Danger Ahead: Municipal Infrastructure Deficit at $123 Billion
A new report from the FCM, Danger Ahead: The Coming Collapse of Canada's
Municipal Infrastructure,
has found that Canada's municipal
infrastructure deficit is much worse than previously estimated and that
the price tag of maintaining, repairing and replacing Canada's municipal
infrastructure has reached $123 billion. This figure stands in stark
contrast to the previous 2003 figure of $60 billion. The new figure has
taken into account a number of factors previously not considered,
including deterioration with age, demographics, geography, local needs,
climate change, and economics.
The report highlights, once again, that increased responsibilities and
limited sources of revenue have put municipalities in a fiscal squeeze,
making it difficult for them to keep up with infrastructure demands.
The report recommends the development of a national plan that "must
bring long-term certainty to infrastructure funding".
To read the report click here.
Check out the Centre for Civic Governance's page on municipal underfunding.
La Pêche, Québec Becomes Second Fair Trade Town in Canada
La Pêche, Québec officially unveiled its new desigination as a Fair Trade Town on November 9, 2007. To become a certified Fair Trade Town, 6 goals must be met:
- Support from the local city council for Fair Trade and the campaign;
- Fair Trade Certified products must be made available in stores and restaurants;
- Fair Trade Certified products to be used and promoted in workplaces, faith groups, schools;
- Public awareness must be raised and there must be media coverage on Fair Trade and the campaign;
- A steering group must be created to ensure a continued commitment;
- Other ethical and sustainable initiatives are promoted in the community.
The Fair Trade Towns campaign was started in the UK in 1999 and there are now 250 towns with the designation in the UK. In Canada, the campaign is run by Transfair. Click here to visit the Transfair website where you can download a Fair Trade Towns Action kit.
Click here to read the press release about La Pêche becoming a Fair Trade Town.
Canada's Poverty Gap Reaching Third World Levels
A Toronto Star article has succinctly summarized the statistics regarding the increasing prosperity gap in this country and looks at the reasons. Among the facts:
- The gap between rich and poor in Canada is close to that of Indonesia;
- We are behind Egypt and Pakistan in income equality
- 1 million children are estimated to be living in poverty
- 1 in 5 families live below the poverty line
- Canada's spending on social services ranked 24th among OECD countries
Read the article here.
Click here to read a recent report by the United Way of Greater Toronto entitled Losing Ground: The Persistent Growth of Family Poverty in Canada's Largest City.
The City of Kingston Mayor's Task Force on Poverty released its report in October. Click here to read more about that report.
Urban Sprawl Contributor to Diabetes Epidemic
A study released this month by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) shows that diabetes rates in Toronto were highest in neighborhoods with a large population of visible minority, low-income earners that were heavily dependent upon cars to travel to grocery stores and other services. The study showed that diabetes rates in Toronto's poorest neighborhoods are almost triple those in more densely populated areas downtown. The total number of diabetes cases has increased 27% in the last 4 years in Toronto. Read a Toronto Star article about the study or go to the ICES study website.
Portland Proposes Taxing Developers for Energy Inefficient Development
The City of Portland, Oregon wants to charge builders for each new home built that complies with the Oregon building code but that isn't extremely energy efficient. The money collected would then be used to fund cash rewards for developers who make buildings that save at least 45% more energy than is required by the building code. The plan would also require an energy efficiency report be done by home inspectors as part of every existing home sale. If passed, the plan would go into effect by 2010. Read more about this initiative here.
City of Wolfville, NS Bans Smoking in Cars with Kids
Wolfville council has voted unanimously in favour of enacting a ban on smoking in a vehicle when there is a child under 18 present. The ban will take effect in June and anyone caught in violation could face up to a $200 fine. The town will give warnings to first-time offenders. Signs will be posted at the Town's borders, alerting motorists to the bylaw. Wolfville is hoping that this bylaw will encourage other municipalities to enact similar bans. Read the story here.
On December 6, a private member's bill was introduced by MPP David Orazietti, which calls for a province-wide ban on smoking with minors in the car. Read more about that bill here.