Winnipeg Rejects Motion from Citizens to Study Strategies to Reduce Emissions from Buildings
(November 22, 2024 — Winnipeg MB) – The Standing Policy Committee on Water, Waste and Environment rejected the request of The Climate Action and Resilience Committee to study how the City of Winnipeg can support replacing natural gas in buildings with other sources.
“This is a clear setback for Winnipeg’s climate commitments. The City’s own Community Energy Investment Roadmap, which was unanimously adopted by Council, calls for zero natural gas use by 2050, so this motion would have been a rather basic and logical step to study how to achieve that goal. It’s frustrating not to see this proceed,” said Hannah Muhajarine, a Policy Researcher with the Climate Action Team.
Building emissions from natural gas use account for nearly half of Winnipeg’s total emissions. The proposed report would have explored tools such as grants, zoning changes, and by-laws to facilitate a responsible and cost-effective transition to cleaner energy.
The Climate Action and Resilience Committee is a citizen committee tasked with advising Council on climate action. Community members and citizens on the committee are keen to see the City act on its commitment to reducing emissions from buildings. Today’s decision cuts short a process that was intended to bring community input into City decisions.
“This motion wasn’t about implementing a gas phase out, but about gathering the information needed to make informed decisions,” said Andrea Pelletier of Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition. “I am very disappointed that the Committee voted against doing this study. Councillor Dobson thinks this critical first step in reducing our emissions is premature, when we are in fact behind on climate action. Some are worried about the capacity of our electrical grid, but the whole point of doing the study is to find out in what ways can the City of Winnipeg move the needle forward on this pressing issue. Council apparently doesn’t want this information, which sends a clear message that they have no intention of setting our city up for future health and economic prosperity.”
Environmental experts emphasized that without action, the costs of inaction—including higher energy bills, potential for stranded infrastructure, and escalating climate impacts—will outweigh the short-term challenges of preparing a report.
“This decision means Winnipeg will be falling behind as other cities across Canada take bolder steps toward sustainability,” said Adrian Werner, an environmental professional who spoke to the motion, “We will not give up. Citizens and advocacy groups will continue to push for action because the stakes are too high to ignore.”
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Manitoba Eco-Network
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