Dawson Creek Shares Outstanding Initiatives

Exchanging Knowledge at Solar Communities Workshop

Emanual Machado

Dawson Creek presented at the afternoon workshop, during the 2009 BC Solar Summit. Emanuel Machado, Director of Corporate Planning & Sustainable Community Development for the city, revealed a solar report illustrating
Dawson Creek's work plan with the SolarBC program.

"I was surprised by the number of industry folks," he says of the workshop attendees. "Traditionally at these events you see the converted, who work for the cities."

He admitted what stood out to him was the different strategies each community was incorporating and the different levels of knowledge and experience each had. "The exchange of information (during the workshop) was a good start," he says. "But I would like to see more of an integration of the communities plans so we're all on the same page."

Given this was the first time the solar communities gathered together, he hopes to see the event be a springboard for more communication relating to training opportunities and marketing initiatives.

"The questions from the audience showed a lot of interest, and it allowed the Communities to present their ideas," he says. "It was a great way to bring everyone together from different interests so that we can jointly move solar forward."

To read more about the city's green initiatives, go to: www.planningforpeople.ca