The aim of Guelph’s integrated Community Energy Plan is to secure a reliable energy future while reducing environmental impacts.  The goal is to cut energy use by 50% and greenhouse gas emissions by 60%.
 
Mayor Farbridge will speak about Guelph’s success in community energy and its implications for our energy future in the context of Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow (QUEST), an initiative of the Canadian Gas Association, the Canadian Electricity Association, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Natural Resources Canada and others.
 
Join us for a first-hand account of this collaborative success story from one of its chief architects.

Mayor Karen Farbridge

City of Guelph

Karen Farbridge was re-elected as Mayor of the City of Guelph in 2006. She was first elected to Council in 1994 and previously served as Mayor in 2000-2003.

Karen was a member of a consortium that developed Guelph’s leading edge Community Energy Plan, which aims to cut Guelph’s energy use by 50 per cent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent. This will put Guelph among the top energy performers in the world, and make the city one of North America’s most competitive and attractive communities in which to invest.

Guelph City Council unanimously endorsed the vision, goals and directions of the Community Energy Plan in 2007.

Karen also serves on the national coordinating committee for QUEST (Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow), a collaborative network of representatives from industry, environmental groups, governments, academia and consulting communities working together to make Canada a world leader in urban integrated energy systems.

Previously, Karen taught courses in political science and environmental policy as an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph, and served for ten years as the Director of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group.

She has an MSc and PhD in biology from the University of Guelph and a Chartered Director (C.Dir) designation from the Directors College, a joint venture of McMaster University and the Conference Board of Canada.