At a recent council meeting, council motioned for a “change of scope” to include the Smithers Airport buildings in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction study.
The change came following a recommendation from Smithers Climate Action Specialist Jaima Timler.
“The airport will benefit from the study by providing the data required for capital grant applications and strategically inform emission reduction strategies, improve the asset life and energy efficiencies of each building,” explained Timler in a letter to council.
“My only concern here was by including the buildings this means we were responsible for the emissions of the jet fuel that we sell, which would probably be pretty disastrous,” said Councillor Frank Wray.
The emissions from the airport are currently “exempt from reporting,” explained Director of Development Services Mark Allen.
“The airport buildings are in the town’s responsibility to make improvements to the energy efficiencies and greenhouse gas reductions.”
“It does actually go towards that goal of reducing emissions.”
Including the airport in the study means increased eligibility for capital projects through the Airports Capital Assistance Program, including potential upgrade of the terminal.
“We need to know what the emissions are and if we’ve got ways that we need to improve the buildings’ emissions, it seems like an overall win-win,” said Mayor Gladys Atrill.