MINUTES

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE

2007-02-22 – 3:30 p.m.

YORK ROOM, MARKHAM CIVIC CENTRE

MEETING NO. 1

 

 

Members

Regional Councillor J. Heath

Regional Councillor T. Wong

Councillor V. Burke

Councillor L. Kanapathi

B. Mersey, Chair, Markham Conservation

      Committee

P. Ling, Markham Conservation

      Committee

 

Staff

M. Urquhart, Manager, Environmental

          Leadership

L. Mele, TDM Coordinator

K. Boniface, Technical Coordinator, Parks

L. Duoba, Project Coordinator, Environmental

            Planning & Rouge Park

B. Labelle, Committee Clerk

 

 

 

The Environmental Issues Committee convened at the hour of 3:35 p.m. with Regional Councillor J. Heath in the Chair.

 

 

1.         MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2006

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the minutes of the Environmental Issues Committee meeting held on September 14, 2006 be adopted.

CARRIED

 

 

2.         MARKHAM ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY FUND - OVERVIEW

 

Ms. M. Urquhart, Manager, Environmental Leadership, presented a brief overview of the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund (MESF) advising of the guidelines and funding available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.         MESF APPLICANT’S GUIDE AND APPLICATION FORM

            SPRING 2007

 

The Committee discussed whether the current MESF application form should be further amended to preclude private condominium groups and the like from submitting applications to request funding to partially subsidize the cost of the installation of high efficiency boilers. Staff indicated that a separate conditional grant application process for these cases may be a possible solution if the Committee wanted to pursue these types of applications.

 

 

4.         MARKHAM ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY FUND (MESF) APPLICATIONS:

 

a)         TOWN INTERNAL APPLICATIONS

 

I.  The Committee discussed an application submitted by Ms. Karen Boniface, Technical Co-Ordinator, Parks Department, requesting $5,906 for an Adopt-A-Park Community Support and Awareness Program. Ms. Boniface advised that the funding would allow for the purchase of ‘litter picker’ tools, road safety vests as well as decals used to label ‘special event garbage bins’. She noted that these items would increase the prospective for individuals to organize ad hoc area clean ups and encourage further activity with respect to Adopt-A-Park group functions.

 

The Committee briefly discussed the Adopt-A-Park program and the application process involved. Members did express some concern that the funding would be required on an annual basis and may be better served as a standing item within the Town’s overall budget.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the application by Ms. Karen Boniface, Technical Co-Ordinator, Parks Department requesting $5,906 for an Adopt-A-Park Community Support and Awareness Program be approved.

CARRIED

 

 

b)         COMMUNITY APPLICATIONS

 

I.  The Committee discussed an application submitted by the Pomona Mills Conservationists Inc. requesting $3,601.10 for a Cleanup/Planting and Signage Program. Ms. Urquhart presented an overview of the annual native species program indicating the group had an excellent record of organizing successful plantings. She did note that the applicant had received funding within the previous year and, if approved for the term at hand, would be in contravention to the MESF guidelines. However it was advised that staff was still in support of the application due to the success of past programs, the fact that the overlap was only a couple of months and the impact the current proposal would have in the Pomona Mills Park and Thornhill Meadows area.  

 

The Committee expressed concerns that this and other organizations may begin to rely on the MESF as an annual or bi-annual funding source. Members discussed the potential to create a more standardized criteria to be used for the determination of MESF funding. Staff advised that, to date, there had not been a funding cycle in which the Committee was forced to reject a proposal due to the volume of applications received. The Committee recommended that more work be done to publicize the MESF program and that Regional Councillor T. Wong and Councillor L. Kanapathi work with their respective multicultural communities to intensify the level of community participation. 

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the application submitted by the Pomona Mills Conservationists Inc. requesting $3,601.10 for a Cleanup/Planting and Signage Program be approved.

CARRIED

 

 

II.   The Committee discussed a proposal from the Unionville Villager’s Association in which $11,500 was requested for the development of an Aerial Pathway Signage program for Bruce’s Creek, Denby Valley and Mildred Temple parks. Ms. Urquhart advised that the initiative would encourage visitors to utilize the trails in the heritage areas and would provide for an educational experience while doing so. It was noted that the request was in excess of the $10,000 limit and was deferred from the last funding cycle. Staff indicated that they were in support of the proposal as it would standardize signage already installed in two (2) other Markham parks.

 

There was discussion surrounding the level of vandalism that occurs with similar signage. Staff informed the Committee that the signage proposed was extremely resilient and would be backed by a ten (10) year replacement warranty. The Committee expressed concerns with granting an amount in excess of the $10,000 limitation established by the MESF funding protocol.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the Unionville Villager’s Association be granted $10,000 for the purposes of developing an Aerial Pathway Signage program for Bruce’s Creek, Denby Valley and Mildred Temple parks.

