A close vote has prompted for Smithers Town Council to issue a climate emergency.
The decision happened after the June 25 town council meeting. A community member brought the idea to councils attention, where they later allowed other members of the community to present at the delegation.
Mayor Taylor Bachrach said the members of the community urged them to follow other cities.
“I think for the most part they made a statement of the severity of the issue and a way of letting residents know that its something the local government takes seriously and plans to increase its focus on,” said Bachrach.
Council made the decision after a four to three vote on July 9.
Bachrach also said Smithers has been working on climate change and emission gasses since 2008 after the B.C. Government announced the B.C. Action plan.
“When we take action to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and do
it in the right way we can also create communities that are better for residents, that are safer, that are cleaner and that are places where people really want to live,” said Bachrach.
The town council will be working together to put more actions in place to help address the problem.