Whitehorse city council didn't idle too long Monday night in defeating a proposed motion that city staff develop a bylaw to govern vehicle idling.

Even the councillor who brought the motion forward last week voted it down.

At the Jan. 5 city council meeting, Coun. Yvonne Harris proposed the motion. She argued that vehicle emissions containing carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide can have serious health impacts on people.

When it came up for a vote last night though, Harris said because the Northern Climate Exchange will be doing a one-year education campaign to encourage reduced vehicle idling, the bylaw isn't needed at this time.

She also suggested it was important the issue had been brought forward because of the attention it received from the public.

Coun. Dave Austin said the city doesn't need another bylaw it can't enforce. Rather, the answer to excessive idling in the city is 'education, education, education,' he said.

That's exactly what the Northern Climate Exchange will be doing.

In an interview Monday morning, Bob van Dijken, the communications officer for the climate exchange, said the group received word last week it will be given $20,000 from Environment Canada for the project.

Environment Canada is willing to provide up to 50 per cent of the costs. The other half must come from partners with cash or in-kind donations.

Along with staff time at the climate exchange, the 50 per cent the exchange must come up with will come from partners like the city, territorial government, Yukon Conservation Society and others.

Before the official Apr. 1 kick-off, the climate exchange is planning to do a survey to find out how long Whitehorse residents idle their vehicles.

With some quantitative numbers, officials at the climate exchange will decide how to proceed.

Plans include developing signs on anti-idling, information pamphlets, working with the schools to inform students, and advertisements. The campaign may also have a presence at the annual spring trade show in Whitehorse.

It was a coincidence that on the same week an idling bylaw was proposed, the climate exchange received confirmation of the funding for its project.

Van Dijken noted there have been similar education campaigns run throughout the country, including the Northwest Territories.

'We won't be reinventing the wheel,' he said.

The campaign will be designed so it recognizes the reality of living in the Yukon.

It will also look at alternatives to vehicles, like public transit, walking or cycling.