Email your Councillors

Please copy & paste the template message below into an email to your local politicians.

Template email

Dear [Mayor / Councillor LAST NAME],

I live in [CITY/TOWN] and I am deeply concerned about climate change.

I’m writing to you to share an idea that’s being advocated for in communities across Canada: climate change & air pollution disclosure labels on gas pumps. The concept was developed by a Canadian non-profit called Our Horizon and has been endorsed by over a hundred academic leaders from a variety of disciplines at universities across North America.

On January 26, 2015, West Vancouver unanimously passed a resolution “… that all vendors of retail petroleum products in Canada be legislated to provide warning labels on all pump handles…”. Since then, Councils across Canada have endorsed the concept. The resolution was also supported by mayors and councillors from across B.C. when it was passed at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities in September 2015. Several weeks later, the City of North Vancouver became the first jurisdiction in the world to vote to implement the labels locally.

North Vancouver’s vote was covered in media across North America (see: CBCGlobal NewsCTVVICEThe Atlantic, Business InsiderClimate ProgressUnivision, etc.) and has been shared via social media all over the world. The idea is spreading and I hope that communities like ours follow their example of leadership.

I would like for you to support the idea in one of two ways:

(1) Support a by-law to implement the labels on gas pumps in our community. Our Horizon’s legal research is available here. Lidstone & Company, a local government law firm based in Vancouver, conducted a review of their legal report and concluded, “In our opinion, a requirement to place labels on gas nozzles could be validly imposed pursuant to a municipality’s power to regulate business.” Please read the full report at Our Horizon’s website.

(2) Pass a resolution calling on the federal and provincial government to implement the concept. If you have concerns with respect to jurisdiction, this approach still advances the idea and supports Our Horizon’s advocacy with these orders of government. Oakville’s resolution in support of the concept is available here and can be used as a template.

To learn more about the idea, please read Rob Shirkey’s article in Municipal World titled, “Creating a New ‘Normal’: Using air pollution labels on gas pumps as a step in addressing climate challenges” or watch his 10-minute TEDx talk here. You can also watch his in-depth, hour-long lecture on the topic on YouTube here. Rob is a lawyer and founder of the campaign.

I would like to discuss this with you further at your earliest convenience. Please reach me by email so we can arrange a phone call or a conversation at your office.

Sincerely,

[FIRST NAME, LAST NAME] [CITY/TOWN, PROVINCE]

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