Community climate change volunteer program coming to City, RDN

City, RDN to participate in ICLEI Canada Agents of Change Project

JOINT NEWS RELEASE - Distributed April 5, 2022 12:30 PM

The City of Nanaimo and the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) are pleased to announce their joint participation in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) – Canada’s Agents of Change Project through the formation of a climate change community volunteer program.

The Agents of Change Project builds volunteer engagement programs in communities across Canada to support residents taking action to build climate resilience and reduce local greenhouse gas emissions. Through the project, the City and the RDN will work together with ICLEI Canada experts and local government peers to develop an action-oriented volunteer engagement program that will support community emission reduction goals across the region.

ICLEI Canada is contributing $15,000 towards the development of the region-wide volunteer program. The project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada and will run until March 2023 with the volunteer program expected to launch in fall/winter 2022. The application to participate in the Agents of Change program was supported by several local volunteer groups including the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub, Nanaimo Green Faith Circle, First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo, Nature Nanaimo and the Mid-Vancouver Island Electric Vehicle Association.

This initiative supports outcomes of the City of Nanaimo's REIMAGINE NANAIMO process that were incorporated into the draft City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined including actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resiliency. In April 2019, recognizing the global concern raised by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to limit global warming to 1.5°C, Nanaimo's City Council declared a Climate Emergency and set new community-wide emission reduction targets to between 50 per cent and 58 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030, and between 94 per cent and 107 per cent below 2010 levels by 2050. The City's Community Sustainability Action Plan supports "outreach and education to residents to encourage desired behaviours and actions". In order to meet this objective and work towards the City's greenhouse has emission targets, the City has partnered with other organizations to support community outreach projects related to climate mitigation.

The RDN has committed to reducing community greenhouse gas emissions to 80 per cent below 2007 levels by 2050. These targets are included in the RDN's official community plans and the Regional Growth Strategy policy. Community outreach is an essential part of reaching this target and other climate action goals. The Agents of Change Project will be included into the RDN's community outreach strategy; helping to achieve these goals and the recommendations of the RDN’s Climate Action Technical Advisory Committee. The RDN also has several programs available to residents and community groups who are taking direct action on climate change. These include green building and water stewardship rebates, green building outreach, water stewardship programs and wildfire risk reduction programs.

For more information on the City of Nanaimo’s response to climate change, visit the Green Initiatives section on www.nanaimo.ca. For more information on the REIMAGINE NANAIMO project and to review the draft City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined, visit www.getinvolvednanaimo.ca.

For more information on the Regional District of Nanaimo’s action on climate change, green building and other sustainability resources, visit www.rdn.bc.ca/energy-and-sustainability.

QUOTES:

"This is a great example of the City and RDN working toward a sustainable future together. I am excited to see this program take flight and look forward to connecting with residents on how we can work together to protect our shared environment."

• Leonard Krog, Mayor, City of Nanaimo

"The RDN is committed to building regional climate action by working with our municipal partners and engaging our residents. We are keen to get started on this new initiative with the City of Nanaimo that promises to be a long-term catalyst for local climate action."

• Tyler Brown, Chair, Regional District of Nanaimo

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