The City of Regina’s proposed energy and sustainability framework has unanimous support from the executive committee as it heads to council for another vote on Wednesday. But, it is going to take more than council’s approval to reach the city’s ambitious net zero, 100 per cent renewable targets by 2050.
The energy and sustainability framework addresses seven key areas to reduce energy and increase efficiency during the city’s transition to renewable energy resources.
Switching to low-emissions vehicles and sustainable energy sources, at both a city and residential level, are two key pieces in the framework.
Regina resident Jeff Moore made the switch to solar energy more than five years ago. He added an electric vehicle to his greener, cleaner lifestyle shortly after.
“The solar panels pay for themselves in approximately 10 years,” Moore said. “After that, I’ll be driving my car for free just with the power of the sun.”
According to a report from the city administration, 23 per cent of Regina’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector.
Moore, who is also a board member of the Saskatchewan Electric Vehicle Association, said switching fleet vehicles and personal vehicles to low-emissions alternatives would make a big difference.
“We can all do our small part by moving to low emissions vehicles and electric vehicles certainly have a big part to play in that transition,” he said. “The purchase price is a little more expensive, but you save in maintenance and you save in fuel costs.”
However, residents are not responsible for the majority of Regina’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to Emily Eaton, an associate professor in geography and environmental studies at the University of Regina.
“We need residents to make changes in their homes and in their lifestyles, but that’s really only one small part of the picture,” Eaton told CTV News.
Eaton spoke as a delegate in favor of the energy and sustainability framework at the executive committee meeting on Thursday. She said the framework is long overdue.
“We don’t have any more time to waste,” she said, adding every day of inaction makes it harder and more expensive to reach the 2050 target.
According to the city, Regina’s greenhouse gas emissions are 1.7 times higher than the national average and 4.7 times higher than the global average.
If you look at Saskatchewan’s greenhouse gas emissions per capita, Eaton said the comparison is much worse.
“If Saskatchewan were a country it would have the highest greenhouse gas emissions in the whole world,” Eaton said.
“We are a fossil fuel based economy here and that’s something we’re going to have to grapple with in this transition.”
Industry is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, according to Eaton.
She said the city would need to get industries and all levels of government on board to achieve its net zero targets by 2050.
“Regina can’t get net zero without SaskPower getting net zero as well,” she said.
In a statement, SaskPower said it is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 to ultimately achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“The City of Regina is a valued partner to SaskPower, and we will continue to work with the City as they focus on their Energy and Sustainability Framework targets,” the statement said.
Regina’s executive committee recognized the framework is an ambitious plan, but it is a good first step in matching what other municipalities are doing across the country.
“To me this is not simply an environmental plan, this is an economic plan as well,” said coun. Shanon Zachidniak.
“This is an opportunity for us to support a net return of $12.5 billion to our local economy by 2050.”
City Council is expected to vote on the energy and sustainability framework at its next meeting on Wednesday.