Planning & Development Report: Draft Community Climate Action Strategy
A report presenting the draft Community Climate Action Strategy (CCAS) and outlining greenhouse gas (GHGe) reduction targets endorsed by Council.
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT REPORT
TO: Committee of the Whole DATE: February 2, 2022 FROM: Jeff Chow, Senior Planner MEETING DATE: February 8, 2022
Draft Community Climate Action Strategy
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the report dated February 2, 2022 from the Senior Planner title “Draft Community Climate Action Strategy” be received for information.
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
PURPOSE:
- To present the draft Community Climate Action Strategy
- To outline how the draft Community Climate Action Strategy has addressed Council resolutions
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of the Community Climate Action Strategy (CCAS) is to:
- Forecast community Green House Gas emissions (GHGe)
- Set GHGe reduction targets
- Develop an action plan to meet the targets while working towards carbon neutrality
- Increase community awareness and encourage action by individuals to reduce community GHGe by such means as a community resource guide and by referencing the District of Saanich carbon calculator (revised November 2021).
- Establish strategies for regular monitoring and progress reporting
Community GHGe are territorial emissions, i.e. those generated within the Town, with allocations made for air and marine travel. They do not include consumption-based emissions, i.e. emissions generated elsewhere in the production of food and other goods.
The public engagement summary was presented at the December 14, 2022 Committee of the Whole meeting, a workshops and community survey
At the January 18, 2022 Council meeting, the following motion was passed to set the targets for the Community Climate Action Strategy:
C-03-22 THAT greenhouse gas reduction targets be endorsed to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by:
- 45% from 2007 levels by 2030; and
- 100% from 2007 levels by 2050.
A comparison of community GHG reduction targets for other jurisdictions within the Capital region is summarized in Attachment 1. The targets are ambitious, would place the Town among the leaders within the region, and would be consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy target of a 60% reduction from 2007 levels by 2038. If adopted, it is anticipated the progress will be re-evaluated on an approximately five-year basis and the targets can be reconsidered, as long they continue to address the Regional Growth Strategy targets at minimum.
Regional Targets
| Jurisdiction | Near Term reduction* Target | Near Term reduction* Year | Long Term reduction* Target | Long Term reduction* Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Royal | 45% | 2030 | 100% | 2050 |
| Capital Regional District | 33% | 2020 | 61% | 2038 |
| Central Saanich (OCP underway) | 45% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Colwood (Climate Plan underway) | 45% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Esquimalt (Climate Plan underway) | 38% | 2030 | Net zero (100%) | 2050 |
| Highlands | 26% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Langford | 25% | 2030 | 33% | 2050 |
| Metchosin | 33% | 2020 | blank | blank |
| North Saanich (OCP underway) | 25% | 2020 | 45% | 2040 |
| Oak Bay | 33% | 2020 | 61% | 2038 |
| Saanich | 50% | 2030 | Net zero (100%) | 2050 |
| Sidney (OCP/Climate Plan underway) | 30% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Sooke (OCP review underway) | a. (Current) 33% b. (Draft) 40% |
a. 2020 b. 2030 |
(Draft) 90.5% | 2050 |
| Victoria | 50% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
* From 2007 GHGe levels
DISCUSSION:
This report discusses the following:
- Draft Community Climate Action Strategy
- Council resolutions regarding the Community Climate Action Strategy
- Next steps
1. Draft Community Climate Action Strategy
The draft Community Climate Action Strategy (CCAS) is presented in Attachment 1. The CCAS identifies the three sectors that are responsible for the majority of emissions in the Town— buildings, transportation and waste. It recommends strategies and actions for reducing community greenhouse gas emissions based on a target for 2030 endorsed by Council and a long-term goal for 2050 to align with regional, provincial and federal goals. Strategies and actions that the Town can implement have been identified to achieve the 2030 greenhouse gas emission targets. They are grouped under the following umbrella “Big Moves” relating to the sectors of transportation, building and waste that the Town has influence over:
- Shift Beyond the Car
- Electrify Transportation
- Step Up New Buildings
- Decarbonize Existing Buildings
- Close the Loop on Waste
Other opportunities for reducing emissions that arose from the community engagement process are also included.
