Mayors and councillors throughout the province have joined their counterparts from across the country in demanding a plan to tackle climate change while strengthening economic sovereignty in the midst of the trade war.
Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne, Saanich councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff and Nelson councillor Leslie Payne, along with 34 other local leaders across B.C. united with colleagues across Canada to deliver a powerful message to Canada's political leaders that now is the time to invest in projects that will grow the economy while protecting the country from the dual threats of tariffs and climate change.
More than 120 municipal officials, representing more than 10 million Canadians, have signed the open letter to the federal party leaders urging bold action.
The letter included:
- Building a national clean electric grid that connects to the North to create a stronger and more resilient system for everyone
- Building a national high-speed rail network that is extended with locally-made electric buses to reach all Canadian communities
- Building at least two million non-market green homes
- Making homes and buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer with retrofits and heat pump installations that will help cut energy bills and pollution
- Funding a national resilience, response and recovery strategy so communities can prepare for climate disasters
Coyne said that Canada cannot keep adapting its way out of climate change.
"Watching places burn is a policy choice, it's not inevitable," he said. "We're compelled to say this because the disasters that communities face like Princeton faced are examples of what's to come without bold federal leadership."
The letter highlighted the importance of local leaders, as they are the front lines of the climate crisis, witnessing the human element and significant cost such as seniors suffering during heat waves, families losing homes due to floods and fires, and billions of dollars worth of damage to communities across the country.
Phelps Bondaroff reiterated that local governments serve as the front lines of the crisis.
"We need bold federal action that prioritizes people and the environment," he said. "Investing in clean energy grids, green housing and sustainable transportation will create thousands of good jobs and help restore the ecosystems we depend on 鈥� this is the leadership we need now."
The local leaders who joined this grassroots campaign say Canadians, regardless of political background, are all worried about having a good job, a safe and affordable place to live, and want their leaders to have a climate plan.
Payne said Nelson had the greatest risk of being destroyed by a wildfire, and although mitigation efforts have since been implemented, the community has grown and the fire risk remains high.
"Even with the best climate plan in the country, we can't protect ourselves without significant input from all levels of government," he said. "We certainly can't afford the additional greenhouse gasses that another pipeline will bring. Let's move forward, not backwards."
