As emissions continue to rise in Duncan, the city plans to purchase more carbon credits to offset the increase and will carry a price tag of $6,500.
Council approved the purchase of 217 offsets during their Jun. 23 meeting, and director of finance Bernice Crossman says the purchase is to help the city remain carbon neutral.
According to a city report, last year saw the highest amount of carbon being emitted since 2020, which was due to significant projects being done and fuel used, and Crossman says this is why offsets are needed.
She says there’s a very simple way to determine how many offsets to buy, and the formula equates to spending $6,500.
“We calculate how many emissions we’ve put out, and we purchase carbon offsets to make it neutral,” she says.
Funding the money to purchase the offsets will be through the Local Government Climate Action Plan, which Crossman ensures shouldn’t raise tax dollars despite the increase in emissions.
Discussion was held on whether to purchase the credits, and if the city would still receive Climate Action Program funding, Crossman says they’re not linked, but the municipality made an obligation.
“We’ve signed an agreement indicating we will be carbon neutral every year, to achieve that this is the way to do it,” she says.
The expenditure went ahead with council’s approval, but councillor Garry Bruce was the only member who voted against the motion to approve purchasing carbon credits.
