With growing financial and political pressure on municipalities to use P3s, this guide is a timely resource that answers key questions about financing and delivering infrastructure projects. With this guide, municipal councillors and civic officials will be able to ask the right questions before considering entering into a P3.
For more information, to download the guide or order print copies, please visit CUPE.
Abbotsford principal Dexter Horton is cancel-ling his school’s monthly newsletter as part of an effort to improve communications with parents buy delivering more frequent messages to Clayburn middle school parents using Face-book, Twitter and school blogs. He hopes these messages will draw more parents into the school to find out what’s going on, meet the teachers, discuss their children’s progress and maybe even volunteer. Read more at the Vancouver Sun.
The American Meterological Society released its official statement on climate change, claiming the dominant cause of the warming since the 1950s is human activities. This scientific finding is based on a large and persuasive body of research. The National Snow and Ice Data Center, in conjunction with NASA, announced today that Arctic sea ice has reached a record low since the previous record-breaking low in 2007. Read more at Forbes.
Richard Muller, professor of physics at the University of California, Berkely, a MacArthur fellow and co-founder of the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project has undergone a ‘total turnaround’ on his stance on global warming, which he now admits is caused by human activity.
“Three years ago I identified problems in previous climate studies that, in my mind, threw doubt on the very existence of global warming. Last year, following an intensive research effort involving a dozen scientists, I concluded that global warming was real and that the prior estimates of the rate of warming were correct. I’m now going a step further: Humans are almost entirely the cause,” said Muller.
To read more and watch the video, please visit The Christian Science Monitor.
A new survey finds only 2 percent of Canadians doubt climate change is happening. Almost 32 per cent said they believe climate change is happening because of human activity, while 54 per cent said they believe it’s because of human activity and partially due to natural climate variation. Nine per cent believe climate change is occurring due to natural climate variation. Two per cent said they don’t believe climate change is occurring at all. Read more at ThinkProgress.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS) releases its first ever Alternative Municipal Budget for the HRM today during the election campaign and well in advance of the normal budget cycle. The Alternative Budget contains 65 action items and their estimated costs. It includes strategic investments in community centres and recreation programs, in early learning, in food security, in library materials, as well as in public and active transportation. It outlines provisions to ensure everyone benefits from the anticipated economic growth resulting from the ship-building contract.
“This document gives our current Council, Council hopefuls and the community, fuel to spark real conversations about the services we need, and what we can afford,” says CCPA-NS Director, Christine Saulnier. Read more at CCPA-NS.
The sale of shark fin may soon be banned in Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby as the three cities work together on a bylaw to have the Chinese delicacy removed from restaurant menus. Vancouver City Councilor Kerry Jang says it’s important the three cities put in a ban at the same time saying, “We wanted to make sure that if we banned it in Vancouver, for example, then people just didn’t go to Richmond, or if Richmond banned it, they would just come back to Vancouver.” Read more at the CBC.
Applications are now being accepted for Next Up
A Leadership Program for Young People Committed to Social and Environmental Justice
Columbia Institute is a national partner for the Next Up Leadership program for young social change activists between the ages of 18 and 32. The program is offered in four cities across three provinces; Next Up BC in Vancouver, Next Up Edmonton, Next Up Calgary and Next Up Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.
In each province, young people will be selected for an intense seven-month program. Participants will develop life-long relationships, explore different leadership styles, meet leading change-makers, learn new leadership and organizing skills and learn about current social justice issues. The program runs between October 2012 and May 2013.
Apply for Next Up Saskatchewan and Next Up British Columbia by Friday September 14th
Apply for Next Up Edmonton and Next Up Calgary by Friday September 21st
Application forms and more information can be found at: https://www.nextup.ca/index.php/how-to-apply/
Inspired by Toronto civic activist Dave Meslin’s TED Talk The Antidote to Apathy, Pemberton villager staffers set out to dramatically redesigned its public notices covering development applications, zoning and Official Community Plan amendments so residents can more easily understand them, and respond. “We’ve received a lot of feedback from different community groups with compliments saying how they feel that we’re doing a better job,” said Mayor Jordan Sturdy. “You don’t often get that!” Read more at The National Post.
Estevan Saskatchewan is on the cusp of a resource-fuelled growth spurt that’s attracting newcomers from across the country and around the world. Growth has brought it’s share of problems – low vacancy rates, high cost of housing, increases in drug related crime, and difficulty filling employment positions in the service industry. Read more at The Globe and Mail.
India has put in place a $5.4-billion policy to provide free generic medicine to its people. The decision could change the lives of hundreds of millions in a country where public spending on health was just $4.50 per person last year. Under the plan, doctors will be limited to a generics-only drug list and face punishment for prescribing branded medicines. Read more at The Globe and Mail.
Climate scientists suggest that if you want a glimpse of some of the worst of global warming, take a look at U.S. weather in recent weeks – wildfires, heat waves, droughts, flooding and a powerful freak wind storm called a derecho. These are the kinds of extremes experts have predicted will come with climate change, although it’s far too early to say that is the cause. Read more at Fox News.