Saskatoon committee working to protect the starry night sky

A committee at city hall in Saskatoon today will seek help in its work to protect the night sky from being muted by man-made light pollution.

We want to get more information- Committee member MairinLoewen

The Saskatoon Environmental Advisory Committee will deal with a report today that outlines the groups efforts since 2006 to see the creation of a Dark-Sky Lighting Policy that would apply to all areas of the city.

The blueprint to protect the night sky already exists

In 2007, city council advanced those objectives by approving recommendations that called for changes in street lighting; changes that would help stop light from shining up into the night sky. The following year, council approved a Dark-Sky Lighting Policy, but the environmental advisory committee identified a number of problems with the plan, issues that remain unresolved.

Today the committee will try to move the issue forward, according to city councillor, and committee member Mairin Loewen. In an e-mail exchange with Saskatoon Morning, Loewen said the committee would like to know if the Planning and Development Branch at the city can help.

We want to get more information from planning about how it might be approached through their bylaws.

Loewen said the committee should know more about how it can best move forward to protect the night sky after todays meeting.