Kamloops council votes to cut climate action levy by 50 per cent in 2024

Over the course of the long weekend, more than 200 Kamloops citizens and organizations signed on to a petition calling for council to keep the current Climate Action Levy in place.

“I love the hot summer and skiing in the winter and I see all that being threatened. And I think the letter came out of our fear that maybe council won’t hold the course on climate action,” said Gisela Ruckert of Transition Kamloops.

The fund, supplied by 0.35 per cent of Kamloops taxation, is used to offset the cost of efficiencies to support climate action and preparedness. To date, just over 50 per cent has been used in previous projects.

“The Climate Action Levy is fundamental to implementing our Community Climate Action Plan. And that helps with mitigation — reducing the amount of pollution coming out of our buildings and our city fleets. [It also helps with] adaptation, preparing our community for the changes that we are already seeing,” said Ruckert.

Councillor Nancy Bepple is a strong advocate for climate action and active transportation, and hopes council will continue to collect the levy.

“The path that they have set out is the most reasonable — it’s to stay the course,” said Councillor Nancy Bepple. “And it’s up to the council as a whole. But for myself, I support Kamloops making really positive changes and adopting the changes laid out in the Climate Action Plan.”

The fund is also used to help civic buildings, like pools and ice rinks utilize equipment that decreases greenhouse gas emissions, and that is something that could factor in the future, according to Bepple.

“Look at the fires, look at the floods, look at the drought — that’s all in the last year. If we can invest and make our community a more livable place — it’s not just about climate change, it’s about livability, and it’s a huge investment in avoiding future costs,” said Bepple.

Through the investment in climate action, the city could be saving money on the back end.

“For every dollar that government spends on climate action, they actually get a return on investment of $13-to-$15 in future damages that will not be happening because they put the money in up front,” said Ruckert. “From a financial perspective, it’s a really good investment.”

Committee of the Whole voted to recommend cutting the 2024 levy in half, with Councillor Katie Neustaeter saying she felt the need to balance climate leadership with fiscal responsibility, as council considers a potential double-digit tax increase.

“We already are leaders, but you have to feed your family in addition to giving to your community. We have to be careful that we are not taking dollars that we don’t need to out of the pockets of our citizens during an enormously economically challenging time,” said Neustaeter.

Council did agree to put more focus on active transportation from the levy and a final decision will be made on March 5, 2024.

by Michael Reeve

Kamloops council votes to cut climate action levy by 50 per cent in 2024

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