Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction

OCP Amendment for Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction ADOPTED!

On Monday June 21, Council voted unanimously to add community greenhouse gas reduction targets and policies in our Official Community Plan. This decision dovetails nicely with the recently completed Community Climate Action Plan, which was finalized earlier this spring; and puts West Vancouver at the forefront of province-wide local government efforts to address climate change. The greenhouse gas reduction targets are as follows:

  • Become carbon neutral with respect to municipal operations by 2012; and
  • Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by at least 33% below 2007 levels by 2020 and at least 80% below 2007 levels by 2050

In order to help us achieve these targets, existing OCP policies were updated and new policies added such as:

  • Council will include home energy performance as a criterion in the consideration of development applications and in the disposition of surplus municipal lands;
  • Encourage more energy efficient buildings that help to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions, including the promotion of home energy audits;
  • Collaborate with other levels of government, utilities, and non-government organizations to: raise awareness and build community-wide appreciation and support for climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • Support neighbourhood and multi-family retrofit projects intended to reduce community GHG emissions; and other community-based environmental initiatives to sequester carbon, beautify public spaces and make the built environment greener and healthier; and
  • Strive to reduce community GHG emissions resulting from vehicle trips through the development of policies and programs that encourage the use of alternative forms of transportation and provide increased transportation-related non-vehicular facilities throughout the community.

If you have any comments or questions, please email climateaction@westvancouver.ca.

A Community Open House was held in the Municipal Hall on Thursday, March 25, where attendees reviewed posters and received a copy of the summary pamphlet.

A Clean Energy Fair and Forum was held January 25, 26, and 27. It attracted: 

  • Those interested in reducing their home energy bills and/or driving costs;
  • Those who were fired up about climate change;
  • Those interested in the new green economy

Fair: More than 200 residents stopped by the Community Centre, over the 3 days of the Fair, to learn how they could reduce their home energy and transportation costs. Some residents brought their home heating & electricity bills for some “Home Energy First Aid” with a certified Home Energy Advisor. Residents also completed a Climate Action Survey and entered a draw for a FREE Home Energy Audit. BC Hydro; Lighthouse Sustainable Building Centre, City Green Solutions Home Energy Advisors, and West Vancouver's Climate Action Working Group were all featured at the Clean Energy Fair. View our fair posters and a variety of images from the event.

Clean Energy Forum: Residents attended an evening of informed dialogue about climate change, its potential local impacts here in West Vancouver, as well as what individual homeowners could do to help reduce our carbon footprint. We heard from a panel of esteemed experts:

To learn more about West Vancouver's Climate Action:

Background

“Bill 27” & West Vancouver’s Official Community Plan

The District’s Climate Action Working Group (C.A.W.G.) and Planning Staff are working together to ensure West Vancouver is on track to reduce its climate-changing green house gas emissions. Our focus is on Transportation & Buildings, as described here. 

“Bill 27” is new provincial legislation that requires local governments to create targets and action plans for GHG reduction in their Official Community Plan. At the Dec 7 Regular Council Meeting, Council passed the following motions:

THAT:

  • The GHG reduction targets of, at least a 33% reduction below 2007 levels by 2020 and at least an 80% reduction by 2050, as proposed by the province be considered by the Climate Action Working Group to determine how they can be achieved in West Vancouver ; and 
  • Staff, in consultation with the C.A.W.G., consult with the community on these proposed targets prior to preparing and presenting a proposed Official Community Plan amendment on targets for the reduction of GHG emissions, and policies and actions proposed with respect to achieving the targets, as required under the Local Government Act, Section 877(3), known as “Bill 27”.

Contact climateaction@westvancouver.ca or call 604-925-7178 if you would like to be included on our notification list for future public consultation events and activities. For more information, find out how OCP Policies Can Contribute to Climate Action.