Success Stories

BC local governments have already shown a clear commitment to take action on climate change. Let's learn from what has already been done. Browse the climate initiatives below.

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Kamloops successfully engages residents in energy conservation through the 'See the Heat' initiative

The City of Kamloops, in partnership with the Thompson Nicola Regional Library and FortisBC, has developed a program called See the Heat. The program enables community members to borrow a thermal-imaging camera that attaches to their smartphone and allows participants to see where heat is leaking out of their home. This technology provides homeowners with the information required to effectively draft-proof their residence, which can significantly improve comfort and energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Agriculture and Food Security Plan - Cover

Saanich develops agriculture and food security plan to ensure a sustainable future for the community

For the District of Saanich, food security starts in the community’s backyard.

Vancouver lays out a strategy and a plan of action for its transition to 100% renewable energy

In 2015, The City of Vancouver became the first city in North America to set a comprehensive renewable energy target which commits the City to get 100% of the energy used in Vancouver from renewable sources before 2050 and reduce carbon pollution by at least 80% below 2007 levels before 2050.

Plan for Sustainable Salmo helps the Village’s Work toward achieving its GHG reduction targets

In 2016, The Village of Salmo, BC, initiated Sustainable Salmo, a planning process to update the Village’s Official Community Plan (OCP).

Solar Colwood – engaging community in energy conservation and renewable energy

In 2015, the community of Colwood BC completed its four year community wide mission to engage local citizens in energy saving and GHG reducing initiatives within their homes and municipality.

Kimberley’s former mine site becomes home to the largest solar project in BC

In 2015, the City of Kimberley BC began commercial operation of SunMine, the province’s first municipally owned utility-scale solar facility.

North Cowichan and Duncan’s collaborative University Village Sustainable Local Area Plan sets climate-friendly urban design and land-use policies

Working closely together, the municipalities of North Cowichan and Duncan have developed an innovative, climate-friendly neighbourhood plan for an area that straddles the municipalities’ common border.

A push for innovation - an economic way to increase safe cycling in Kelowna

City of Kelowna discovered a creative way to use wireless pushbutton technology for detecting cyclists at road intersections and increased cyclist safety at a fraction of a cost.

Qualicum Beach Fire Hall Replacement Project

Town of Qualicum Beach cuts emissions & saves on energy bills by making energy efficiency one of the top priorities for their new fire hall replacement project.

Reducing Trips to the Mountain - Revelstoke’s Resort Shuttle Bus

Revelstoke's collaborative approach to meeting the demand for transportation between the resort and the community helps reduce traffic in the community and increase access to the mountain.

Saanich's Fuel Efficient Municipal Fleet

Saanich’s Fleet Department achieves 14% reduction in GHG emissions through participating in the E3 Fleet Program and initiating a variety of fleet management strategies.

Sparwood Leisure Centre Energy Upgrade

Sparwood’s leisure centre and arena retrofits help the municipality meet its CEEP energy goals.

Nanaimo—Harvests Energy from Drinking Water Support System

The City of Nanaimo implements a unique water energy harvesting system to offset GHG emissions.

Kelowna’s Active Transportation Program – smartTRIPS

Kelowna's smartTRIPS Program encourages citizens to use non-motorized transportation and transit

Telkwa’s Deep Collaboration on a Mini Biomass District Heating System

The Village of Telkwa turns the need for a new municipal office into an innovative community partnership on a biomass district energy system at Hankin Corner.

Vancouver Makes Cycling Safer for People of all Ages and Abilities

The number of bike trips in Vancouver increased over 40% soon after the implementation of the City’s Separated Bicycle Lanes Program, resulting in fewer commutes made by vehicles and lowered traffic related GHG emissions.

Strathcona Regional District Gets in the Energy Loop

The Ice Rink Keeps the Pool Warm at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre.

New Westminster’s New Waterfront Park

New Westminister transforms an industrial brownfield into an urban waterfront parkland benefiting the environment and enhancing community livability.

Columbia Shuswap Regional District Landfill Methane Gas Capture

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is using biogas from landfill to produce electricity.

Dawson Creek Carbon Fund

The City of Dawson Creek is committed to implementing emission reduction projects that will minimize their carbon liability prior to purchasing offsets to achieve carbon neutrality.

Campbell River Gets a Green Roof

Campbell River City staff arranged for the old roof on City Hall to be replaced with a longer-lasting, cost effective roof with a vegetation layer.

