Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 17/02) - The city is a few months away from establishing a committee to look at Yellowknife energy usage.

Following on a recommendation from councillors, city administration will draft up a mandate for a proposed community energy planning committee.

Although marching orders have not yet been issued, the committee will likely look at possibilities for reducing greenhouse gases in the city, as well as researching alternative energy forms.

"It's an effort to try to involve various sectors and organizations in our city to find ways to use energy more efficiently, conserve energy, save money and do good things for our environment," said Coun. Kevin O'Reilly, who suggested the committee.

Jenn Morin, a director with Ecology North, said the city should "look into renewable energy and energy savings -- retrofitting existing systems and buildings, just reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

In recent months, councillors have bandied about a number of topics relating to energy use and conservation. This committee would take a broad look at a number of those ideas, including free busing, energy-efficient buildings and thrifty toilets, which flush less water.

Coun. Robert Hawkins, who suggested the free busing, said he liked the idea of a committee. But, he added, "I'm just concerned that we'll end up consulting and consulting and never get anywhere."

O'Reilly suggested that the committee direct its scrutiny at the entire community, rather than solely municipal operations. Its makeup should include leaders from the city, environmental and business communities, he said. That way, it could draft solutions with a wide-sweeping applications -- and, hopefully, broadly-felt benefits.

Some money already allocated

Council has already set aside $20,000 in its 2002 budget for a consultant to study greenhouse gas emissions in the city. That money is set to help the city along toward its goal of dropping greenhouse emissions to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2013.

The money "will be a resource available to the committee," said city public works director Greg Kehoe.

The committee itself should be in charge of seeking funds for environmentally-sound projects, said O'Reilly.

The idea would be to "leverage out some other money," he said. For example, the committee could solicit additional funds from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Green Fund.