Council Highlights from the March 14, 2022 Meeting

Progress report card: Clarington releases an update on its Corporate Climate Action Plan

The Municipality has released its first report on progress and work done to date to accomplish the goals set out in the Clarington Corporate Climate Action Plan (CCCAP), approved by Council in March 2021. The Action Plan contains 115 specific actions that the Municipality can take to adapt corporate assets, operations, and services to limit the negative impacts of climate change and reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To help monitor GHG emissions and reach its targets, Clarington is currently implementing software that will help monitor energy and water consumption, waste production and emissions from all municipal operations on a month-to-month basis. Clarington staff have also developed a Climate Action Implementation Guide that will steer all inter-departmental initiatives as Clarington sets a five-year plan to carry out the climate actions.

Here are some of the actions implemented to date:

• Integrating climate change considerations into the 2022 budget to ensure future actions are funded.
• Development of a Municipal electric vehicle policy and the installation of eight electric vehicle charging stations for public and corporate use.
• Review anti-idling by-laws to prevent unnecessary GHG emissions from vehicle idling.

For more information, read Report PDS-015-22.

Clarington experienced steady construction growth in 2021

Clarington experienced an increase in building permit values in all non-residential sectors in 2021, as outlined in a building activity report. In 2021, construction values in the industrial sector were up by 85.6 per cent from 2020. Values in the institutional sector rose by 175.8 per cent, and values in the agricultural sector are up by a whopping 198.4 per cent. Growth in the residential sector in Clarington in 2021 experienced a downturn, with a 31.9 per cent decrease in construction value from the previous year. The Municipality approved a total of 591 new residential units in 2021, which was a decrease from 2020. However, Clarington expects a significant rebound in residential growth in 2022, with several large projects that have been approved and will begin construction.

For more information, read Report PDS-012-22.

Clarington questions the proposal to increase the garbage processed at the Durham York Energy Centre

Clarington Council has directed staff to submit a request to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for a higher level of environmental assessment to review the potential effects of a proposal to increase the amount of garbage processed at the Durham York Energy Centre (DYEC). The Regional Municipalities of Durham and York have undergone the proponent-driven Environmental Screening Process as set out under the Environmental Assessment Act to increase the amount garbage processed at the DYEC from 140,000 to 160,000 tonnes per year. The Environmental Screening Process is designed to assess any potential negative or positive environmental effects of a proposal. Clarington Council is asking MECP to review all the data and documentation submitted for the proposal to process more garbage and confirm the acceptance of the method used to measure the potential impacts and respond to concerns raised about the local air quality. Based on concerns outlined by staff, residents, and a consultant about the potential negative impacts of the proposal on the environment, Clarington is looking to escalate the environmental review to a full Environmental Assessment to have these issues addressed. The request will identify why Clarington does not believe that its concerns have been addressed or can be when the Environmental Compliance Approval is issued. Clarington Council has concerns about the composition of the additional waste and the negative impact on the local airshed from the emissions.

For more information, read Report PDS-008-22 and Report PDS-016-22.

The next Council Meeting is on Monday, April 4, 2022.