LETTER – City council must stay the course on its climate action levy

We are calling upon Kamloops City Council to stay the course on our award-winning Climate Action Levy.

Council is to decide whether or not to retain the funding increase as planned, reduce the funding increase by half for 2024, or forgo the 2024 increase entirely. The purpose of the levy, approved in 2022, was to facilitate longer-term planning by locking in a predictable funding formula.

The City received an award for the Community Climate Action Plan, and the funding mechanism in particular. As then-Mayor Christian pointed out at the time, “It’s all well and good to have the plan, but unless you have a way to fund the plan, not much is going to get done. So the climate action levy was again recognized as best practice.”

As Council makes tough choices, we encourage them to factor in the long-term costs of their budget decisions.

With respect to the return on investment, funding climate action is the most fiscally responsible expenditure that Council can make. In fact, from a numbers standpoint, there are good arguments for increasing the levy to the 0.5% annual increase that was originally proposed.

The 0.35% climate action levy amounts to an additional $8.75 for the average household in Kamloops. Modelling from the Canadian Climate Institute shows that for every $1 invested, governments can save between $13 and $15 in future damages. Since climate change is a time-sensitive issue, that impressive return on investment will be reduced if the investment is delayed. Either we pay now, or we’ll be paying much more later.

In addition to reducing future damages, spending on climate action spurs a host of desirable co-benefits: enhanced livability, improved public health, reduced air pollution, increased carbon sequestration, ecosystem preservation, economic innovation, improved water quality and enhanced resilience to future extreme weather events.

Since climate impacts disproportionately affect our most vulnerable citizens and those with the greatest economic challenges, these investments reduce inequity in our community. In particular, active transportation infrastructure and improved transit enables folks to get around more easily regardless of their age, level of mobility, or economic status.

The City’s consultations show time and again that residents want climate action to be a top priority. We call on Council to reaffirm the City’s commitment to timely climate action by sticking to the plan on the Climate Action Levy.

The list of signatories can be seen here. Anyone wishing to add their name can do so here.

Dr. NANCY FLOOD
President, Kamloops Naturalist Club

GISELA RUCKERT
Transition Kamloops

And others