Grey Highlands Mayor Paul McQueen is wondering if municipalities should be looking at ways to incentivize the recycling of homes slated for demolition.
McQueen raised the subject at county council’s meeting on July 25 during an update about the county’s climate change initiatives.
McQueen noted that across the province smaller homes are being torn down to be replaced by higher-density units like four plexes as the provincial government encourages high-density builds and more rental and affordable housing.
McQueen pointed out that tearing down a home has an impact on climate change.
“There is that carbon footprint,” he said, noting that on a recent CBC news program he heard about small homes as new as seven-years-old being replaced. “Is there an opportunity to repurpose (the building material) vs. taking it to the landfill. A high percentage of what goes to our landfills is building materials.”
McQueen suggested municipalities could look at methods and programs to encourage builders and developers to recycle home materials.
“Is there a way to create that incentive? There are other aspects from a climate change perspective we can be looking at if seven-year-old houses are being torn down for density,” said McQueen. “Maybe there is a win-win-win out there.”
Warden Brian Milne thanked McQueen for his efforts at thinking outside the box.
“You’re right. There are a multitude of ways to reduce our impact on the climate,” he said.
Rebecca Danard, the county’s climate change initiatives manager, said McQueen’s comments were about how to deal with “embodied carbon”, which is different from “operational carbon.”
“We’re trying to look at ways to address that,” she said, adding that a “unified county strategy” is the goal.
McQueen said little steps can lead to big ones.
“If we all do a little, we can all do a lot,” he said.
