PORT HOOD: Council expressed interest in a national program that will plant trees to fight climate change.
During the regular monthly meeting of Inverness Municipal Council on March 4 in Port Hood, Warden Laurie Cranton told council about an initiative from Growing Canada’s Forest program to grow 2 billion trees in the country.
The program wants to hear from participants by May 27 and Natural Resources Canada is gauging support for a nature-based solution for forests which will support climate change action.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Keith MacDonald pointed out that the Strathlorne Tree Nursery is in the municipality.
“That facility has a significant opportunity to play a major role in responding to this,” he said.
MacDonald said representatives from the nursery could make a presentation to council to update them, or municipal representatives could take a tour of the facility. Another option is to send a letter to the Department of Lands and Forestry to find out if they have made applications to the program, and whether the municipality can get involved by supporting funding applications, he said.
Council agreed with Warden Laurie Cranton’s suggestion to get more information on the program, and look into a presentation to council, as well as a tour of the nursery.
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Council approved a recommendation from the committee of the whole to contribute $10,000 for repainting and lighting upgrades requested by the Port Hood and District Recreation Commission.
For the project, $492.50 will come from district 5 community development grants and $3,500 from district 5 discretionary funds. From district 6 discretionary funds, $3,992 will be contributed and $2,015 will come from recreation facility grants.
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Council approved a request to support an application for funding of a cloud-based server under a program designed to have local municipalities share Information Technology (IT) services.
Cranton said funding would come from the Safe Restart Agreement to a maximum of $15,000.
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Council voted to give a charitable exemption to the Whycocomagh Development Commission for the former Ralph’s Dairy property in Whycocomagh.
The commission currently owns the land, the warden said, and wants to be exempt from municipal taxes, while area and fire protection rates would still apply.