Climate Action Toolkit: February 2022 Newsletter
Funding Opportunities
Clean BC Communities Fund
Apply by May 25th, 2022
This opportunity is focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG emissions). Projects funded through the Clean BC Communities Fund are cost-shared with the provincial and federal governments and target community infrastructure centering on management of renewable energy, improved access to clean-energy transportation, improved energy efficiency of buildings and the generation of clean energy.
The fund is open to:
- Local governments
- Indigenous governments
- Not-for-profit organizations working in collaboration with Indigenous or local governments
- For-profit organizations working in collaboration with Indigenous or local governments
Click here to learn more and apply to the CleanBC Communities Fund.
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Environmental Quality Program Funding
Apply by February 23rd, 2022
This program is designed for capital infrastructure projects in communities across the province that support: access to drinking water; treatment and management improvements for wastewater; treatment and management improvements for stormwater; increased capacity to divert and manage solid waste; and/or increased capacity to reduce or remediate soil and air pollutants are the focus of the Environmental Quality Program.
Learn more about the application process and applying here: Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program - British Columbia - Green Infrastructure - Environmental Quality.
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Climate Action Partners Program
Continuous funding
FortisBC’s Climate Action Partners Program offers
resources to help local governments, Indigenous communities and other organizations achieve their climate action goals. FortisBC offers funding for organizations to hire their own Senior Energy Specialist (SES), a designated member of the team dedicated to applying a suite of energy solutions to help them achieve their climate action goals – be it within the organization or community.
Click here to learn more and apply to the Climate Action Partners Program.
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CleanBC Industry Fund
Opening Early 2022
Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming CleanBC funding for industrial operators. The Emissions Performance, Innovation Accelerator, and Project Feasibility Studies funding calls are planned to open in early 2022. At the time of eNews publishing, these calls are not open yet.
Visit the website here: Apply for funding
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What's New
Public Comment Period: Watershed Security Strategy and Fund Discussion Paper
Feedback accepted until March 18, 2022 at 4 pm via web questionnaire or written submission
Tell the Province your thoughts and share widely within your networks! A discussion paper on watershed security is currently out for public comment. The Watershed Security Strategy and Fund will build on efforts inside and outside of government to ensure our water and watersheds are respected and valued for all they provide. The Government’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples will be foundational to this work.
Click here to learn more and submit your comments: Watershed Security
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"Building A Resilient Canada" Report Published
In mid-January, the Council of Canadian
Academies released a new expert panel report to bridge disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation practices. BC has suffered from several cascading natural hazards within the past year, and this report, "Building a Resilient Canada," identifies choices that households, communities, businesses, and governments can make to reduce the impacts of extreme weather on Canada’s people, communities, and economy in a changing climate. The report details the resources, funding programs, investment options, insurance offerings, and governance structures that can support effective decision-making and a more resilient Canada.
Click here to read more about Building a Resilient Canada.
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Town of Gibsons Completes Coastal Assets Pilot Project
The Town of Gibsons recently helped develop and pilot a new Coastal Toolbox with the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI) that explores using nature-based infrastructure solutions to either complement or replace engineered solutions. The Coastal Toolbox was designed to help local governments identify, prioritize, and manage key coastal natural assets as part of their day-to-day asset management practices.
Learn more about the Town's project here: The Coastal Assets pilot project with the Town of Gibsons, B.C, and check out the Coastal Toolkit guidance document here: Coastal resilience guidance document.
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TransLink Releases New Climate Action Strategy
The new Climate Action Strategy sets ambitious goals for
TransLink and its operating companies, including:
- Net zero GHGs by 2050.
- Zero emissions from our bus fleet by 2040.
- 45 per cent reduction of GHGs by 2030 (over2010 levels).
- To create a more resilient system that can better withstand climate impacts, that also keeps customers safe and comfortable in extreme weather.
Read about the new emission reduction targets for Translink and the key strategy objectives here: TransLink commits to net zero emissions; and for those keen on greater detail, read the entire Climate Action Strategy here: TransLink Climate Action Strategy.
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Community Outreach Incentive Program Funding Examples
Take a look at some of the communities who have received the Community Outreach Incentive Program (COIP) funding, and get ideas for what your community could do! This news release explores what the Musqueam Indian Band, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler & District of Squamish are doing with their COIP funding to promote electric vehicles in their communities.
Click here to read more about these examples: Funding helps promote electric vehicle uptake in B.C.
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City of North Vancouver Collaborates on E-Scooter Pilot
City of North Vancouver residents will soon be
permitted to legally use electric kick-scooters – or e-scooters – as part of a pilot project intended to eventually encompass the North Shore. Council gave initial endorsement to the bylaw on January 17th, but until final adoption occurs, they remain illegal.
