Langford rejected a pitch for an environmental protection advisory committee at its Monday meeting, with staff set to review the terms of the parks and beautification committee instead.

In a debate that ultimately became quite heated, Mayor Stew Young said the city already works to protect the environment and that a new committee would replicate work already being done by the parks committee.

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Coun. Lillian Szpak made the motion for council to consider a committee tasked with consulting residents on environmental protection, which she suggested could also give annual awards to residents and community groups that worked towards combating climate change, preserving green space and battling invasive species.

While the city already has a parks committee, it is not specifically tasked with environmental protection, she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the missing piece for residents.B次元官网网址�

Young countered by saying thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of misinformation that circulates about LangfordB次元官网网址檚 environmental protection record, noting the development permit process and the parks committee already ensure the environment is protected. He also emphasized the work city staff does to protect the environment and said council should be defending them.

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Coun. Denise Blackwell said she respects the work that city staff does, but said a separate committee could go a long way to addressing the misinformation about LangfordB次元官网网址檚 record on environmental protection.

Coun. Lanny Seaton reiterated the mayorB次元官网网址檚 points about the parks committee already covering off environmental protection, and pointed to efforts to combat invasive species in Langford Lake and Glen Lake as examples of the cityB次元官网网址檚 success in managing these problems.

Ultimately the motion was rejected. Council instead approved a motion to direct city staff to review the terms of reference for the parks committee and present a report to council if it was determined those terms could be changed to better emphasize the committeeB次元官网网址檚 role in environmental protection.

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bailey.moreton@goldstreamgazette.com
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