Climate Change Actions and Ideas

We won!

At the Thursday, October 1, 2020 meeting of City Council, Community Energy Association Executive Director, Dale Littlejohn, presented our award recognizing Powell River’s corporate climate action strategy: Climate Action in a Small Coastal Town. Accepting the award for on behalf of the City were, Councillor CaroleAnn Leishman, Chair of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Committee [left], Littlejohn, and Sustainability Planner Ana Lukyanova [right].

“We all share in this recognition,” said Mayor Dave Formosa. “It might be the City’s name on the plaque, but our citizens made it possible with their support for what we’re doing as a city. For a small coastal town, we’re big on climate action and cost savings.”

The award, presented by the Community Energy Association, recognizes Powell River’s achievements in 2019 and the City continues its progressive actions in 2020 toward greater sustainability and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs.

“We are honoured to be recognized for our climate actions at the provincial level,” said Sustainability Planner, Ana Lukyanova. “These initiatives are reducing both our greenhouse gas emissions and utility costs, and there are many opportunities for us to do more moving forward. We invite all residents to share their thoughts with us on what climate action they would like to see.”

The Community Energy Association awards were announced by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 as part of the Union of BC Municipalities Convention in Victoria. The Climate Energy and Action Awards are sponsored by the Community Energy Association in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, Union of BC Municipalities, BC Hydro, FortisBC, and Real Estate Foundation of BC.

Watch the video showcasing the climate and energy action nominees and award winners - Powell River, District of Saanich, and Cowichan Valley Regional District.

The City has been nominated for a 2020 Climate and Energy Action Award for Climate Action in a Small Coastal Town. Our ambitious set of actions has reduced our carbon footprint in response to the climate emergency and helped us become carbon neutral in corporate operations since 2018 and saved the taxpayers thousands of dollars on reduced utility costs by becoming more energy efficient.

Effective April 9, 2020, electric vehicle owners began paying a rate of two-dollars an hour at Level 2 charging stations owned by the City.

• Powell River City Hall, Museum and Archives, Public Works yard, and Dwight Hall were upgraded with new energy-efficient LED lights. The new lights will create a much better visual environment and save over $40,000 per year in utility costs with a 10 per cent return on capital investment.
• The City partnered with BC Hydro to install the region’s first fast electric vehicle charging station at the North Harbour parking lot.
• Fifteen homes in the community upgraded their heating system from fossil fuel to clean electric heat pumps with the help of CleanBC Better Homes rebates and City top-ups of $350 per heat. The program could result in an estimated annual greenhouse gas emissions reduction of more than 57 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, as well as cost savings to homeowners.
• Low-speed electric vehicles are a new vehicle category now permitted on City streets. The City is looking at adding them to the municipal fleet.
• The Green Vehicles and Equipment Policy and Green Buildings Policy were passed. The initiatives will reduce the city’s carbon footprint and reduce costs.
• Self-watering planters for Marine Avenue were purchased, cutting fuel costs and carbon emissions, and freeing up staff time.
• Sustainable upgrades at the Recreation Complex included: new low-emissivity ceilings at the ice rink and arena; new electric ice edger that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize lifecycle costs; new REALice Water System was approved for the Recreation Complex, with $23,000 allocated from the Community Works Fund. The energy efficiency will reduce costs of resurfacing the ice at Hap Parker Arena and the adjoining hockey rink

New insulated ceilings for Hap Parker Arena and the rink, and a more energy efficient ice-making system at the Recreation Complex will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and offset energy costs at the Recreation Complex. The Complex is the City’s single largest source of GHG and utility costs.

The program has been extended through to March, 2022. New top-ups are now available for heat pump water heaters and electrical service upgrades.

Switch from a fossil fuel (oil, gas, propane) powered heating system to an electric heat pump and receive:

• Up to $3,000 per home through CleanBC Better Homes

• Plus a $350 top-up for City of Powell River residents

Visit CleanBC for more information.

• Registration is first come, first served while quantities last or until March 2022.