BC LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TAKE THE LEAD ON ENERGY ACTION

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy presents City of Victoria, District of Hudson’s Hope and the Capital Regional District with Climate & Energy Action Awards. City of Nelson and City of Surrey receive Honourable Mentions.

[Whistler] The Honourable George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy presented awards recognizing the leadership of BC local governments and public sector organizations at the Union of BC Municipalities Convention. "These award-winning actions on waste reduction, active transportation, renewable energy, and more demonstrate creativity and innovation at the community level. Local government has consistently demonstrated true leadership year after year, and this will be crucial to help us reach our new climate targets,” said Minister Heyman.

The City of Victoria won in the Community Planning and Development category for the All Ages & Abilities Bicycle Network. In accepting the award, Mayor Helps noted, “Victoria’s Bicycle Network is helping residents and visitors cycle safely and comfortably through our community. In the first 14 months of operation, 530,000 trips were recorded on our downtown protected bike lanes." When complete, the 32km network is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 10,000 tonnes per year.

The District of Hudson’s Hope won in the Corporate Operations category for its Solar Initiative. The district installed 1,550 solar PV panels on nine municipal sites, for a total generating capacity of 500 kilowatts. Public workshops kept the community informed and high school students were involved in installation. “As a result of this project, Hudson’s Hope will save about $70,000 per year on its electricity bill. The project inspired several residences to install their own solar panels and many others are now considering it,” said Mayor Johansson.

The Capital Regional District has won a 2018 Climate & Energy Action Award in the Public Sector Collaboration category for its Zero Emissions Fleet Initiative. Board Chair Steve Price would like to thank the University of Victoria’s Institute for Integrated Energy Solutions (IESVic) for collaborating with the CRD on this ongoing pilot project. “IESVic’s contribution is essential as we develop a suite of tools for zero emissions fleet optimization and in the testing and evaluation of these vehicles for CRD use. This project is expected to lower greenhouse gas emissions from our vehicle fleet by 132 tonnes Co2-e over the pilot period”.

“B.C. communities are consistently moving forward with projects that are helping to reduce their corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions,” said Patrick Johnstone, Chair of the Community Energy Association and Councillor with the City of New Westminster. “This local government action is essential to achieving B.C.’s long term GHG emission reduction targets.”

Honourable Mentions were awarded to the City of Nelson for the Nelson Community Solar Garden (Community Development Category) and the City of Surrey for both the Surrey Biofuel Facility (Corporate Category) and Integrated Sustainability Education Program (Collaboration Category).

The Community Energy Association organizes the Climate and Energy Action Awards annually in partnership with the Province of BC, Union of BC Municipalities, BC Hydro, FortisBC, and Real Estate Foundation of BC. For more information on applicants and their projects, visit the Community Energy Association’s website at http://www.communityenergy.bc.ca/.

Contact:

Dale Littlejohn, Executive Director, Community Energy Association Office Phone: 604-628-7076; Cell: 604-785-5130

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