MARKHAM CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

1. CALL TO ORDER

Brent Mersey, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

2. AGENDA

Committee members were advised that a recommendation to change the committee name, from the Markham Conservation Committee to the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee, would be considered by Town of Markham Council on December 3, 2007.

3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARKHAM CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 18, 2007

The minutes were accepted as distributed, with one amendment: Tom Rado had submitted Regrets in advance of the October meeting.

Moved by Joan Maddock

Seconded by Serena Chin

THAT the minutes of the Markham Conservation Committee held on October 18^th, 2007 be adopted as amended.

CARRIED

4. EVENT PLANNING DISCUSSION:

a. Outreach Initiatives

The Committee wishes Town of Markham staff to provide guidance to the committee in the planning and coordination of outreach activities. Sara Sterling, Special Events Coordinator, advised the committee that she is able to assist the committee with planning outreach activities such as Earth Day, but not public relations matters.

The Committee hopes to support four major outreach activities, with Earth Day being one of them. The Committee wants to provide a showcase for Markham to support environmental initiatives and to get people excited about environment issues. Ms. Sterling suggested it will be important to consider appropriate locations, adequate planning for events, and that the Committee might consider partnering with other environment-related events, such as the Trees for Tomorrow event in March.

Joyce Chau provided a recap of last year’s Earth Day events. Committee members discussed possible dates and venues for 2008 Earth Day events. April 22^nd was selected as the appropriate date for Earth Day. Centennial Community Centre was seen as having many advantages as a venue for the event:

- it is easier to plan and control events at a Town of Markham facility

- the community centre is environmentally friendly, having a green roof

- it is located opposite Loblaws, a business which might be convinced to partner in the event, offering non-pesticide products and bottled water as giveaways

It was suggested that a sub-committee be struck to plan Earth Day events. Members of the sub-committee would include:

Philip Ling

Mylene Batista Bezerra

Joyce Chau

Joan Maddock

Serena Chin

Christopher Sauer

Lisa Wilson

It was

Moved by Lisa Wilson

Seconded by Philip Ling

THAT an Earth Day sub-committee be struck and the names of members of the sub-committee be confirmed by email.

CARRIED

5. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

a. Tree By-Law – The Committee was advised that tree by-laws are becoming more important as society realizes that trees or the urban forest are important to our health. The overall goal of a tree by-law is to hold people accountable for trees they cut down. However, planning an appropriate by-law is complex: it must distinguish between developers and individual property owners, and between “good” and “bad” trees; also, the costs of implementation may be high considering the cost of hiring an arborist and the cost of associated paperwork. Committee members were asked to think of ways to provide input to Town of Markham planners on this issue.

Joyce Chau told the Committee of other towns that have partnered with local tree nurseries: the towns collect seeds, the nurseries develop the seedlings and the towns then plant the seedlings. Inventory and documentation of the seedlings is also important in this process.

b. Pesticide By-Law – The Town of Markham plans to establish an ambassador program for pesticides beginning February 2008. Committee members were asked to consider how they could be involved to raise the level of consciousness about this issue in Markham.

6. NEW BUSINESS

a. York Region Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting – Chair Brent Mersey attended this meeting of representatives from York Region environmental committees. The Aurora Environmental Committee is very active and it was felt that the Markham committee could benefit from some of the Aurora committee’s ideas. Chair Brent Mersey will check to see whether the Markham committee might host a future York Region Environmental Advisory Committee meeting

7. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 17^th, 2008 at 7 p.m. in the Ontario Room.

8. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m. on a motion from Tom Rado, seconded by Lisa Wilson.

ATTENDANCE

Members

Staff

Regrets

Absent