Ms Blakeman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Walking and cycling have been used throughout the world to reduce car usage, road wear and improve citizen health and community connectivity. 

This government is doing the oil and gas sector a disservice in terms of meeting our emissions targets when it insists on spending billions on one big-ticket CCS but ignores the smaller initiatives that can have significant, enduring effects.

To the Minister of Environment: what is the province doing to encourage more people-oriented initiatives like building cycling lanes and walking trails?

Mr. Renner: Well, Mr. Speaker, while I appreciate that there may be some environmental benefits to cycling and walking, I’d suggest that the benefits probably accrue more to the cyclers and the walkers. She may want to address that question to the minister of health.

Ms Blakeman: Well, I think that if they’re walking or cycling, they may not be driving, and that should help us.

To the same minister: given that the municipal sustainability initiative has been cut two years in a row and given all the other areas this wonder-fund is supposed to cover for cities, how does the minister expect cities to extract money to pay for environmental programs which are more the minister’s responsibility?

Mr. Renner: Well, Mr. Speaker, we just recently announced a $2 million contribution to a project jointly managed by AUMA and AAMD and C that will create a centre of excellence for municipalities large and small throughout the province to find opportunities for them to significantly increase their energy efficiency and at the same time decrease their environmental footprint. So while we’re not expecting that we’ll pay for the initiatives, we certainly will give them the expertise that they need to find the direction that they’re going.

Ms Blakeman: To the same minister. Well, here’s an opportunity. Why doesn’t the minister amend the Green TRIP program to include incentives to expand walking and cycling infrastructure?

Mr. Renner: Well, Mr. Speaker, I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to doing such a thing, but I do want to point out that the Green TRIP program is designed to reduce in a significant way the carbon footprint. And while I said at the outset that there may be some marginal benefits from this, I don’t think that’s the best bang for the buck for this program.

Alberta Hansard, February 23, 2010

[direct link to this article]