WEST CARLETON – Carleton Landowners Association past president Shirley Dolan says she’s taking a wait and see approach to the Climate Emergency motion passed by the City of Ottawa’s committee on Environmental Protection, Water and Waste Management last Tuesday (April 16), and she recommends rural landowners do the same.

“I wish I could say how this will affect rural landowners but I don’t know,” Dolan told West Carleton Online yesterday (April 17). “The motion seems to give the city the direction to look at everything they do through a climate emergency lens and that could mean anything.”

The committee was mostly in favour of declaring a climate emergency. The committee voted six to two on the motion on Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting was lengthy, with more than 10 members of the public signed up to speak about the motion to declare a climate emergency in Ottawa.

Most of those who spoke, spoke in support, as they expressed there was a need for change.

Coun. Shawn Menard, who brought the motion forward, said his motion will hold council accountable and will allow city staff to look deeper into environmental issues when given tasks. The councillors that voted in favour of the motion said they felt responsible to the younger generation.

The councillors that voted against the motion, Allan Hubley and George Darouze, each said they had issue with the word ’emergency’ when it came to the declaration.

The motion will head to council on April 24 – usually a rubber stamp by the time council votes.

“I suspect the motion will pass at council,” Dolan said. “Then it will be a wait and see process to see what impacts there are on rural residents.”