SAULT STE. MARIE -- The city of Sault Ste. Marie will look at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with the help of a new project.
The greenhouse gas inventory will provide useful data to the city, as they look to create and implement an emission reduction plan.
"What we know is approximately 69 percent of the city's greenhouse gas emissions are from industry, based on their consumption of natural gas," said Emily Cormier, the city's Climate Change Co-ordinator. "That is similar to other cities with big industry."
Cormier says the second largest contributor to high emissions is transportation.
Sault Ste. Marie produces 20.5 tonnes of greenhouse gases per capita, slightly above the national average of 19.5 tonnes.
"Approximately 90 percent of commuters in Sault Ste. Marie use a car…We hope to change that," said Cormier.
The inventory also includes several recommendations for city council, which could be used to implement a reduction plan.
"We know and we have to recognize that we are in a climate emergency and that there is an international climate crisis," said Christian Provenzano, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie.
"Climate change is a real thing and we have to do what we can to address it."
The report suggests increasing bus ridership and adding more charging stations for electric vehicles throughout the city.
Another, could see Sault Ste. Marie's public transit, eventually go electric.
"Technology is changing, there's a lot on the market now when it comes to electricity, electric buses for example," said Cormier. "There's also a lot of incentives out there that make it easier for municipalities for proactive funding applications."
Phase 2 of the project is to set greenhouse gas reduction targets and develop a community plan.
Cormier expects the second phase to be completed by the fall.
