Berry Vrbanovic introduces climate action plan during State of the City address

Berry Vrbanovic announced his Corporate Climate Action Plan on Thursday night during his annual State of the City address at the Kitchener Operations Facility.

In a speech dubbed “Change for the Good,” the Kitchener mayor spoke of how the city will retrofit facilities and fleet vehicles in ways that will make use of renewable fuel sources and energy-saving technologies.

The mayor used the facility as an example of how the city has been making changes that have paid off fiscally and environmentally.

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“I think back to when we first began making plans for the Kitchener Operations Facility. We saw the opportunity a decade ago to make bold decisions that would have a positive impact on the sustainability of our city,” he said.

Vrbanovic’s Corporate Climate Action Plan will be fully introduced next week at council.

The mayor also pointed to decreased speed limits and protected bike lanes as other changes that are expected to allow cyclists to travel in a safer manner throughout the city.

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The mayor also not-so-subtly took a chance to address the province’s current examination of municipal infrastructure, which many expect will lead to amalgamation within the region.

He used the recent amalgamation of the region’s fire call centres as an example of how the local governments work positively together as well as with their federal and provincial counterparts.

“Waterloo region is one of the best examples of effective and co-operative two-tier municipal governance in the province,” he said. “We deliver efficient, effective services. We balance continued growth and world-class innovation.”