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Ward 3 councillor at odds with Mayor over motion 9 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, September 11, 2009 Samantha Continued from page 1 If any of the other three companies are successful, the plant will be built just across the border in Mississauga. Mayor Rob Burton noted that if the decision is made to build the power plant, he would like to see the two-for-one emissions reduction plan put in place before the plant becomes operational in late 2013. "The only proven way to clean air is to reduce pollution. If we only talk about stopping a new source, we still have the dirty air that we're complaining about," said Burton. "What we want is cleaner air. The government has promised us cleaner air and we should take them at their word and help them achieve that goal so we can all breathe easier and healthier." Burton said this motion does not represent Town Council giving up in its efforts to prevent the power plant from coming to the area, but is necessary regardless of whether the power plant comes. "I believe that additional sources of pollution are coming constantly to our airshed. The clear requirement is that we clean up our air. Standing still on this leaves us with dirty air," said Burton. "So, for those who are really concerned about cleaning up the air, this is the only way to go and for those who are content to keep breathing the air the way it is and want to focus exclusively on whether or not there's a power plant, they can take a different course. My entire life in the environmental area has been about making things better, not keeping them the same." Ward 3 Councillor Mary Chapin, who represents the Oakville area where the power plant could be situated, does not agree and has deep concerns about the position being taken. She sees it as a wholesale departure from council's position of preventing the power plant from taking root. "His statements in his media release seem to concede that by building a power plant we will somehow get concessions with other industries and that is a contradiction of what we've held as a council position from the time we passed the motion back in April," said Chapin. "My position is that no, we don't want it (power plant), it doesn't belong here." So disturbed was Chapin by the two-for-one motion that she asked to be relieved of the responsibility of bringing the motion forward when it was initially presented to her. "He's talking about getting more representation on the airshed study advisory committee and I'm all for that. Oakville should be Canadian Exclusive better represented than it currently is," said Chapin. "But, then in the next paragraph he says, `even if a power plant was built.' That means he's not holding the attitude that council endorsed back in April." Burton also pointed out that Oakville is still fighting the power plant through such things as the Town's New Official September 17th Plan, which bans power plants larger than 10-megawatts. Burton said a recent decision by the OPA to hold off on 12 (noon) to 4 pm selecting a company to build and operate the power plant until the end of September in order to examine ways to reduce emissions from polluters in the Oakville-Clarkson Airshed is the Government of Ontario giving Oakville residents what they asked for at the July power plant protest rally. "At that rally we cheered and applauded for cleaner air," said Burton. "Let's not lose sight of the original objective. The original objective was to clean up the air, not to leave it the way it is." The OPA has greeted the proposed two-for-one emissions reduction plan with great enthusiasm, calling it `a positive step towards making a difference to the airshed.' CALL TO RESERVE The provincial organization is also not discounting the YOUR PIECE TODAY! possibility that the target of reducing emissions from other polluters in the Oakville-Clarkson Airshed by twice what a new power plant would emit. Don't miss this rare opportunity to purchase the Canadian exclusive figurine: Samantha "It can't be done on the first day, but I wouldn't want to designed by Nada Pedley, renowned Royal Doulton designer and modeler. put a limit on what could be done over time," said Ben Nada Pedley will be pleased to sign Royal Doulton figurines purchased during this event. Chin, OPA spokesperson. "It (two-for-one emissions reduction plan) is absolutely ambitious and a tall order, but at some point we are going to have to define some real targets and meet some real targets. Our hope is that, the power plant will take three years (noon) to build and in that time we will be able to demonstrate meeting some real targets. The mayor and Oakville Council is a very important voice in these various levels of government and organizations who are working together to define what these targets ought to be." Chin noted the OPA does not need to beat the industries in the area into reducing their emissions as many want to go green, but simply need DEFINITELY the OPA's expertise to show them how. "Electricity, gas, or other fuels, all of this is costly to burn, so all of the industries are, from a financial ® it can also save you money perspective and an ecological perspective and environmental per® spective, taking a leadership role already and doing everything they can to lower their cost of operations, lower the cost of fuel they need to burn to employ the people they do Darryl R Demille Ins Agcy Ltd Andrew Heideman, Agent Angelo Gualtieri, Agent Deborah E Bartucci, Agent and make the products they do," said Chin. "This is actually an exciting opportunity to sit down with partners, not to enforce targets, but to work towards them together." Ward 6 Councillors will present the motions concerning the two-forone emissions reduction plan and Stacey Sutherland, Agent Stephen Ostapchuk, Agent Daniel Durst, Agent calling for Oakville's equal representation on the Oakville-Clarkson Airshed Study Advisory Committee. September 17th, 2009 - 12 Oakville Place to 4 pm (905) 338-5393 conquer costs Combine coverage and THERE For more on this topic see Mayor's letter page 10 P087023CN 08/08 statefarm.ca®