Calgary climate change plan discussion postponed

A planned discussion on a massive plan to fight climate change in Calgary has been put off for another month.

After a city committee forwarded the $87-billion framework to all of council to vote on it, Coun. Terry Wong moved to delay it until a meeting in July because he and another councillor would not be present Tuesday afternoon.

This was frustrating for Coun. Kourtney Penner, who says addressing this sooner could help dispel myths that are circulating about the plan, namely regarding who pays for it.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the big-ticket plan is a joint investment “of government across all levels, of private citizens doing their own green retrofits (and) decisions around moving towards net zero. But also, a large part of that $87 billion is private corporations making investments.”

Gondek says this delay has blown a chance for Calgary to be seen as a leader, with the Global Energy Show happening this week.

“There are global industry leaders talking about sustainability,” said the mayor. “They’re talking about energy transformation and our council – certain members of it – want to push the debate another few weeks. What message are we sending to the world, who’s here in our city, watching us to be leaders in energy transformation?”

For his part, Wong says it’s about council doing their due diligence and ensuring everyone is there for the conversation.

“I think when we talk about how Calgary positions itself on a global stage, everybody across Canada and North America does recognize that we are a leader and we will be a leader, regardless of whether we do the debate today … or postpone it.”

–With files from Tom Ross