City awarded "Green Communities" designation

Increased efforts by City and community result in achievement of new level

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed September 5, 2019 12:00 PM

Summary

The City of Nanaimo has been recognized by the joint Provincial-Union of BC Municipalities Green Communities Committee as a BC Climate Action Community. This recognition marks the City's achievement of Level Three in the Climate Action Recognition Program, the third of four levels.

Significant progress in reducing the City’s corporate emissions was made in 2018 through a number of actions including converting streetlights to LEDs, replacing a boiler in Beban Park pool with two high-efficiency condensing boilers and generating 802 megawatt hours of energy at the Reservoir #1 facility. Initiatives taken in the community include restoration projects in Jingle Pot Marsh to reintroduce the endangered Vancouver Island beggartick species, Departure Creek to enhance salmon habitat and the riparian area along the Chase River near Harewood Centennial Park.

The City encouraged residents to reduce their own GHG emissions through a number of events, projects and initiatives. Community events such as the Car Trunk Sale and Reuse Rendezvous promoted the reusing of household items. Encouraging alternative forms of transportation by expanding the active transportation network with the addition of sidewalks on Dufferin Crescent, Jingle Pot Road and Northfield Road, multi-use trails on Georgia Avenue and Cypress Street and bike lanes on Northfield Road. The City also promoted alternative modes of transportation with community events such as Bike to Work and Go by Bike weeks. Finally, residents were encouraged to make their homes more efficient through rebate program to replace their old appliances, wood stove and toilets.

The recognition follows the City’s successful completion of a Corporate Greenhouse Gas Inventory and a report outlining climate action revenue incentive programs through 2018. For more information on this program and to view the report, visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/CARIP.

Link to Strategic Plan: The City of Nanaimo's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions supports environmental responsibility.

Key Points

As a signatory to the Climate Action Charter since October 2008, the City has demonstrated its commitment to work with the Province and Union of BC Municipalities to take action on climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in municipal operations and the community.
In 2018, the City produced 2,985 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions with approximately 66% of emissions coming from powering, heating and cooling municipal buildings; 23% coming from the municipal fleet; and 11% from City contracted services.
The City of Nanaimo has been a signatory of the BC Climate Action Charter since 2007. As part of our Charter commitments, the City measures and reports on its corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions each year.

Quotes

"Nanaimo is being recognized as a climate leader in BC. Like other communities, we have declared a climate emergency and are taking real steps to reduce our emissions to take action on climate change."

Leonard Krog

Mayor

City of Nanaimo

Quick Facts

To achieve Level Three designation, the City was required to demonstrate significant “corporate or community-wide climate action to reduce GHG emissions”.
The Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program is a conditional grant program that provides funding to Charter signatories equivalent to 100 percent of the carbon taxes they paid directly.
The 2018 Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program grant was $142,092.00 and was deposited in the City’s Sustainability Reserve Fund to help fund future projects aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions in City facilities.
The four levels of the Climate Action Charter are: Level 1 - Demonstrating Progress on Charter Commitments, Level 2 - Measuring GHG Emissions, Level 3 - Accelerating Progress on Charter Commitments and Level 4 - Achievement of Carbon Neutrality.

Contact:

Rob Lawrance

Environmental Planner

City of Nanaimo

250-755-7582

rob.lawrance@nanaimo.ca

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