I was reading Clare Ogilvie’s recent comment (“We need policies, not promises,” Pique, Aug. 19), which urges voters to use the upcoming election to consider each party’s policies with respect to sustainability and the environment.
She points out that our federal governments have basically failed in implementing policies to protect our environment from climate change. However, I don’t think we need to look too far across the country to see the failure of government policies. Closer to home, a drive up to Kadenwood or Stonebridge will answer Ms. Ogilvie’s question about why so much support is needed for our fossil-fuel industry.
How are we going to heat these massive homes ranging in size from 5,000 square feet to over 10,000 square feet? How much energy and material was used to build these “monster” homes, which are in many cases occupied for just a few weeks of the year?
Ms. Ogilvie finds it incomprehensible that Canada provides more public finance for fossil fuels on a per-capita basis than any other G20 country except China. As long as municipalities like Whistler continue to approve such large homes, Canada will also continue to lead the world in energy consumed per capita.
When I first bought a place in Whistler in 1996, the maximum allowable square footage of a home was limited to 5,000 square feet. Over the last 25 years, our municipal council, which continues to pledge sustainable climate goals, has in fact become a major contributor to perpetuating the problem of climate change and sustainability.
Perhaps rather than looking to Ottawa for leadership, we can look across Alta Lake and wonder if we should still be approving monster homes that figure so prominently overlooking the lake and the town of Whistler. I wonder how many weeks of the year they are occupied?
Anthony Werry/Vancouver
