City of Winnipeg might look at how to cut fossil fuel use

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This article was published 28/04/2023 (897 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg may soon explore ways to save money on carbon taxes by cutting the fossil fuel consumption of some of its buildings.

A new motion directs staff to report on how much the city can expect to spend on carbon taxes by 2028 and identify energy efficient retrofits best suited to help cut that cost. If approved, the report would list up to 15 city-owned structures to improve and/or about $80-million worth of retrofit investments.

“I want to have this debate as part of the multi-year budget. I’d like to do some retrofits. Otherwise, you’re literally just handing the money to the federal government (in taxes),” said Coun. Brian Mayes, water, waste and environment committee chairman.

Mayes, who raised the motion, said the carbon price has increased the financial need to cut the use of fossil fuels through retrofits.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said he will consider the idea as it moves forward for debate at the environment committee next month. He noted making city buildings more energy efficient was one of his mayoral campaign priorities.

“The City of Winnipeg has a large portfolio of properties, many of them are older. They’re not energy efficient, so when we’re doing upgrades, we really need to be looking at that,” said Gillingham.

The retrofits weren’t the only green motion raised at Thursday’s council meeting. A call to have city staff report on steps to end landfill methane emissions by the year 2030 is also set to be discussed at the environment committee next month.

Coun. Russ Wyatt said he raised that motion because methane gases are among the most potent sources of air pollution.

“Methane is the worst of the worst of all the greenhouse gases. If we can deal with the landfills, we can have a dramatic impact on reducing greenhouse gases,” said Wyatt.

At this point, the City of Winnipeg flares the vast majority of methane produced at its Brady Road landfill to convert it to carbon dioxide, a less potent gas.

“The system reduces greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions from 21,700 passenger vehicles,” wrote Lisa Marquardson, a water and waste spokeswoman, in an emailed statement.

A separate pilot project at Summit Road landfill combines biosolids (a solid byproduct of sewage treatment), wood chips and street sweepings to create a soil cap that prevents landfill gas from being released at the (now-closed) waste disposal site, Marquardson said. The city is now seeking provincial approval to turn that into a long-term program.

Last year, city council also directed staff to explore a contract that would have it become a “raw resource landfill gas supplier.” The proposal called for a company to convert landfill gases into renewable energy on the city’s behalf, from which the city could earn millions of dollars.

It’s not clear when council will receive an update on negotiations with Integrated Gas Recovery Services, Mayes said.

Council must assess its methane programs to determine if Wyatt’s 2030 target is feasible, the mayor said.

“I think the first step would be for council to go back over the last 10, 15 years of reports related to methane capture and methane release and start there as far as what can be achieved,” said Gillingham.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga