The purpose of this letter is to help set the City of Winnipeg up for success in meeting climate targets.

All recipients were sent a copy of this letter prior to the release of the 2021 budget November 26th.  That budget  did not even mention climate change.

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THE LETTER

To:
Mayor Brian Bowman
Catherine Kloepfe - Chief Financial Officer
Michael Jack - Chief Administrative Officer

CC:
Councillor John Orlikow - River Heights - Fort Garry & Deputy Mayor
Councillor Markus Chambers - St. Norbert - Seine River & Acting Deputy Mayor
Councillor Kevin Klein - Charleswood - Tuxedo - Westwood
Councillor Cindy Gilroy - Daniel McIntyre
Councillor Jason Schreyer - Elmwood - East Kildonan
Councillor Sherri Rollins - Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry
Councillor Ross Eadie - Mynarski
Councillor Jeff Browaty- North Kildonan
Councillor Devi Sharma - Old Kildonan
Councillor Vivian Santos - Point Douglas
Councillor Matt Allard - St. Boniface
Councillor Scott Gillingham - St. James
Councillor Brian Mayes - St. Vital
Councillor Shawn Nason - Transcona
Councillor Janice Lukes - Waverley West
Moira Geer -  Director, Water and Waste

Good day,

We are writing today to ask that the City of Winnipeg make three important changes to the city’s approach to Climate Action and Winnipeg’s new development plan, Our Winnipeg 2045. These changes will set the city up for success in your effort to implement Winnipeg’s Climate Action Plan;
*The Office of Sustainability (OOS) should report to the highest level possible within the city to ensure that climate action is a central component in all decisions going forward. We suggest they report to the Chief Administrative Office (CAO).
*To be successful in meeting its climate targets, and to reflect the importance of climate action and other matters of environmental stewardship, the Office of Sustainability needs substantially more personnel and budget resources.
*Include a Community Advisory Council coordinator position within the Office of Sustainability.

The City of Winnipeg must play a larger role in climate action but their efforts require additional support.  Winnipeg’s Climate Action Plan needs more people designated to work on it, and this work should be accounted for more prominently through the CAO.

To reflect the vision, mandate and policy directives of Our Winnipeg 2045, moving the Office of Sustainability to have a more prominent and larger coordinating role with the CAO’s office and other governance bodies within the City of Winnipeg helps to ensure that sustainability remains a key part of decision making.  Currently the Office of Sustainability is nestled within Water and Waste limiting its visibility and input.

The establishment of a Community Advisory Council (CAC) made up of key stakeholder groups, subject matter experts and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, will support transparency, accountability, innovation and help to increase climate and environmental action in both Winnipeg and Manitoba - an increase that is desperately needed.  A well resourced CAC and OOS will improve public reporting of activities and  will ensure there is community engagement and potential community acceptance of the plans and policies to be implemented - key factors in successful adoption and action. A coordinator will be required to the success of this Council - this should be a new position as the OSS is already understaffed compared to other similar sized cities.

A key part of Winnipeg Climate Action Plan: Planning for Climate Change. Acting for People is the establishment of a Community Advisory Committee is listed as one of the key components of implementation.  

We have limited time to decarbonize the entirety of Winnipeg’s operations by 2050 to align with the IPCC’s goals of limiting warming to 1.5C. There are numerous benefits associated with retrofitting Winnipeg’s buildings and transitioning them off natural gas including increased occupant comfort, improved air quality, and creating local green jobs. Likewise there is a demand and many benefits associated with an increase in active and public transportation and a healthy tree canopy.  The City of Winnipeg remains one of the few cities in Canada without a city wide compost program.  The list of possible and wanted actions goes on.  Winnipeg currently has the talent and knowledge to make these shifts but incentives and regulatory tools are needed to ensure the transition happens.

We believe these changes that we are requesting will help move Winnipeg towards becoming the climate leader that we all aspire to.  Now is the time to allocate the budget necessary to take meaningful action.

Thank you,