CARRIED

 

III The Committee had before them and application from the 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley requesting $5,000 for their 18th Annual Wildlife Habitat Restoration program. Ms. Urquhart advised Members that the native planting program was proposed for the North East corner of Markham By-pass and Ninth Line and that the funding requested would be used to purchase of trees. The overall project was sponsored by several partners and stakeholders who would be making monetary donations as well as contributing in-kind support. Ms. Urquhart indicated that Non-Governmental Organizations such as the 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley would meet the MESF criteria as long as the funding allocation was coordinated through a community group. In this case the application was made by the NGO. As a result, staff suggested that the funds be issued to and administered by the TRCA  to 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) charges 5% to manage the disbursement of funds and undertake planting verification.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the application by 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley requesting $5,000 for their 18th Annual Wildlife Habitat Restoration be approved;

 

And that five percent 5% ($250) be added to the funding request of $5,000 to be paid to the Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) as an administration fee for the disbursement of funds.

            CARRIED

 

 

IV.  The Committee discussed an application by the St. Justin Martyr Council, Knights of Columbus in which they requested $4,800 for and interpretive signage project for Toogood Pond. Ms. Urquhart advised that the proposed signage would provide information on fish and fowl species found in the Toogood Pond area and would be unleashed to coincide with community parks week. Ms. K. Boniface, Technical Coordinator, Parks, noted that a member of the Knights of Columbus organization with a background in aquatics had volunteered to provide the information but staff would work diligently with the applicant to ensure that the content and placement of the signs was appropriate.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the application by St. Justin Martyr Council, Knights of Columbus requesting $4,800 for and interpretive signage project for Toogood Pond be approved.

CARRIED

 

 

V.   The Committee had before it an application by the York Region Condominium Corporation #636, Walden Pond II requesting $10,000 to partially subsidize the cost to install high efficiency boilers in their condominium complex. Ms. Urquhart reviewed  a memorandum with details regarding a similar application received in 2006 and suggested that the nature of the proposal was different than that of MESF applications received by community groups. She noted three options in which the Committee could proceed with the application at hand. Firstly, they could grant the application by providing an exemption to the MESF protocol, they could defer the application until such a time that another incentive program is established for similar submissions, or they could support staff’s recommendation and refuse the application.

 

The Committee discussed the merits of the proposal by noting the environmental benefits achieved from the installation of high efficiency boilers. It was suggested that similar submissions did warrant attention but a program set up under the Markham Energy Conservation Office (MECO) may be a more suitable solution than that of the MESF. Members suggested that the proposal did not fall within the MESF funding criteria as it did not seem to promote active volunteerism or include an educational component. The Committee discussed whether the MESF application should be further amended so as to preclude future applications of this nature.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the application by the York Region Condominium Corporation #636, Walden Pond II requesting $10,000 to partially subsidize the cost of a boiler retrofit program be denied;

 

And that staff review alternative funding arrangements for applications of this nature.

CARRIED

 

 

5.         PROMOTION OF MESF

 

Ms. Urquhart requested funding in the amount of $1200 to purchase 6” trees for volunteers as recognition of their efforts towards the Celebrate the Environment, Susie Awards and Volunteer Corn Roast programs. She also requested that an additional $350 be allocated towards the purchase of MESF labels which would be used to promote the fund.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the request for $1200 to purchase 6” trees to recognize volunteer efforts towards the Celebrate the Environment, Susie Awards and Volunteer Corn Roast programs be approved;

 

And that $350 be allocated towards the purchase of labels which will be used to promote the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund (MESF).

CARRIED

 

 

6.         TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES UPDATE

 

Mr. L. Mele, TDM Coordinator, was in attendance to present an update on recent initiatives in transportation demand management. He advised of a presentation he recently delivered at a transportation demand management conference in Ottawa where he provided details on the Markham Lunch Express Community Shuttle Pilot Project, an initiative designed to reduce private vehicle drive alone trips during the midday hours which was funded by MESF.

 

Mr. Mele discussed details pertaining to the recent announcement of the Ministry of Transportation’s ecoMOBILITY program created to reduce urban passenger emissions through the active promotion of transit ridership and other sustainable transportation options.

 

Mr. Mele presented an update on the Environmental Professionals Internship program which also previously received funding through the MESF. He advised that an applicant selected through the Environmental Professionals Internship Program (EPI) would be commencing her work with the Markham Transportation Department in an attempt to address environmental issues relating to sustainable transportation. The internship was funded for an eight (8) month period and would commence in June 2007.

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the verbal update delivered by Mr. L. Mele, TDM Coordinator, on recent Transportation Demand Management initiatives be received.

CARRIED

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The Environmental Issues Committee adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

 

 

NEXT MEETING

 

Thursday, March 29, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. in the York Room.