Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran says he乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渁 little frustrated乌鸦传媒� by the public乌鸦传媒檚 reaction to the impact climate change is having on the city.

On Monday, Kelowna city council received two reports that in their own ways, each address the issue of climate change. One does so indirectly, while the other tackles it head on.

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 know if this (issue) is resonating with residents enough to (make a) change,乌鸦传媒� said Basran speaking to one of the reports.

The first, the latest citizen乌鸦传媒檚 survey, shows transportation issues are the second highest concern for city residents and respondents specifically want to see the city do more to keep the growing amount of traffic on local roads moving. The second is a community trends report that talks about climate change that says the city needs to take more action to help combat climate change after a year of floods and fires.

While not known to be the specific cause of the flooding or fires, city staff say climate change likely played a part in causing the conditions for both.

Basran said taking action like building more roads to accommodate more traffic will only exacerbate the issue of climate change. He added that if a spring and summer like the one Kelowna just experienced is not enough to prompt the public to rally behind change, he does not know what is.

乌鸦传媒淭here is a huge disconnect,乌鸦传媒� said the mayor.

He pointed to the impact of the flooding on private and public property, the fact many in the community could not go outside due to severely smoky skies for lengthy periods during the summer and the impact on city water (a water quality advisory was issued for a brief time) as proof climate change is real and having an effect here.

乌鸦传媒淏ut higher traffic flows are called for in the citizen乌鸦传媒檚 survey,乌鸦传媒� said Basran, expressing frustration.

The mayor said more traffic on local roads will add to the problem. Automobile exhausts emit carbon dioxide into the air, a greenhouse gas that, in turn, plays a part in climate change.

Following the council meeting, Basran said if residents are not prepared to make changes after the summer the city experienced this year, 乌鸦传媒渨hen will they ever?乌鸦传媒�

He urged everyone in the city to play their part, no matter how small.

乌鸦传媒淓very little bit counts,乌鸦传媒� he said.

He added he realized some may criticize him for still driving a car but said he needs one for his job most days. But, he added, he has taken steps in other parts of his life to make changes. Last week Basran and his family moved into a new home they bought specifically to be closer to both his and his wife乌鸦传媒檚 work.

While his wife can now walk to work and 乌鸦传媒渘ot drive around looking for a parking place,乌鸦传媒� Basran said he can also walk to city hall or ride his bicycle on days when the weather is good and he乌鸦传媒檚 scheduled to be in the office all day.

But while council welcomed the trends乌鸦传媒� report on climate change, it was not embraced by all.

One of the city乌鸦传媒檚 loudest critics, local environmental consultant Richard Drinnan blasted the report as 乌鸦传媒渂ogus,乌鸦传媒� saying it is inaccurate and ignores real scientific data describing local environmental changes that have occurred 乌鸦传媒渄uring Mayor Basran乌鸦传媒檚 watch.乌鸦传媒�

Drinnan said the city has lost almost 600 metres of riparian shoreline habitat along Okanagan Lake between 2009 and 2016. (Basran was elected mayor in 2014 after serving one term as a city councillor.)

Drinnan questioned the reports乌鸦传媒� statement that the city has made significant infrastructure investments through enforcing riparian protection and protection of natural areas.

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