MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Members of Council

FROM: Allan Seabrooke, Acting Lead, Community and Fire Services

Prepared by: Mavis Urquhart, Manager, Environmental Leadership

DATE: May 26, 2008

SUBJECT: Smog Summit, June 4, 2008

The Smog Summit is an annual gathering of industry, community, and all three levels of government, promoted by the Greater Toronto Area Clean Air Council (GTA CAC) to raise awareness about the urgent need for solutions to smog in the Greater Toronto Area. The Town of Markham is a member of the GTA-CAC, an intergovernmental working group dedicated to exploring joint clean air initiatives in the GTA and to liaising with municipalities across Canada to determine the best practices for reducing smog. The Town of Markham has participated in the Smog Summit since 2001.

This year the Smog Summit is being held on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. Political representatives from all levels of government within the GTA and will gather in Toronto to publicly sign the Inter-governmental Declaration on Clean Air, to report on progress made since last year’s summit and to announce new initiatives for government action to reduce smog. (A copy of the draft agenda for the event is attached to this memorandum).

It is recommended that Councillor Erin Shapero, Chair, Environment & Sustainability Issues, General Committee, or designate, be authorized to sign the 2008 Toronto and Region Intergovernmental Declaration on Clean Air (description attached) on behalf of the Town of Markham at the Smog Summit on June 4, 2008. As the representative for the Town of Markham, Councillor Shapero, or designate.

Any Councillors wishing to register to view the updated agenda or attend can visit website www.smogsummit.org or contact Mavis Urquhart at x7502.

Declaration (general description)

The Declaration will call for members (including Government of Canada, Province of Ontario and member municipalities) to commit to working collaboratively to address air pollution and climate change problems as follows:

· Energy

§ Develop action plans aimed at reducing energy use and mitigating air pollution and climate change

§ Convert traffic signals and pilot other lighting conversions to LED technology

§ Increase use of renewable energy purchasing or production

· Buildings and Infrastructure

§ Implement green development policies and best practises

§ Develop environmental checklist/toolkit for development applications

· Transportation

§ Support transportation demand management initiatives and programs that reduce and shift travel to more sustainable and lower emission modes

· Green Communities

§ Develop community Bicycle/Pedestrian Plans aimed at increasing modal shift to transportation

· Financial Tools

§ Develop Corporate Green Procurement policies that increase implementation of energy efficiency criteria in purchasing, lease and contract decisions