Kelowna council has an encouraging approach to getting drivers to stop excessive idling.

A presentation to council on Monday (Apr. 25) suggested a six-month public education campaign before an anti-idling bylaw, with a $150 fine for violators, would start to be enforced. Drive-thrus were one of the concerns.

sa国际传媒淚 think that will be an area thatsa国际传媒檚 going to be very hard to manage,sa国际传媒� said Councillor Luke Stack. sa国际传媒淚 think we have to focus on public education so that people want to turn their vehicles off or want to get a vehicle that automatically shuts off.sa国际传媒�

Regional Air Quality Program Co-ordinator Nancy Mora, who made the presentation, pointed out those drivers are idling by choice.

sa国际传媒淵ou can definitely turn off your car when you see that the line, usually theysa国际传媒檙e pretty fast, but if yousa国际传媒檙e taking that long you can turn it off. After 10 seconds you are wasting fuel and producing more CO2. Thatsa国际传媒檚 the message we want to send.sa国际传媒�

Councillor Brad Sieben also supported the education aspect but had concerns about enforcement.

sa国际传媒淚 think itsa国际传媒檚 a positive public awareness effort,sa国际传媒� said Sieben. sa国际传媒淚 do hope we are very selective in not chasing people too aggressively for bylaw infractions and citizens take it as their mission to take photographs of licences plates and expect immediate fines to be dropped on people because that is not what I would be supporting.sa国际传媒�

Councillor Mohini Singh said bolder measures need to be taken in looking after the environment, citing a indicating Kelowna, and the Okanagan, will see continuing rising temperatures due to climate change.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 about time we consider doing something like this,sa国际传媒� said Singh. sa国际传媒淲e have to think stronger, think outside the box to protect the environment.sa国际传媒�

Council directed staff to come back with a drafted anti-idling bylaw and education program for later in the year.

Read More: 4 more residential towers coming to downtown Kelowna

Read More: Kelowna taxpayers on the hook for extra RCMP costs billed to city

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on and subscribe to our daily and subscribe to our daily newsletter.