Minutes

Environment Advisory Committee

The Corporation of the City of Brampton

Tuesday, December 08, 2020

5:00 P.m. - 7:00 P.m.

Council Chambers - 4th Floor, City Hall - Webex Electronic Meeting

Members Present:

• Preethi Anbalagan (Co-Chair)
• Akeem Gardner (Co-Chair)
• Harripaul Bridgemohan
• Rajbalinder Ghatoura
• David Laing
• Davika Misir
• Stacey Wilson
• City Councillor D. Whillans

Members Absent:

• Jafir Jaferi
• Sanjay Mathur
• Tamsen Metcalfe
• Amandeep Purewal
• Sherry-Ann Ram
• Vipul Shah

Staff Present:

• Michael Hoy, Supervisor, Environmental Planning, Public Works and Engineering
• Stavroula Kassaris, Environmental Planner, Public Works and Engineering
• Alex Taranu, Senior Advisor, Public Works and Engineering
• Sonya Pacheco, Legislative Coordinator

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1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 5:09 p.m. and adjourned at 6:09 p.m.

2.

Approval of Agenda

The following motion was considered.

• EAC023-2020

  That the agenda for the Environment Advisory Committee Meeting of December 8, 2020 be approved as amended to re-order the agenda to deal with the items under section 8 (Other/New Business) immediately following section 4 (Previous Minutes). 

  Carried

3.

Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Nil

4.

Previous Minutes

4.1

Minutes - Environment Advisory Committee - October 13, 2020

The minutes were considered by Committee of Council on October 21, 2020, and approved by Council on October 28, 2020. The minutes were provided for Committee’s information.

5.

Presentations\Delegations

5.1

Delegation from Alice Casselman, Founder/President, ACER (Association for Canadian Educational Resources), and Catherine Soplet, Founder/Lead Strategist, Building Up Our Neighbourhoods, re: Project Crossroads Urban Reforestation Activities

Prior to the delegation's presentation, a testimonial video prepared by an ACER volunteer was played.

Alice Casselman, Founder/President, ACER (Association for Canadian Educational Resources), and Catherine Soplet, Founder/Lead Strategist, Building Up Our Neighbourhoods, provided a presentation regarding the Project Crossroads Urban Reforestation Activities, which included information on the following:

• ACER programs, activities and collaborative results
• Impact of COVID-19 on ACER programs and activities
• Climate, racism and COVID-19 crisis in Peel
• Requests to staff (Slide 2 of the presentation):
  • for a Letter of Support for ACER’s proposal to Environment Canada: Climate Action and Awareness Fund
  • to establish a process with public school boards and extend the One Million Trees program by delivering mulch to public schoolyards for use
  • to explore how ACER programs benefit GHG emissions reduction; how youth benefit with outdoor and hands-on cross-curricular activity, and how community tree planting can be guided by a framework to foster equity and inclusion and further understanding of racism, especially anti-Black racism

Committee discussion on this matter included the following:

• Positive impact of ACER planting programs on students and the broader community
• Indication that the Parks Maintenance and Forestry Division already provide mulch to schools at their request
• Indication that Environment Planning staff could provide a letter of support to ACER for the Environment Canada: Climate Action and Awareness Fund

Akeem Gardner, Chair, suggested that staff liaise with the delegations regarding the requests outlined within their presentation. 

The following motion was considered.

• EAC024-2020

  1. That the delegation from Alice Casselman, Founder/President, ACER (Association for Canadian Educational Resources), and Catherine Soplet, Founder/Lead Strategist, Building Up Our Neighbourhoods, to the Environment Advisory Committee Meeting of December 8, 2020, re: Project Crossroads Urban Reforestation Activities be received; and

  2. That the delegation's requests be referred to staff for review and consideration.

  Carried

5.2

Staff Presentation re: Bramalea Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program (SNAP) Action Plan

Shannon Logan, Senior Program Manager of Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and Stavroula Kassaris, Environmental Planner, Public Works and Engineering, provided a presentation regarding the Bramalea Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program (SNAP) Action Plan.

The following motion was considered.

