Creatively United is committed to championing solutions at the community level to support a shift to carbon neutrality by 2050. Both the federal and provincial governments in British Columbia are committed to achieving carbon neutrality. A number of local councils have issued climate emergencies to the same effect.
The trouble is that we are now running out of time. No level of government has ever achieved its carbon reduction targets. Meaningful change toward carbon neutrality will require concrete changes in policies and actions by 2030 or humanity will face irreversible changes to climate and nature.
This brief outlines how Creatively United, in partnership with the Gail O’Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Fund, is engaging in creative community partnerships to make necessary policy changes. We will illustrate our roles with a case example of municipal solid waste management at the Hartland landfill in Greater Victoria.
Under Provincial legislation, the CRD is responsible for managing the Hartland landfill thought a statutory Solid Waste Management Plan. The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change must approve such a plan. The plan is currently being revised by the CRD for submission by the spring of 2021.
The CRD is considering an expansion to the landfill before 2045. This expansion will remove 73 acres of natural forest; threaten endangered wildlife and impact recreational use of Mt Work Regional Park.
There are a number of viable policy alternatives for extending the life of the existing landfill which are consistent with achieving carbon neutrality. These include operating waste to energy facilities which would eliminate most waste disposal and significantly reduce carbon emissions; supporting waste reduction strategies in keeping with carbon neutrality and changing the financial formula from tipping fees which encourage waste disposal to user fees which discourage waste generation.
Creating Community Partnerships
A month ago, the Mount Work Coalition, a not-for-profit organization, were the only local community voice opposing the proposed expansion plans for the landfill. Creatively United initiated a partnership with the Coalition and brought in other community groups, including the South Island Climate Action Network (SICAN) and the Esquimalt Climate Organizers (ECO), plus numerous individuals.
Together, a fact sheet was created with answers to technical questions about the waste to energy facility being proposed by the Municipality of Esquimalt. The new community coalition also wrote letters of support to the project and made short presentations to the Esquimalt Council on November 16.
These efforts resulted in Esquimalt Council approving a budget for completion of a business case analysis of the waste to energy project and supporting the establishment of a Round Table consisting of representatives from the Municipality; the CRD and the Ministry of Environment together with technical experts and public input. A neutral expert would facilitate the Round Table.
The combined strength of the community groups working with Mt Work Coalition was instrumental in obtaining Council support.
Next Steps
There are 13 local municipalities in the Greater Victoria Region. Creative community partnerships will be required across the region to educate local citizens about these policy shifts and encourage bolder steps by all local governments to reducing waste and managing the regional landfill within its existing footprint.
Creatively United has agreed to play a major role in enabling these policy shifts with support of community coalitions.