate change, such as modernizing our bylaws while creating a strategic pathway to meet our climate adaptation and mitigation goals.”
B.C.’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman was in attendance, as was: Don Iveson, former mayor of Edmonton and executive advisor for climate investment and community resiliency; Dr. Alison Shaw, executive director of the Action on Climate Team at Simon Fraser University; and David A. Bennett, director of renewable gas and low carbon fuels at FortisBC.
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A panel discussion called Demonstrating municipal leadership in addressing Climate Change was moderated by Jas Johal, the host of a public affairs program on news radio station CKNW.
The summit was a day long and included a keynote address by Minister Heyman, a special presentation by Dr. Shaw, the panelist discussion including a question and answer period for those in the audience, and World Café workshops and action plan discussion tables.
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Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows said the province recognized the need to work with local municipalities for true action on climate change.
“Climate change impacts everyone and it was important to be part of the innovative discussions that took place at today’s Summit,” she said.
Bob D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission applauded the city for focusing on local solutions to addressing climate change.
The Climate Action Summit was the first of three Leadership Summits planned this year by the mayor and council. Affordable housing and economic development will be the topics at the centre of the next two City of Maple Ridge summits, which are currently in the planning stage.
• More to come on the Climate Action Summit
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