City of Whitehorse plans to reduce wildfire risk
TransNorthern Consulting could be awarded a $69,200 contract for a wildfire risk reduction strategy.
The strategy is being done after the City of Whitehorse secured cash from the federal governments’ Climate Change Preparedness in the North Fund.
As Glenda Kohl, the city’s environmental coordinator, said in a report to council April 15: “In the 2017 Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis report, wildfire risk was identified as an important and prominent hazard facing the city. Additionally, in 2018 wildfire risk identified by the residents of Whitehorse as one of the city’s top two challenges in the Smirk Cities competition.”
The last plans dealing with wildfire risk to the city go back to 2006 and 2002.
This strategy is aimed at establishing funding requirements to manage wildfire risk, inform planning, engage property owners and residents in understanding how to reduce the risk of fire on private properties, and look at ways to leverage funding to reduce the risk of wildfire. It will include an implementation plan.
The 20-year plan is expected to be finished in March 2020.
Tran Northern was one of two firms to submit proposals for the work with the other coming from EDI Environmental Dynamics Inc. TransNorthern received the highest score in an evaluation which looked at project team, past relevant experience and performance, methodology and approach, and schedule before the price and local content were considered.
Council will vote April 23 on the contract.
Councillors ask for travel money
Whitehorse city council members are getting set to meet with their counterparts from across the territory and country.
Travel and stipend expenses for members attending the annual Association of Yukon Communities conference in Haines Junction and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Quebec City is being considered by council.
The AYC conference is slated for May 9 to 12 while the FCM conference is scheduled from May 30 to June 2.
It’s proposed that travel expenses and daily stipends be approved for councillors Jan Stick, Steve Roddick, Dan Boyd and Laura Cabott to attend the AYC conference. Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu is also scheduled to attend, but will be doing so as an AYC board member.
Travel and stipends are also proposed for Boyd, Cabott, Roddick and Curteanu to attend the FCM conference.
Stipend amounts are set at $100 for events of one to four hours and $150 per day for longer events. They are for councillors representing the city at a business function or event, attending non-regular meetings related to the city or taking part in training related to the city.
Members will vote April 23 on the travel and stipend amounts.
Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com