The City will be the first on the North Shore to adopt an enabling bylaw and launch a pilot which will permit the use of personal or rented e-scooters, but not a sharing service like the e-bike sharing pilot. The City will be monitoring the impact of e-scooters on the transportation network, the community and on incidents and injuries throughout the pilot, which will run until April 2024.
Click here to read more about this exciting pilot: E-Scooter Pilot to Launch in City of North Vancouver
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FEATURED RESOURCES: Propelling your climate action efforts
Local Government Climate Action Peer Networks
Email the network administrator to join: peernetworks@communityenergy.bc.ca
Join the Community Energy Association's Local Government Peer Network to advance your community's climate action! Membership is voluntary, and it is free of charge. The broad mandate of each Peer Network is to support community-based climate action through peer learning and knowledge sharing for local government staff. The three available networks are: the Step Code Peer Network; the Retrofit Peer Network; and the Electric Vehicle Peer Network.
Learn more and join these peer networks here: Local Government Peer Networks - Community Energy Association
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REPORT: BC Climate Leaders Playbook. Explore the Climate Leaders Playbook this year to help lead or support bold climate action for your community! This resource helps us envision a zero-emission community, and identifies the practical tools and levers that local-government leaders have available to them to make it real—no matter where they’re starting from.
FACTSHEETS:Deep Decarbonization for Municipalities. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has a series of factsheets focusing on deep decarbonization in communities for elected officials and senior staff. Factsheets focus on: Municipal Governance, Governance Components, and Governance Strategies. These factsheets are great for communities just getting started on deep decarbonization, or those already well on their way as they take you through decarbonization pathways, supportive governance for climate action, and effective policies, programs, and approaches.
FUNDING:BC Community Climate Funding Guide. Stay up to date with funding opportunities through the BC Community Climate Funding Guide for Indigenous communities and local governments. This all-in-one guide of funding opportunities for climate action projects in your community quickly connects you to the opportunities available to fund your community project.
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HEADS UP: Courses and Events for municipal climate action enthusiasts
CONFERENCE: FireSmart BC: Building Collaboration and Community
Early Bird Registration ($350 + GST) ends April 7.
On May 11- 12 2022, in-person, in Kamloops, BC, the 2022 FireSmart BC Conference will bring together wildfire practitioners from all over BC and beyond. Speakers and workshops will investigate how to make BC homes, communities and the landscape more wildfire-resilient in the future. This conference will focus on collaboration, community-led initiatives, wildfire management, prevention, ecology and wildfire resiliency research in British Columbia.
The conference is open to all participants, but will be of special interest to firefighters, First Nations and local government staff who are implementing FireSmart initiatives within their communities using Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) funding. Wildland–urban interface (WUI) specialists (e.g. RPFs, RFTs, consultants, contractors, and other land specialists), landscape management agencies, rural or urban planners/managers, Office of the Fire Commissioner staff, emergency management staff, wildfire management staff, Local FireSmart Representatives and Wildfire Mitigation Specialists will also find the conference useful and informative.
Learn more here: Firesmart BC 2022
CONFERENCE: Toward Net Zero by 2050
On April 25th - 26th 2022, the First Nations Major Projects Coalition in partnership with First Peoples Worldwide at the University of Colorado, Boulder present: Toward Net Zero by 2050 Conference. This conference will take place at the Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, BC. The two-day hybrid (in-person and online) event will host Indigenous leaders, industry experts, policymakers, and investors across Canada to highlight carbon reducing examples in four key areas that are either Indigenous-led or have strong potential for industry-government-Indigenous partnership:
(1) energy generation & transmission,
(2) minerals & materials,
(3) finance, and
(4) policy/regulation
Registration ends April 26th and pricing varies by attendee. Learn more here: FNMPC Industry Engagement Event
WEBINAR SERIES: Canada in a Changing Climate National Issues Report
Though the Winter Webinar Series: Canada in a Changing Climate National Issues Report has recently concluded, free webinar recordings are available online! Peruse the 4 webinars that examine chapters that interest you most! They are the: Sector Impacts and Adaptation Chapter; International Dimensions Chapter; Water Resources and Ecosystems Services Chapters; and Costs and Benefits of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Chapter.
Click here for the webinars: Canada in a Changing Climate National Issues
Click here for the report: National Issues Report
E-COURSE: An Introduction to Energy Modelling for Municipal Staff
This self-paced course focuses on foundational information and emphasizes the importance of
energy modelling within municipal infrastructure projects. The course is broken into 3 modules in which you will learn the basics of energy modelling and receive practical knowledge and skills to help you make informed decisions for your next infrastructure project.
This course is designed for all persons working for Canadian municipalities as well as those interested in learning about energy modelling. No pre-requisites required.
Click here for more information: E-learning course: an introduction to energy modelling for municipal staff
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