Climate Change

Tackling climate change requires a range of coordinated and co-informing actions to reduce GHG emissions, a primary driver of climate change. Proactive action is also needed to prepare for a range of impacts the District will experience due to current average global temperature warming trends leading to extreme heat and storm events, magnifying drought and wildfire hazards, smoke pollution, invasive species spread, flooding, and sea-level rise.

To guide and inform our climate action and decision-making, the District is developing a Climate Action Strategy that provides a pathway for the District to achieve its GHG emissions reduction targets of 45% below 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. This strategy will provide a supportive framework for operations and community emissions reductions and efficiencies, reducing economic losses amid climate disruptions, and expanding public health and well-being.

To mitigate and adapt to climate change realities, the District is working alongside residents to shift our thinking and actions toward more sustainable practices around housing, transportation, land use, and waste reduction.

West Vancouver buildings present a significant opportunity for accelerating building energy efficiency through retrofits, higher Energy Step Codes and Zero Carbon Step Code adoption, switching natural gas heating and hot water systems for heat pumps.

Multi-unit buildings comprise 28% of the existing housing stock in West Vancouver with 96% of multi-units built in the 1960/70s. Many of these buildings lack cooling systems to support residents, primarily seniors, during periods of significant heat or filtration during periods of poor air quality (e.g. wildfire smoke), resulting in increasing vulnerability of residents to climate change impacts.

As of 2021, 57% of West Vancouver’s emissions are generated by building energy consumption 155 kilotonnes, with residential building emissions comprising 112 kilotonnes.

Decarbonization of existing buildings is required to meet the District’s GHG reduction targets but also to minimize the impacts of climate change on our population.
Through urban forest management, foreshore planning, wildfire management, watercourse protection, switching to clean energy, and nature-based solutions, community exposure and natural asset vulnerability to extreme weather, urban heat island effects, and stormwater impacts are reduced.

Additionally, the District has environmental protect frameworks for watercourse protection, tree protection, and development permit areas to support short, medium and long-term environmental sustainability and resilience.

For more information on the District’s protection frameworks, please see the links below:
The District is leading by example in its climate action efforts. Energy efficiency upgrades and electrification of District buildings and facilities can get underway immediately with energy assessments and retrofit planning, led by the Facilities & Assets Department.

The West Vancouver Fleet Strategy can be updated with direction from the CAS and fleet transition to zero-emissions vehicles can be expedited, while understanding that market availability for larger fleet vehicles will influence the timing of full transition.

Similarly, the District’s field equipment (e.g. lawn mowers, landscaping equipment) can transition to zero-emissions models. Fleet and equipment transitions can occur in concert with neighbouring and regional governments (Metro Vancouver), with procurement departments coordinating bulk purchases to reduce capital costs.
As of 2021, 41% of DWV emissions are generated through on-road transportation. Personal use vehicles (primarily gasoline) travelling distances under 4 kms, represent the largest portion of emissions generation in the transportation sector.

To achieve our emission reduction targets, the District works to provide and expand convenient, efficient, and sustainable transportation options for all West Vancouver residents and visitors, regardless of their age, physical ability, or socio-economic status.

With a focus on seamless connectivity and an emphasis on sustainable and active transportation such as walking, cycling, and public transit, we can expand public health, reduce air and noise pollution, and improve overall sustainability and efficiency for local mobility as well as the automobiles that are still required.

For more information on Active Transportation, please see the link below:

Active transportation
Typically, houses in West Vancouver are machine demolished, requiring all waste to be taken to a landfill. Deconstruction or relocation/repurposing of houses could significantly divert material waste from Metro Vancouver landfills and provide an opportunity to engage circular economy principles to reduce GHG emissions.

Recycling and reuse of building materials reduces emissions from the extraction, manufacturing, and transportation of building materials, conserves landfill space, and creates new economic opportunities.

Many municipalities in the region are developing bylaws and policies to regulate the amount of demolition waste and diversion of waste. The District is working on a similar strategy and is currently working with partners across the lower mainland to address identified barriers to successful and effective implementation.

What is circular economy?

A circular economy refers to a system where, by design, resources are used more effectively and efficiently so that waste streams are diminished or eliminated. This means putting an emphasis on reusing, repairing, refurbishing, repurposing, refusing, and recycling to eliminate waste and reduce GHG emissions.

West Vancouver Deconstruction Case Study
Tackling climate change requires a range of actions—to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and also to prepare for the impacts that it will bring to the District.

Data shows that about 95 % of West Vancouver’s GHGs are generated by the community, and 54 per cent of those GHGs come from heating homes.

Now, the District is asking residents to shift their thinking too, especially around housing, transportation, land use, and waste reduction.

Additionally, there are practical actions residents can take to help prepare for a scope of climate impacts such as flooding, heat waves, drought, wildfire and more.

For more information about what you can do to foster climate action and preparedness in your home and community, please see the links below:

Preparedness Information

What Can You Do

Community Co-benefits of taking climate action

Climate action measures improve tangible and intangible community services by providing cleaner air, improved energy efficiency and security, sustainable active transportation, and healthier walkable, inclusive, and livable communities, which are referred to as co-benefits. Climate co-benefits are additional, desirable health and social well-being, economic, and environmental outcomes from a given action that improve quality of life and community resiliency.