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Your B.C. Government

Green Communities

Your B.C. Government is implementing policies and programs that support smart planning, with compact communities, energy-efficient buildings and more clean transportation alternatives, to help communities reduce their carbon footprint and save energy, fuel and money.

What your B.C. Government is doing for Green Communities:

  • The Province's $14-billion public transit plan will reduce provincial transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 4.7 million tonnes cumulatively by 2020 – equivalent to parking all cars and light trucks in Metro Vancouver for one year.
  • $10.3-billion investment in four new rapid transit lines in Metro Vancouver – the Evergreen Line, the UBC Line, the upgraded Expo Line and the Canada Line.
  • $1.2 billion for a new, high capacity RapidBus BC service along nine major routes in the high growth urban centres of Kelowna, Victoria and Metro Vancouver.
  • $1.6 billion for 1,500 new, clean-energy buses and related maintenance infrastructure to provide communities around the province with improved bus service.
  • Since 2008, the Province of British Columbia's Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund has approved investments of over $47 million in 34 projects in communities across B.C., representing a total value of over $174 million to help develop clean and renewable energy technologies for British Columbians in areas such as solar, geothermal, tidal, wind, and bioenergy. The Province is providing an additional $75 million over the next three years.
  • The Province has created a Rural Secretariat within the Ministry of Community Development to assist local governments in applying for provincial and federal infrastructure programs; diversifying regional economies; and enhancing response to opportunities and urgent needs for communities.
  • Your B.C. Government increased the Towns for Tomorrow budget to $71-million over five years. The program allows smaller communities to access provincial funds for infrastructure projects.
  • More than $800 million through the Canada-BC Infrastructure Program (CBCIP) for infrastructure projects, including $267 million from the Province and $537 million in federal-provincial funding. Under the program, there was an approximate 75/25 split between green and non-green projects.
  • The Province has contributed $80 million in funding under the BC Community Water Improvement Program. Since 2005, 87 green projects with capital costs of $122 million have been approved, with a one-third contribution from local governments.
  • Since 2001, your B.C. Government has created over 200 kilometres of new bicycle lanes and trails throughout the province by providing grants to over 50 local communities. That's more than the distance between Vancouver and Hope.
  • 175 communities and the Islands Trust have signed the B.C. Climate Action Charter Pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2012, to measure and report on their community's greenhouse gas emissions profile, and to work to create compact, more energy-efficient communities. Those communities that have signed on to the charter have access to the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program that offsets the carbon tax for local governments.
  • $40 million in LocalMotion funding for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the accessibility of communities.
  • $20 million in B.C. Spirit Squares funding to build community gathering places across the province and encourage integrated, connected neighbourhoods.
  • Your B.C. government, along with federal and municipal partners, have committed a total of $220M through the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund in projects across the province, with at least 60 per cent dedicated to assisting with "green projects" such as drinking water, treatment and distribution.
  • Developed the BC Bioenergy Strategy to turn waste into clean electricity and biofuels, creating new economic opportunities for B.C.
  • The Bioenergy Strategy is supported by a $35-million investment to encourage research and co-ordinate the development of bioenergy across the province.
  • Provided $5 million to the SolarBC program to encourage installation of solar hot water heaters in homes, municipal buildings, schools, social housing and First Nations communities, with a goal of installing solar roofs on 100,000 residential and commercial buildings provincewide by 2020.
  • The Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Amendment Act, 2008 supports the development of compact communities that help reduce energy use, reduce the costs of servicing, increase opportunities to walk and cycle to work, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The legislation requires all official community plans and regional growth strategies to include greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, policies and actions. Local governments have increased flexibility to waive or reduce development cost charges to encourage more sustainable development and greenhouse gas reductions with new technologies.
  • Residential housing units of 29 square metres or less are exempt from Development Cost Charges (DCCs).
  • 53 B.C. communities have received a total of almost $1.7 million under the Community Action on Energy and Emissions program to advance energy efficiency and emissions reductions through the development of policy and planning tools.

For More Information:
B.C. Climate Action Charter
B.C. Green Cities Awards
LocalMotion
Towns For Tomorrow
B.C. Spirit Squares
Municipal-Rural Infrastructure Fund
Provincial Transit Plan
Innovative Clean Energy Fund
BC Bioenergy Strategy
SolarBC