REPORT TO GENERAL COMMITTEE
TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
FROM:	Jim Sales, Commissioner of Fire and Community Services
	Stuart Taylor, Director, Strategic Services
PREPARED BY:	Mavis Urquhart, Manager, Environmental Leadership
DATE OF MEETING:	November 21, 2005
SUBJECT:	Conference Attendance Request - Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change (December 2005)

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report entitled “Conference Attendance Request - 4^th Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change (December 2005)”, be received;

AND THAT Council authorize Councillor Erin Shapero, Chair, Environmental Issues Committee and the Manager, Environmental Leadership, to attend the Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change conference December 5^th to 7^th, 2005 in Montreal, at a total cost not exceed $3,500, to be funded from the Strategic Services support account #795-998-5200.

PURPOSE:

This report requests approval for Councillor Erin Shapero, Chair, Environmental Issues Committee and Mavis Urquhart, Manager, Environmental Leadership, to attend the Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change in Montreal from December 5^th to 7^th, 2005.

DISCUSSION:

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) together with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), the City of Montreal and others are hosting the 4th Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change. This summit is intended for municipal leaders to learn and share experiences about climate change with their counterparts in Canada and around the world, and to demonstrate the willingness of local governments to be partners in addressing this global issue.

At the end of the 3 day summit, participants will draft and endorse a Declaration outlining the important role that local governments play in addressing climate change and will call for strengthened partnership, greater policy coordination and streamlined information exchange between governments. The Declaration will be presented to United Nations Climate Change convention at the conclusion of the conference.

The preliminary conference program is attached to this report at Appendix 1.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Travel costs and conference participation amount to $ 1750 per person (based upon attendance for the 3 days) as outlined below:

Item	Fee	# of Attendees	Cost
Conference fee	$600	2	$1200
Travel	$250	2	$500
Accommodations	$200 per night	2	$1200
Per idem	$100 per day	2	$600
Total			$3500

The cost will be paid from Strategic Services department support account # 795-998-5200.

CONCLUSIONS:

This conference will inform the Chair, Environmental Issues Committee and staff about: the latest knowledge/best practices respecting greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation; opportunities for partnership actions for greenhouse gas reduction; what steps other municipal jurisdictions are taking here and around the world to reduce green house gas emissions; and, how greenhouse gas reductions can be achieved to meet national commitments.

Attendance at major climate change events like this one are important to advance Markham’s knowledge about climate change and the range of actions and strategies which we can use at the local level to reduce greenhouse gases emissions.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1 – Description of the Conference including Agenda, Program Overview, Speakers and Background Context

Stuart Taylor, Director, Strategic Services

Jim Sales, Commissioner, Fire and Community Services