Correspondence - GreenJobs BC re: Call for a Bold Green Jobs Plan

February 1, 2013

Dear Mayor and Council,

From the mountain pine beetle epidemic to a rise in extreme weather events, evidence of the rapidly increasing impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are a wake-up call for BC communities. And yet, with the right plan, a future with good, green and plentiful jobs for our children and our grandchildren, as well as ourselves, is not out of reach.

That’s where a Bold Green Jobs Plan comes in. One that is:

• Sustainable: Focused on economic development that nurtures ecosystem health and communities and the ecological values on which we depend.
• Low-Carbon: Positioning BC near the front of the curve to low carbon economy opportunities.
• Adaptive: Helping communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Worker-Focused: Training that assists both employment transitions and economic development for youth and the existing workforce.

We invite your council to join the conversation.

For more information, please go to www.greenjobsbc.org. You’ll find four policy papers to inform the discussion. The papers are focused on buildings and energy efficiency retrofits; forestry; energy and conservation; and transportation. These are industries where there is good potential to reduce GHG emissions and to produce plentiful green jobs. We know there are many more policy areas to explore and much more discussion ahead, but we are hopeful about the potential for green jobs!

Please join the call for a bold green jobs plan, by signing on to the attached letter. Enclosed, you’ll find a resolution for your consideration. To sign on, send the name of your township and the name of the contact person to GreenJobs for BC campaigner Kristie Starr by email at kstarr@greenjobsbc.org or by post, care of Columbia Institute, Ste 1200, 1166 Alberni St., Vancouver BC, V6E 3Z3.

Communities will benefit from a Green Jobs Plan that will support and sustain our communities and the ecosystems on which we depend and within which we live. Together, we can work toward a greener, brighter future for our families and for our communities

Sincerely,

Lisa Matthaus, Co-Chair

Darryl Walker, Co-Chair