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Council Meeting/Documents/Adaptation and Mitigation for a Resilient View Royal
Presentation

Adaptation and Mitigation for a Resilient View Royal

July 15, 2025Pages 6–139 sections

Presentation slides from the View Royal Climate Coalition detailing asks for climate action and natural asset protection.

6.a) J. Devonshire and R. Caldwell, View Royal Climate Coalition, Re: Adaptation and Mitigation for a Resilient View Royal
Address: 1720 Wilfert Road identified as off-limits to developmentAsks: Natural Asset Inventory, Emissions reporting for buildings over 10,000 sq ft, Buy Clean procurement policyRecommendation: Allocate FortisBC municipal operating fees to green heating/cooling transitions.

Adaptation and Mitigation for a Resilient View Royal

A decorative stone and concrete retaining wall with various textures and patterns, topped with a metal railing and set against a backdrop of tall evergreen trees.
A decorative stone and concrete retaining wall with various textures and patterns, topped with a metal railing and set against a backdrop of tall evergreen trees.

As we face increasingly hotter, drier, smokier summers, the VRCC feels that we need to meet the Climate Emergency that was declared in 2019 with the urgency that it warrants.

Page 6–13

Natural Asset Management (NAM)

Natural asset management - Being smart with what we've got

Our first ask is to get a Natural Asset Inventory completed and for these natural assets to be identified and protected within our OCP.

A prime example of a natural asset that needs urgent protection is Millstream Creek, our fragile jewel in the crown.

A waterfall on Millstream Creek flowing through rocky terrain and a concrete fish ladder structure, surrounded by moss and lush ferns.
A waterfall on Millstream Creek flowing through rocky terrain and a concrete fish ladder structure, surrounded by moss and lush ferns.
Millstream Fish ladder #3 on the bank of 1720 Wilfert
Page 6–13

1720 Wilfert

We move on now to 1720 Wilfert Road, the area outlined in red. This needs to be identified in the OCP as off limits to future development. The slope near Millstream is extremely unstable and any development would do untold damage to the surrounding and very sensitive ecosystem and destroy much of our critical biodiversity.

Since the 1990s, small portions of Millstream Creek have been acquired / protected, but much more must be done. 1720 is the next critical section.

A street map highlighting a parcel of land at 1720 Wilfert Road in red, showing its proximity to Millstream Creek, Atkins Ave, and the Island Highway, with adjacent green areas labeled "park".
A street map highlighting a parcel of land at 1720 Wilfert Road in red, showing its proximity to Millstream Creek, Atkins Ave, and the Island Highway, with adjacent green areas labeled "park".

The climate action emergency is also about safeguarding endangered ecosystems. As droughts intensify, Millstream Creek becomes that much more critical for the area’s wildlife.

Page 6–13

Emissions reporting from large buildings

Infographic titled "Fossil fuels in buildings drive climate change" displaying the relative share of overall carbon pollution from buildings: 57% for the City of Vancouver, 12% for British Columbia, 29% for the City of Kamloops, and 38% for the City of Prince George.
Infographic titled "Fossil fuels in buildings drive climate change" displaying the relative share of overall carbon pollution from buildings: 57% for the City of Vancouver, 12% for British Columbia, 29% for the City of Kamloops, and 38% for the City of Prince George.

Our second ask is for the Town to follow Saanich and Victoria’s lead by requiring buildings over 10,000 square feet to file emissions reports and to include the Town’s own buildings, the Townhall and Public Safety Building.

Page 6–13

Clean Construction

Why Clean Construction Doesn't Equal Costly Construction

Our third ask is for View Royal to implement a Buy Clean procurement policy and to mandate that all new builds use clean construction materials.

Presentation slide titled "Buy Clean" stating that it involves governments buying clean materials and incentivizing the market, with an image of construction workers silhouetted against a sunset.
Presentation slide titled "Buy Clean" stating that it involves governments buying clean materials and incentivizing the market, with an image of construction workers silhouetted against a sunset.

And build clean:

Infographic titled "Embodied carbon" explaining it as emissions from construction materials and showing a bar chart for a "Toronto High Performance Building" comparing operational versus upfront embodied carbon through 2050.
Infographic titled "Embodied carbon" explaining it as emissions from construction materials and showing a bar chart for a "Toronto High Performance Building" comparing operational versus upfront embodied carbon through 2050.

Cement, structural steel, rebar, insulation and drywall are all now made CLEAN in Canada. Let’s build Canada strong and clean!

Page 6–13

Town of VR’s Revenue from FortisBC Municipal Operating Fee Charges

Our fourth and final ask is for the town to allocate all of this revenue to support direct transitions to green heating and cooling systems as part of a long term program goal of making VR a Net Zero Carbon Community. Please provide free heat pumps, or larger HP subsidies and consider doubling Fortis fees to help ensure VR heat pump rebates are less likely to be oversubscribed again.

FortisBC Operating Fee Paid to Town of View Royal (see VR's Consolidated Operating Financial Plan 2025-29) under Revenue (Other Revenue category).

Year Actual Paid to View Royal VR Budget Estimated Annual Fortis Revenue in View Royal
2023 $91,000 ? $2,945,000
2024 $85,000 ? $2,751,000
2025-2029 N/A 75,000
  • Municipal Operating Fee is 3.09% of Gas customer's Gas Bill which Include Gas Charges such as (BasicCharge+Delivery+Storage&transport+Cost of gas)
  • Municipal Operating Fee is calculated in accordance with an approved methodology and then approved by the BC Utilities Commission.
  • FortisBC negotiates operating fees with each individual municipality. Contract Term for VR?
  • It appears the 3% fee is acceptable to most municipalities in BC.

The variability of this revenue stream is likely determined to a great extent by the unpredictability of the cost of gas per GJ (note: Giga Joule... 277.8 kWh of electrical energy per GJ of gas).

This annual fee indirectly reflects the quantity of local air pollution emissions dumped into VR's air plus the large amount of carbon (CO2) dumped into our troposphere (a key global warming forcing- driver for the next 100+ years).

Page 6–13

This

A forest fire with large orange flames engulfing several tall evergreen trees.
A forest fire with large orange flames engulfing several tall evergreen trees.
Page 6–13

Or This

A collage of photographs showing children of diverse backgrounds running and playing in green, sunny outdoor park and field environments.
A collage of photographs showing children of diverse backgrounds running and playing in green, sunny outdoor park and field environments.

View Royal has done a stellar job of implementing numerous climate action initiatives but let us not rest on our laurels as the future of our grandchildren is at stake.

A poignant quote from Elizabeth May: “I weep and I fight. That is what grandmothers must do.”

Page 6–13

Thank you for your kind attention!

If you have any questions or would like more resources regarding any of our asks, we would be happy to accommodate.

Page 6–13

Document Images

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Document image
Extracted from: 2025 07 15 Council Agenda - Agenda - Pdf