It is anticipated that the Community Climate Action Strategy will have a report monitoring progress every two years. The consultant recommends revisiting targets at least every five years so that actions taken will be focused and effective.
2. Council Resolutions
Several motions from the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee (PREAC) were considered by Council and referred to the Community Climate Action Strategy by resolution. The following table identifies how/if they are addressed in the Community Climate Action Strategy.
| COUNCIL MOTION | PREAC MOTION | COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY |
|---|---|---|
| C-125-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-05-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-05-20 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Section A - Enhance Liveability, item 1. a) “Identify and implement improvements to enhance existing infrastructure that facilitates improved safe routes to schools and Walking School Bus opportunities (2019/2020 Ready Step Roll)” be amended to include “routes to shopping, work and recreation”. | Shifting Beyond the Car p.45 2.5 – Build safe routes for walking, cycling and other forms of zero emission mobility 2.6 – Develop and implement an active transportation engagement strategy |
| C-126-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-06-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-06-20 THAT the Committee recommend that Council send a letter to BC Transit requesting that BC Transit accelerate the complete electrification of their fleet. | Shifting Beyond the Car p.46 3.4 - Advocate for a zero emission transit network (collaborate with BC Transit) |
| C-127-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-07-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-07-20 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Section A - Enhance Liveability in View Royal be amended to include “Electrification or hybridization of the Town’s fleet where possible by 2030”. | One of the “Big Moves for Transportation” is to accelerate the adoption of zero emission vehicles. Considerations for the Town’s fleet should be formally considered in an update to the corporate energy and emissions plan; in the interim, the Town’s Purchasing Policy includes sustainability in the evaluation of best value for money. In practice, the Town has been working towards an electric/hybrid fleet and following the evolution of technology for heavy vehicles. |
| C-128-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-08-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-08-20 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Section B - Community and Economic Growth be amended to include “Goal: Preserve farmland and valuable natural assets, Target: Zero loss of small farm property, urban forests and natural assets, Work Plan: Complete a Municipal Natural Assets Inventory by June 2021”. | The focus of the strategy is on mitigating emissions. Sequestration is beyond the scope of the project. |
| C-129-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-09-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-09-20 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Section C - Environmental Stewardship, item 1. b) Update Tree Protection Bylaw to recognize loss of tree canopy in land development be amended to include “and that as part of the development permit application, developers do a greenhouse gas assessment for tree loss”. | Other Opportunities p.60 2.2 Preserve & expand urban tree canopy within the municipal boundary Monitoring and Evaluation Framework p.78 11. Monitor Urban Tree Canopy Cover (ongoing monitoring of the tree canopy on a municipal scale using Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing data) |
| C-130-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-10-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-10-20 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Section C - Environmental Stewardship, item 2. a) By 2022 adopt Step 3 of Step Code for Part 9 buildings and Step 2 of Step Code for Part 3 buildings and transition to Step 5 of Step Code by 2020 be revised to read “Adopt Step Codes where applicable to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible”. | Stepping Up New Buildings p.52 1.1 Adopt the BC Energy Step Code and timeline for full implementation (i.e.) Step 5 (includes amending Building Bylaw to require Step 3 for Part 9 buildings, and exploring Step 4 in advance of the Provincial deadline of 2027 and Step 5 in 2032). (Note: Work to consider Step Code options is underway) |
| C-131-20 THAT Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee recommendation PREAC-11-20 be referred to the Community Climate Action Plan consultant once that project has commenced. | PREAC-11-20 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Section C - Environmental Stewardship be amended to include “2. g) Work Plan: Develop and implement an incentive plan to replace oil and gas community heating with heat pumps. Timing: Starting 2021 and complete by 2030. Resources: Look for funding by a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program; promote Capital Regional District and Clean BC grants”. | Decarbonizing Existing Buildings p.54-55 1.1 Encourage & enable energy retrofits through supportive policies and removing barriers 1.3 Continue to provide top-up incentives for building through CleanBC rebates top-ups 1.4 Support the development of CRD regional retrofit service for residents. 1.5 Identify and remove barriers to heat pump installation |
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