Simon Fraser University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Simon Fraser University: As an intervenor in Trans Mountain Expansion Project’s National Energy Board (NEB) application, Simon Fraser University has submitted a document outlining its serious concerns around the project’s impact on the safety and security of our school community. The University has outlined all of these concerns in our submission to the NEB. In November 2016, SFU released a report from PGL Environmental Consultants documenting the health and safety risks to the university community that would result from Kinder Morgan’s plan to triple the capacity of its Burnaby Mountain tank farm as part of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP). A copy of the report has been sent to the Honourable James Carr, Minister of Natural Resources, together with a letter communicating the university’s concerns and expressing its objection to the tank farm expansion. https://www.sfu.ca/srs/tmp.html Burnaby Board of Trade - Environmental Sustainability Committee: The Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) brings businesses together to develop strong networks, represents the interests of the business community to local government, and fosters economic development. There are a number of Committee's within the BBOT and SFU has membership in a number of them and is an active member of the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC). SFU's representative to the ESC is a member of the Sustainability Office which is housed under the Vice-President Finance and Administration and serves as the sustainability liaison to the VPFA. The ESC identifies and prioritizes environmental issues of importance and works to address them on behalf of the BBOT members. Current areas of focus include promoting a green economy, and developing resources for improving environmental sustainability in the workplace. Recently the ESC submitted feedback on the development of BC’s new Climate Leadership Plan. In a letter to Environment Minister Mary Polak, Holden (President and CEO of BBOT) noted that the BBOT feels that BC deserves an aspirational and innovative Climate Leadership Plan (CLP) which will meet ambitious emission reduction goals while maintaining economy activity, fostering future growth and unlocking the potential opportunities for the transition to a lower carbon economy. The BBOT encourages the government to adopt a final CLP that commits to a diverse suite of creative solutions which together will help meet our sustainability goals. The BBOT has also successfully lobbied for a national water sustainability framework to become official Canadian Chamber of Commerce policy during the national business organization’s Annual General Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario. The policy resolution, entitled “Does Our Water Abundance Mask a Potential Challenge? The Need for a National Water Framework” calls on the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to commission research into the sustainability of Canadian water resources and to craft a national water framework with the goal of aligning water policies across the country. (http://bbot.ca/advocacy/)

Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory Council (Climate Advisory Council): The Climate Advisory Council provides strategic advice to government on climate action and clean economic growth. It includes members from First Nations, environmental organizations, industry, academia, labour and local government. The Council supports a steady and committed approach to climate action that drives down emissions, increases economic opportunities and improves community resilience. SFU has a number of active memberships on the province's Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory council including the Council's Co-Chair, Merran Smith, is the Executive Director of, Clean Energy Canada which is a program of the Centre for Dialogue at SFU. Other SFU membership include: Professor Nancy Olewiler, and SFU Alumni, Tessica Truong. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/planning-and-action/advisory-council Most recently the Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory Council supported the government’s carbon tax increase which provides an incentive to invest in clean energy and promotes clean growth while providing resources to support household affordability. The Council also supported the steps government is taking towards competitiveness for the industrial sector. They recommended the Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Strategy be integrated with other developing provincial strategies, particularly the energy roadmap and the economic development strategy. A copy of the advocacy document to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy is available here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/climate-change/advisory-council/cscg_letter_to_minister_heyman.pdf

Adaptation to Climate Change Team (AC): ACT is a policy planning initiative from SFU designed to develop timely options for sustainable adaptation to climate change impacts. Led by the executive director, Deborah Harford, ACT studies nine top-of-mind climate change areas (Biodiversity, Extreme Weather, Energy, Water Security, Crops & Food Supply, Sea Level Rise, Health Risks, Population Displacement, and New Technologies) and considers ways to protect environmental, economic and social well being throughout its five-year program. Working in conjunction with leading experts supported by the expertise of SFU researchers and faculty, ACT studies the problems posed as well as potential solutions, and identifies policy opportunities while developing adaptation resources. ACT delivers a major report from each program session along with briefings geared to appropriate authorities. These take the form of one-pagers for Ministers, detailed notes for ADMs, and white papers detailing policy options for adaptation to each impact. ACT publishes the program findings and posts session videos and presentation archives as a resource series for public and educational purposes. Deliverables also include the establishment of networks and increased awareness about issues, impacts and options available to decision-makers and the public. Most recently, Deborah Harford, executive director of ACT served as a member of the Expert Panel on Prioritizing Climate Change Risks, established to provide advice to the Government of Canada on measuring progress on adaptation and climate resilience. On June 26, 2018, the Expert Panel released the report titled "Measuring Progress on Adaptation and Climate Resilience: Recommendations to the Government of Canada". Over the 8 months process of discussion and deliberation, the Expert Panel developed 54 indicators across 5 chapters which were: protecting and improving human health and well-being, supporting particularly vulnerable regions, reducing climate-related hazards and disaster risks, building climate resilience through infrastructure, and translating scientific information and indigenous knowledge into action. See details here: http://act-adapt.org/june-26-measuring-progress-on-adaptation-and-climate-resilience-recommendations-to-the-government-of-canada/ In August 2016, ACT submitted three key recommendations to the federal government's public consultation gathering feedback for the upcoming national climate change plan: Integrated Proposal to Tackle Canada's Climate Challenges (http://act-adapt.org/integrated-proposal-to-tackle-canadas-climate-change-challenges/) For all other advocacy work by ACT visit: http://act-adapt.org/

As a public institution, SFU cannot take political positions.

Political party not allowed to accept donations from public institutions, like SFU.