Climate Change and Environment Committee

Committee Minutes

Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 4:00 P.m. - 6:00 P.m.

Conestoga Room

City of Kitchener

200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 407

Present:

• B. Wallis, Chair
• Councillor S. Davey, Member
• M. Garner, Vice-Chair
• V. Nhio-son, Member
• M. Shafii, Member
• F. Tohidi, Member
• B. Unrau, Member
• Councillor S. Stretch, Member

Staff:

• S. Lodenquai, Committee Administrator
• C. Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner
• N. Goss, Manager, Policy & Research
• A. Cipriani, Corporate Sustainability Officer

Additional Staff:

• Jacinta McDonnell, Anita Krajnc, Uday Singh Bains and David Magina - Plant Based Treaty

  Janine Oosterveld, Manager, Customer Experience & Project Management, Planning & Housing Policy Division

  Hilary Irving, Sustainability Advisor, GM Office

  Kyra Chisholm, ClimateActionWR

  Matthew Rodrigues, Senior Planner, Planning and Housing Policy Division

  Natasha Ing, Community Energy Planner, WR Community Energy

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1.

Commencement

The meeting began at 4:09pm with a Land Acknowledgement given by the Chair.

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

None

3.

Delegations

K. Charlesworth, Kitchener Resident

4.

Discussion Items

4.1

Plant Based Treaty (Continued)

Jacinta McDonnell, David Magina and Uday Singh Bains from Plant Based Treaty will be attending to continue the discussion previously brought to the committee on April 18th.

It was shared that since the last meeting, the PBT has joined the WR Climate Collective and will be participating with a table at the upcoming VegFest in Waterloo. Flyers have also been placed at Odd Burger, a local business. J. McDonnell opened the floor to the committee for questions.

PBT was asked to provide examples of barriers to community pushback. J. McDonnell explained that a huge part of their advocacy is focused on education, i.e. informing folks that a plant based menu could mean menus be closer aligned with Canada's Food Guide.  A plant-based diet is adding options to a meat based industry and not a complete replacement.

There was further discussion had by the committee on what the impacts of supporting the treaty may look like and what possibilities exist within the City of Kitchener to procure plant-based foods.

On motion by V. Nhio-Son, it was resolved:

• That the CCEC defer the PBT item to a future meeting.

  Carried

4.2

Harmonized Green Development Standards Project Update, DSD-2024-267

N. Ing and J. Oosterveld were in attendance to present an update to the High-Performance Development Standards (formerly Harmonized Green Development Standards). The presentation provided an overview of what High-Performance Development Standards are:

• Voluntary and/or mandatory measures to encourage environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable design
• Supports healthy and well-designed communities
• one of the first harmonized standards in Ontario; applicable to the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo, and (ideally) the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich and the first to collaborate with the electric utilities

The project timelines were then provided and explained that in 2022, a land use and energy working group was established. Later in 2023, the urban councils agreed to explore a harmonized HPDS.

N. Ing assumed this role in January 2024 to support the work by researching, reviewing best practices, connecting with municipalities that have already implemented a HPDS or are currently working on one, and preparing some resources to launch the project and conduct community engagements. The bulk of this work has taken until present day

The CCEC feedback will be utilized for revisions to the 1^st draft of the standards, which are anticipated to be completed for fall 2024.

Next milestones within the timeline include finalizing the second draft for spring 2025, for a council decision with a plan for committee touchpoints. And finally, a council approved HPDS, ready for implementation by spring 2026.

Also presented were the design approach, potential metrics categories (built environment, energy efficiency and natural environment), the groups identified for engagement; municipal staff, industry and the public, the engagement objectives; education, scoping/prioritizing and feedback, engagement principles; it be evidence based, nuanced, empathetic with and opportunity to learn together.

The upcoming community engagement session date, time and locations were shared with the committee.

Project information will be published here: https://www.engagewr.ca/high-performance-development-standards

N. Ing and J. Oosterveld captured the committee’s comments after posing a few questions for discussion.

K. Charlesworth, delegated to the committee and highlighted that the lack of emissions reductions. The High-Performance Development standards only address new builds but should also address existing building stock as well. K. Charlesworth may wish to return to the committee formally with a discussion item.

4.3

2022 Waterloo Region Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory - TransformWR Progress Update, DSD-2024-278

K. Chisholm attended the meeting to present an update on the TransformWR’s progress. The focus was on the 2022 Waterloo Region Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. K. Chisholm provided an overview of the ClimateActionWR collaborative and reviewed the community target of a 50% reduction from the 2010 baseline by the year 2030.

A breakdown of emission sources from 2022 along with a progress chart which tracked the progress of reductions between 2010 and 2022 was provided.

Launched in October 2023 was the TransformWR Progress Dashboard which tracks progress on the action items related to the 6 transformative changes, twenty related strategies and seventy-eight actions.

          The following calls to actions were listed:

              Transportation

• Invest in robust public transit options and safe active transportation networks.
• Accelerate decarbonization of passenger vehicles and equipment both at home and at work.
• Support programs that shift community culture towards sustainable transportation modes

          Buildings

• Accelerate adoption of low carbon, fuel switching technologies such as heat pumps for water and space heating (and cooling) both in homes and organizations.
• Invest in energy decarbonization
• Adopt policy that prioritizes decarbonization in developments

The floor was opened for comments and discussion. It was commented that Transportation would require the most culture change/shift and will continue to be a challenge

4.4

Biehn Drive and Sanitary Trunk Sewer Environmental Assessment Update, DSD-2024-253

The report DSD-2024-253 - Biehn Drive and Sanitary Trunk Sewer Environmental Assessment Update be received for information. E. Riek provided a background on the project to the committee as it has been some time since the item came before the committee. The committee was advised that the report is going to council on September 16, 2024 for endorsement.

The chair opened the floor for clarifying questions from the committee. 

4.5

Hidden Valley Land Use Implementation Project – Natural Heritage System, DSD-2024-268, DSD-2024-268

C. Musselman and M. Rodrigues attended the meeting to provide the second update related to the Hidden Valley Land Use Implementation Project. A brief review of the Land Use Master Plan and its adoption was provided followed by the implementation recommendations. It was explained that an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) (technical study) was prepared to inform the proposed policies and land uses, specifically Natural Heritage Conservation for the Hidden Valley Land Use Master Plan. The mapping and criteria for identifying individual natural heritage features was shared and are also included in the Kitchener Natural Heritage System Technical Background Report.

An updated Land Use Concept (2024) visual was shared and it was noted that the proposed concept reflects the refined and updated Natural Heritage Conservation designation. As well as the fact that it presents a scenario with no high-density residential buildings located along River Road. It also aligns with the Official Plan land use designations.

Next steps include this project going to the Standing Committee meeting on August 12, 2024 followed by a city council meeting on August 26, 2024.

Clarifying questions were asked by the committee on walkability to the ION station.

On motion by B. Unrau, it was resolved:

Recorded Vote:

In favour: B. Wallis, F. Tohidi, Cllr. Stretch, M. Garner, B. Unrau

Not in favour: M. Shafii, V. Nhio-Son

• That the Climate Change and Environment Committee support an updated natural heritage system shown as Natural Heritage Conservation on Hidden Valley Land Use Option 2 (subject to further refinement) appended as Attachment A to DSD-2024-268.

  Carried

5.

Information Items

5.1

None.

6.

Adjournment

On motion, this meeting adjourned at 6:06 p.m.

 

Shannon Lodenquai
Committee Administrator