Environment

Leduc is a wonderful city; I see the opportunity for it to lead in the challenges that face society today. Leduc will need to be diligent as we search for ways to improve the quality of life for its citizens for today and the years to come.

As your councilor, I want to improve the environment of Leduc and have our city play a leading role in the environmental movement. We need to understand that we cannot separate people from the problem and to recognize the relationship we have with the Earth. The best way for the municipal government of Leduc to solve environmental issues is for the will to come from the citizens and by having the government respond by presenting options and showing leadership. Citizens need to rise to the challenge and encourage their government to create the proper conditions for action. This allows the people to take an active part in the community, and not just have the government make the plan and say: Citizens, here are the rules, now follow.

Leduc is rooted deeply in one of the most challenging issues; our dependency on fossil fuel. In 1947, Leduc #1 changed the face of our city, Alberta and western Canada. Since then, Leduc has been playing a leading role in growing the oil based economy that Alberta now thrives on. Our city has been demonstrating active leadership and we should be proud of the role that we have played to advance our province. I would like to see Leduc play the same role by moving our economy to be sustainable for citizens and the environment.

When oil based communities recognize the need to move in a sustainable direction, the world takes notice. Recognizing that we are a part of the problem and taking on the responsibility of being a part of the solution will echo across the globe. This has paid off well for other communities around the world, giving their economy global recognition in environmental innovation. Leduc needs to do the same.

As your councilor, I want to create an agenda that will explore new practices that are being looked at around the world and bring them to the attention of the Leduc citizens. We will not need to re-invent the wheel for us to become a sustainable community, but test and explore things that are being done and seeing what solutions work for us. The exploration of new technologies and programs may be what we need for specific situations, but we require the commitment from Leduc citizens and the Leadership from council to understand that a unique Leduc plan is needed and giving up is not an option.

What Dominic Wants To Do

Leduc can move in the sustainable direction by paying attention to our city’s progress on the basic principles of environmentalism, the three “R’s”: Recycling, Reduce, Re-use, while, Education and Innovation are key aspects that council needs bring to our communities attention to make environmental practice possible. Changing this platform into policy will require rooting these ideas in principles of sustainability.

Recycling

Improving our recycling and composting practices is a central priority. I attended the Community Vision Work Shop in March and my feeling that Leduc needs a better recycling program was echoed by many. I was very persistent on this issue and I am happy to see that it has now made the priority list for city council and we will soon be implementing some sort of curb side recycling program. Leduc needs to make recycling and composting just as easy to do as throwing trash away and this is a great step towards doing so.

Just having this system implemented does not mean the job is done. We need to make sure that the system fits well within the daily routine of Leduc citizens. We need to make sure that it is cost effective to both the city and the taxpayer, and that the recycled materials are going to good use. We need to make sure that the system remains effective while Leduc continues to grow. The way that I would help Leduc City Council remain in touch with how citizens are reacting to the new recycling program is by actively seeking out their feedback.

City Council should also begin a dialog with Leduc Businesses to build a recycling and composting program that suits their needs. I know that businesses are concerned about the environment and many want to help out. Recycling is a common practice amongst Leduc businesses; however they are seeing many ways that the city could help them out to make it easier.

Reducing

All of Leduc’s municipal buildings should be moving towards reducing their un-sustainable energy consumption. The municipality could lead by example by having all government buildings running on sustainable energy such as solar or wind power and by implementing environmental standards for all future municipal buildings.

Leduc will soon be building a new recreational and fitness facility. This new facility should be built with new sustainable technologies to help reduce the buildings ecological footprint. Because a recreational facility uses so much heat, the different opportunities for sustainable energy are immense. Ecologically friendly building materials should be used everywhere possible on this new facility “for the future”. Water conserving measures must also be considered for this facility to properly belong in Leduc’s future.  When municipalities choose to build eco-friendly facilities they are often eligible for various provincial and federal grants.

Municipalities are limited in their abilities to produce revenue. They frequently have to rely on property taxes to fund most projects. This type of financing makes the city dependant on growing outwards to increase the size of its revenue base. City Council must recognize the consequences of an expanding city’s impact on the environment and ecosystems. Exploring different revenue sources with the provincial government that would reduce the amount of natural capital we, as a city, will consume would be a productive priority for city council. Different options to generate the revenue that a municipality will need to fund all of its projects must be considered for the future of all Canadian municipalities.

Reusing

In Leduc today you will see many empty building that are sitting vacant or boarded up. This is very discomforting to see. Leduc needs to reuse these vacant buildings before it can logically conclude that more buildings are required. Right now, we have a vacant Canadian Tire, a whole store front business building on 50th Avenue, and many store front buildings in Main Street that are unused. City council should be looking for ways to have these current existing vacancies filled before developing any other buildings. At times a simple and cost effective modification to the exterior is an easy way to revitalize old buildings and attract new tenants.

Education

Educating people on ways that they can bring greater consciousness of the environment into their homes or businesses is an important part of the ecological picture. Having an active and visible “Leduc Environmental Advisory Board” (LEAB) that is able to advise council and citizens on environmental practices will be a priority of mine.

I see LEAB reaching out to community schools to talk about environmental programs that the city offers so we may begin to make environmental practice and sustainable living second nature to the future.

The “Leduc Environment Festival” should become an annual event where individuals, businesses and community leaders can hear about, see, and touch the latest technologies and businesses offering solution and celebrate our progress.

Innovation

City Council should be seeking out ways and means to solve environmental issues that will come up in the city’s future. Once actively seeking out advice has been completed, implementing a corrective plan that works is council’s next responsibility. I feel that these innovative solutions should then be shared with other communities so we play a role in not just the stewardship of Leduc’s environment, but that of our province, country, and planet.