The Blue Mountains council has voted to establish a project team that will award grant money the town has obtained through the Youth Climate Action Fund program.
At its meeting on June 3, council voted 6-1 in favour of accepting $50,000 (in US dollars) from the Youth Action Climate Fund through the Bloomberg Philanthropies, with support from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and United Cities and Local Governments.
The same resolution included the creation of a project team consisting of Mayor Andrea Matrosovs, councillors Gail Ardiel and Alex Maxwell, town staff and two public members that will review youth applications for the funding and award the grants. The town will also invite library CEO Jennifer Murley to participate with the project team.
Matrosov’s participation in the recent Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Innovation Studio at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai resulted in the town securing the grant funding. The money is to be distributed as micro grants of $1,000 or $5,000 to fund youth-led climate initiatives. The Blue Mountains is one of just six municipalities in Canada to receive the funding.
“I’m quite excited about this,” Matrosovs said at the meeting.
If the town is able to successfully award all of the grant funding, it could become eligible for a second grant of $100,000 (US). The town must award the grants by Sept. 30 and the deadline for all of the money to be spent is Dec. 31.
The receipt of the funding was not an easy sell for the rest of council, which had earlier voted to delay its agreement to receive the money until a staff report could address several outstanding questions about the grant money, including legal and financial questions.
At the meeting, town staff delivered a report that addressed the issues council had raised previously.
Coun. Gail Ardiel said she had initially been skeptical about the grant and said she “looked at this long and hard.”
Ardiel said she contacted municipal representatives in other communities about the grant.
“They were all very supportive of us. They said: this is a good thing. It’s for the youth, it’s for the environment,” said Ardiel. “It would look terrible if one of six chosen in Canada didn’t accept the money.”
During the discussion, multiple members of council referred to receiving many questions and concerns from the public about the grant money. However, they said their research indicated that the grant is a great opportunity for the community.
“I’m willing to support this. I do think this is an important initiative,” said Coun. Paula Hope.
Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon said criticism of the town receiving the grant money was being overstated and the funding was a real chance to engage local youth on climate change.
“I think we’re looking for skeletons that may not be there,” he said. “It’s grant money that would come and help do positive things.”
Coun. Shawn McKinlay was the lone member of council to vote against the receipt of the money. He said he was concerned about the one-time nature of the grant and said he preferred an approach with more longevity.
“I’m not comfortable with how fast it’s being pushed,” said McKinlay.
Town staff said they would report back to council at its next meeting on June 24 about applications for the two public members of the project team.