Building a Youth Cycling Culture in the CRD

The Capital Regional District (CRD) successfully completed a youth cycling education program for Grade 7 students, instilling confidence and knowledge in the next generation of cyclists.

Sooke's Innovative Town Centre Takes Shape

Sooke has looked long term to develop a new Town Centre and created an innovative policy framework to realize this goal.

Revelstoke Community Energy System

Revelstoke's Community Energy System provides the community with increased job security, improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and lower energy costs for customers.

City of Quesnel Conducts Final Feasiblity Study for Innovative Community Energy System in North Cariboo

The City of Quesnel and Terasen Gas are completing a final feasibility study for an innovative biomass-based, combined heat and power district energy system that will provide a clean, local source of energy and long-term economic opportunities for the community.

Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU)

The Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) is an environmentally-friendly community energy system that provides space heating and domestic hot water to all new buildings in Southeast False Creek (SEFC), including but not limited to the Olympic Village.

An Old Idea Gets New Life: District of Lake Country's Turbine Generator

An Okanagan region is enjoying the benefits of hydroelectric generation from their reservoir.

Vancouver’s Shrinking Footprint

After peaking in 2000, Vancouver’s community GHG emissions have been reduced to 1990 levels. They are on track to reach target of a further 6 per cent reduction by 2012 or sooner. Vancouver has the lowest per capita GHG emissions of any major city in North America. This has been achieved at the same time that Vancouver has undergone significant growth: 27 per cent increase in population and 18 per cent increase in jobs.

Burns Lake Community Energy Plan

The Village of Burns Lake took one step towards climate protection by creating a community energy plan. The plan became a leap forward towards ongoing climate action.

The District of Peachland Cools Off

Peachland is taking action to meet their carbon neutral commitments and discovering they would be getting much more in the process. Once the District embarked on a comprehensive energy assessment to determine their baseline GHG outputs they saw many opportunities to reduce energy costs.

Parksville Digs In

The City of Parksville addressed a growing community demand to participate in local food production. In a special Council meeting the Council passed an amendment to the zoning bylaw to permit urban food gardens in the City of Parksville.

Naramata's Energy Efficient Water Treatment

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s (RDOS) improved their water supply with new water treatment infrastructure and a plan for decoupling irrigation and municipal water systems.

Grand Forks is cycling its way to lower GHG emissions

The City of Grand Forks recently created a Sustainable Community Plan and it taking steps to promote non-motorized transportation in the community.

Houston's Green Community Initiatives.

The District of Houston is a small northern community with big environmental initiatives; in particular the promotion of alternative energy sources such as geothermal, solar and biomass energy.

Comox Addresses Drive-Through GHG-emissions

The Town of Comox Council passed a Zoning bylaw that will limit pollution from cars idling in drive-throughs.

Ucluelet’s Approach to Sustainable Development Planning

Using zoning tools, alternative development standards, density innovations and win-win development negotiations, Ucluelet has cultivated a community that is continually working towards sustainability.

Solar powered circulators make a splash in District of Elkford sewage lagoons

The District of Elkford installed solar powered circulators in one of its sewage lagoons to eliminate the need for hydro power and added chemicals.

Windmills light up the District of Chetwynd

Leading edge technology harnesses windpower to generate clean electricity for LED light decorated trees.

Hartland Landfill Gas Utilization Project

A public-private partnership between the CRD and Maxim Power Corp has succeeded in harnessing methane produced at the Hartland Landfill and transporting it to a generation facility to produce enough power for 1600 homes.

Saanich's Civic Building Retrofits

The District of Saanich undertook a comprehensive energy retrofit program of its civic facilities with an energy services company that guaranteed energy savings.

Public Transit on Saltspring Island

Introducing public transit on Salt Spring Island has been a great success, with ridership and revenue higher than anticipated.

Clean Fleet Collaboration: Central Kootenay and Nelson

Central Kootenay and Nelson work together to reduce GHGs in an E3 Fleet partnership.

Idling Reduction in the City of Williams Lake

Williams Lake realizes dramatic reductions in fuel and maintenance costs as a result of its fleet and equipment anti-idling policy.

Langley's E3 Fleet Program Success

The Township of Langley achieved BC’s first Green Rated Fleet, and reached the Silver level under the E3 Green Fleet Program.

Whistler's Integrated Approach

Whistler has taken important steps towards becoming a low-carbon community, through an integrated approach to sustainability planning.

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Jun 30, 2021 Renewable Energy Transition Strategies – Practical Innovations for Urban Areas
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