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White Rock supports Suzuki campaign

Mayor Wayne Baldwin expresses legal concerns about environmental declaration.
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The City of White Rock has signed on to an environmental declaration.

White Rock council last week endorsed an environmental declaration, but not before the mayor expressed concern about legal implications of signing on to the Canada-wide campaign.

The Declaration of the Right to a Healthy Environment – an initiative launched last year as part of the David Suzuki Foundation’s Blue Dot Campaign – is based on the notion that Canadians deserve the right to fresh air, clean water, safe food, a stable climate and access to nature.

The goal of the campaign is to have the declaration – White Rock was the 124th municipality to sign on – enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedom.

Council learned of the proposed declaration in February 2015, when White Rock resident Michelle MacNeill spoke as a delegation; they later voted to have city staff determine costs.

On March 7, White Rock’s director of planning Karen Cooper told council that there would be no financial burden.

Mayor Wayne Baldwin sought clarification about potential legal implications.

“I have a little bit of a concern about making sure we don’t create any false expectations and get embroiled in a class-action lawsuit against somebody who’s upset because we’re doing a road project and there’s dust in the air,” Baldwin said, proposing the removal of the words ‘protect and fulfill’ from the resolution about environmental rights.

“Are you very, very comfortable that this does not set us up for a lawsuit?” Baldwin asked.

Cooper said she is, noting the city already protects environmental rights in various policies.

Coun. Lynne Sinclair, who made the motion to endorse the declaration, pointed to a line in the draft that states council is “not creating or guaranteeing any legal rights or obligations.”

Cooper noted the city’s lawyer had reviewed the declaration.

“Well, if that’s the case, I don’t have any concerns,” Baldwin said.

In a press release issued Tuesday, MacNeill described the city’s endorsement as welcome news.

“The right to live in a healthy environment is about protecting the people and places we love, and that’s exactly what this declaration does for our community,” MacNeill states.

“The City of White Rock demonstrated its willingness to address local environmental concerns in 2009 when it implemented a bylaw to regulate the cosmetic use of pesticides. As we grapple with other challenges in our community, such as concerns surrounding the treatment of our drinking water and increasing the municipal tree canopy to improve our air quality, we hope the declaration will act as a guide for the City in maintaining its commitment to protect and preserve our local environment.”