MOOSE JAW — City administration will apply for national funding to create a climate risk assessment plan that it hopes will solidify its ability to secure federal money for projects like the Crescent View Lift Station.
During its recent regular meeting, city council voted 6-1 to apply to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) green municipal fund for money to create an assessment and adaptation plan.
Coun. Patrick Boyle was opposed.
The plan is expected to cost $82,500, with $70,000 expected from FCM — it provides up to 85 per cent of the required project funding — and the municipality contributing $12,500.
This document should provide city hall with a roadmap to address climate effects on infrastructure and support the municipality’s existing climate action plan that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, a report said. The city should also be “better equipped to manage climate risks and build a stronger, more adaptable community” by integrating climate adaptation into planning and decision-making processes.
If approved, the municipality would use the money to hire a third party to prepare Moose Jaw’s plan.
The council report indicated that a climate risk assessment plan enables municipalities to identify climate hazards, assess the vulnerability of essential infrastructure and services, and provide a data-based foundation for proactive decisions that protect and improve infrastructure and “build resilience that benefits residents.”
Furthermore, such plans help municipalities prioritize climate adaptation measures, “integrate resilience-building strategies” into existing plans and “enhance community resilience” by implementing solutions to reduce long-term risks, the report added.
Having this plan will also make it easier for Moose Jaw to acquire federal funding for infrastructure projects because Ottawa always asks municipalities to indicate how they are preparing for and handling climate risks, city administration said.
Skepticism about federal support
Boyle said he was unsure what the climate risk assessment plan was about, how a “roadmap” would help and what value would come from this report. Furthermore, he had a “fundamental problem” with the federal government “going straight to municipalities” with an agenda and offering “buckets of money” that were questionable.
Furthermore, this could change in the spring with the Liberal government’s budget or when a fall federal election occurs, and the government potentially changes, he continued.
“I’m pretty skeptical of this … ,” Boyle said, noting that droughts and floods are two issues Moose Jaw faces. “Sometimes a gift from the federal government isn’t always a gift.”
Boyle also thought it was “absolutely ridiculous” that Ottawa disqualified Moose Jaw’s infrastructure applications because it didn’t have information about climate risks.
In response, Bevan Harlton, director of operations, said the plan would contain a “high-level statement about climate resiliency” with the infrastructure the city should be installing.
Furthermore, this grant is important because when city hall applied for funding for the Crescent View Lift Station, the submission did not have information about climate resiliency or related risks, which was “a limiter for the city” in acquiring funding, he continued. So, this plan should satisfy future federal funding applications.
Chiming in, city manager Maryse Carmichael said city hall also failed to acquire federal disaster relief funding because its application lacked climate risk information.
Coun. Dawn Luhning agreed with Boyle, noting that it wasn’t right how Ottawa made municipalities “do a little bit of extra work” to acquire money while it was “a convoluted way” to attain that funding.
Working with other municipalities
Coun. Chris Warren asked whether city hall would engage with other municipalities or contractors that have created similar plans and whether a local company or an outside organization would draft the report.
He also wondered whether Moose Jaw would collaborate with rural municipalities to acquire additional federal funding and align climate risk assessments since boundaries do not bind wind, snow, drought and rain. He also asked whether city hall had adequate resources to sustain this work afterward.
Warren also wondered whether city hall could develop its own risk assessment plan — using other municipalities as templates — instead of relying on outside entities unfamiliar with Moose Jaw’s climate challenges.
“I like the idea that we … are thinking ahead. Whether you believe in climate change or not, we are experiencing wind and weather events that are creating an impact to our community and operating budgets,” he added.
In response, city administration said many regional engineering companies did this work and responded to inquiries from city hall about it. Furthermore, administration has not had formal discussions with RM councils about creating a joint assessment plan.
Furthermore, this plan will help with long-term decision-making and planning within departments such as public works, parks and recreation and the emergency measures office, administration said. Also, city hall did not have the expertise — or in-house funding — to create a plan on its own.
City council can’t undertake any major infrastructure projects without federal funding, considering it’s already spread too thin with other initiatives and would be “hooped” without that money, said Coun. Jamey Logan. So, if it costs $12,500 to create this plan and fill a hole in the city’s application processes, then “so be it.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Dec. 16.