Wilmot approves shared sustainability manager position with Wellesley

By Galen Simmons

The townships of Wilmot and Wellesley are moving forward with plans to jointly fund a 12-month municipal sustainability manager position, aimed at advancing local climate action initiatives and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions across both municipalities.

Wilmot council approved the shared position at its March 23 meeting, while Wellesley council voted unanimously in favour of the proposal during its committee of the whole meeting March 24. Final approval in Wellesley is expected at the township’s April 14 council meeting.

“There are excellent ideas out there for reducing emissions if we choose to embrace those initiatives,” said Betsey Daub, a St. Agatha resident, a representative from Green Development Standards Waterloo Region and one of two delegates who spoke in favour of the joint sustainability manager position at Wilmot council’s March 23 meeting.

“If Wilmot is to come close to fulfilling its 50 (per-cent emissions reduction) by (2030) commitment, we need the township to become seriously involved. Wilmot has been offered an opportunity to do just that – to get involved in the future of the township, to embrace these ideas. This is the possibility of hiring a municipal sustainability manager.”

The following evening, at the Wellesley committee of the whole meeting, local environmental advocates Neil and Linda Lackey also spoke in favour of the contract position.

“Sustainability addresses how we relate to and rely on (our natural) resources, how we use them and how we protect them from overuse,” Linda Lackey said after commending Wellesley council and staff for the sustainability initiatives already undertaken in the township. “We strongly support the proposed partnership between Wellesley Township, Sustainable Waterloo Region and Wilmot Township. Having a municipal sustainability manager for Wilmot and Wellesley townships will provide a single point of contact to drive climate action goals.

“Township council, staff and residents will benefit from a manager focused on climate initiatives and will also advance sustainability communications. This will be a huge step forward for the township.”

The one-year contract position will be hosted by Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR) and shared equally between the two municipalities, allowing both townships to access expertise and resources to help implement environmental sustainability initiatives at both the corporate and community levels.

Funding support from Enbridge Gas will cover half the cost of the position through its Municipal Staffing Offer program, which supports municipal energy planning and climate-change policy initiatives.

The remaining costs will be shared between Wilmot and Wellesley, with each township contributing approximately $17,500 toward the position, resulting in a total annual salary of $70,000. During the Wellesley committee of the whole meeting, councillors approved an additional $5,000 for incidental costs that may arise through the sustainability manager’s work.

According to staff reports presented to both councils, the sustainability manager will lead the implementation of corporate and community climate-action initiatives aligned with regional strategies such as TransformWR, which sets a target of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and by 80 per cent by 2050.

The position will focus on developing a corporate climate-action work plan, identifying opportunities to reduce emissions related to municipal operations, and supporting initiatives related to energy use, waste reduction and water conservation.

Responsibilities will also include engaging with residents, businesses and community partners to support broader climate-action efforts, as well as identifying funding opportunities to support projects such as building retrofits and other sustainability initiatives.

Staff noted neither municipality currently has the internal capacity or expertise required to fully implement climate-action strategies on their own, making a shared position an efficient way to move forward while maximizing available resources.

“The TransformWR listed 34 action items municipalities should be looking at in order to further reduce greenhouse-gas emissions,” Wellesley CAO Rik Louwagie said in response to a question from Coun. Shelley Wagner about what the sustainability manager would do to advance climate actions above and beyond what municipal staff are already doing. “We’ve been able to, off the corner of our desks, pick off the low-hanging fruit – the easy things like the LED streetlights, going to a couple electric vehicles, things like that.

“It’s going to be the other actions that are going to take a little more research, need some additional funding, things like that where we really have to start creating a roadmap for how we’re going to get there. That’s what this position will do; they’ll research the various items, determine what we can do in the short term, medium term, long term, and put some costing to those things, as well, to know how much money we’re going to need for this and look for grant opportunities to actually achieve the goals we want to achieve.”

By hosting the position through SWR, the sustainability manager will also have access to the organization’s broader network of technical expertise and regional partnerships, helping both municipalities align their environmental initiatives with broader regional climate goals.

In addition to supporting internal municipal operations, the sustainability manager will help develop community climate-action plans, build local awareness and encourage participation in initiatives designed to reduce emissions and improve long-term environmental sustainability.

Staff reports indicate the shared position will also support collaboration between neighbouring municipalities, improving efficiency by coordinating sustainability initiatives that benefit the broader region.

“While I share concerns … about constraints in our budget, this is a great opportunity for us to basically add a position that I think can potentially enhance some cost savings and identify opportunities for this township,” Wilmot Coun. Kris Wilkinson said at the March 23 meeting. “On a one-year, contractual basis, the cost is a no-brainer.

“This is one of those situations we have to jump at, and I also like the prospect, ultimately, because it’s going to give us insight into how we will be able to share resources with our neighbouring townships moving forward. I think there’s a lot of potential positions … where we might be able to share resources and gain the knowledge from the professionals.”

If approved by Wellesley council April 14, the CAOs for both municipalities will finalize an agreement with SWR and complete the Enbridge funding application. The position is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026 and run for a 12-month term.

During the contract period, the sustainability manager will work with municipal staff to collect data, identify priority actions and develop implementation plans tailored to each township’s needs and resources.

Further details regarding implementation timelines and specific initiatives are expected as the position is finalized and work begins later this year.