• EAC025-2020
  1. That the presentation by Shannon Logan, Senior Program Manager of Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and Stavroula Kassaris, Environmental Planner, Public Works and Engineering, to the Environment Advisory Committee Meeting of December 8, 2020 re: Bramalea Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program (SNAP) Action Plan be received;

      

  2. That the Environment Advisory Committee support the establishment of the Bramalea SNAP and endorse the proposed Bramalea SNAP Action Plan; and

      

  3. That TRCA and City staff provide a presentation regarding the Bramalea SNAP Action Plan to Committee of Council.
  Carried

5.3

Staff Presentation re: Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan Action Plan and Metric Refresh

The subject presentation was provided within the agenda package and was not displayed during the meeting.  Committee acknowledged the information provided within.

The following motion was considered.

• EAC026-2020
  1. That the presentation by Stavroula Kassaris, Environmental Planner, Public Works and Engineering, to the Environment Advisory Committee Meeting of December 8, 2020 re: Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan Action Plan and Metric Refresh Plan be received;

      

  2. That the Environmental Advisory Committee support the Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan Action Plan and Metric Refresh; and

      

  3. That City staff provide a presentation regarding the Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan Action Plan and Metric Refresh to Committee of Council.
  Carried

5.4

Staff Presentation re: Riverwalk Area Urban Design Master Plan

The subject presentation was provided within the agenda package and was not displayed during the meeting.  Committee acknowledged the information provided within.

The following motion was considered.

• EAC027-2020

  That the presentation by Alex Taranu, Senior Advisor, Public Works and Engineering, to the Environment Advisory Committee Meeting of December 8, 2020 re: Riverwalk Area Urban Design Master Plan be received.

  Carried

6.

Reports/Updates

Nil

7.

Sub-Committees

7.1

Current EAC Sub-Committee Membership List (updated November 2020)

The EAC Sub-Committee Membership List was provided for information.  There was no discussion on this item.

8.

Other New/Business

8.1

2021 EAC Schedule of Meetings

The 2021 EAC Schedule of Meetings was provided for Committee's information.  There was no discussion regarding this item.

8.2

Discussion at the request of Stavroula Kassaris, Environmental Planner, Public Works and Engineering, re: Request for Environment Advisory Committee Representation on the Official Plan Review Community Leaders Advisory Group

Stavroula Kassaris, Environmental Planner, Public Works and Engineering, advised that the Environment Advisory Committee has been requested to select a representative to participate on the Official Plan Review Community Leaders Advisory Group.  Ms. Kassaris provided information on the Official Plan and the role of this group. 

In response to a request for volunteers to represent the Environment Advisory Committee on the Official Plan Review Community Leaders Advisory Group, Akeem Gardner and Davika Misir expressed their interest.

The following motion was considered.

• EAC028-2020

  That Akeem Gardner and Davika Misir be selected to represent the Environment Advisory Committee on the Official Plan Review Community Leaders Advisory Group.

  Carried

8.3

Discussion at the request of Stacey Wilson, Committee Member, re: Implications of Bill 229 (Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act) 

Stacey Wilson, Committee Member, provided information to Committee regarding the implications of Bill 229 (Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act), noting that the Bill has passed third reading in the Legislature. She advised that various municipalities have officially registered their opposition to the Bill, and outlined the negative impacts of this Bill on the role of conservation authorities to protect the environment and the Endangered Species Act.

Michael Hoy, Supervisor, Environmental Planning, provided the following:

• Staff reviewed the changes in the proposed legislation in early 2020 and provided comments to the Province
• The City is in a good position to absorb the changes and there will be minimal impact on environmental protection in Brampton 
• Memorandums of Understanding are in place for services provided to the City by the conservation authorities

Committee discussion took place with respect to the following:

• Suggestion that a formal response be provided to the Province, outlining the City's opposition to Bill 229 due to the significant impact on environmental protection 
• Indication that several members of the Greenbelt Council resigned as a direct result of Bill 229, and over 20 municipalities registered their opposition 

City Councillor Whillans advised that he would request to have this matter added to the December 9, 2020 City Council meeting agenda for a formal position from the City of Brampton. 

The following motion was considered.

• EAC029-2020

  That, it is the position of the Environment Advisory Committee, that the City of Brampton communicate to the Province of Ontario that it does not support Schedule 6 (Conservation Authorities Act) and Schedule 8 (Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994) of Bill 229 (Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (Budget Measures), 2020), due to the negative impact on the protection of Ontario's environment.

  Carried

9.

Correspondence

Nil

10.

Question Period

Nil

11.

Public Question Period

Nil

12.

Adjournment

The following motion was considered.

• EAC030-2020

  That the Environment Advisory Committee do now adjourn to meet again on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. or at the call of the Chair.

  Carried