Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Community Energy Management Plan

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) will develop a Community Energy Management Plan as the next step in meeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets set out in its 2011 Official Community Plan. Located in northeastern BC, the NRRM includes the communities of Tetsa River, Toad River, Muncho Lake, Prophet River and Fort Nelson — its largest population centre. Since 2010 the volume of natural gas discoveries in the NRRM have more than tripled, making it home to the largest natural gas reserves in western Canada, drastically altering the projected  population growth and industrial development of the NRRM. As a result, the NRRM and its constituent communities want to ensure that efforts to reduce GHG emissions and promote sustainability keep pace with increased economic activity. In 2010, the NRRM completed a GHG Action Plan with the goal of reducing the region’s greenhouse gas emissions and improving community sustainability. However, the recent growth in the oil and gas sector requires the municipality to reassess priorities and strategies in all areas of regional planning. The NRRM will therefore develop a new, broader plan that will assess both community and municipal energy use — in particular, through water and wastewater facilities and operations. Operations outside municipal jurisdiction, such as public transportation, will also be assessed to identify municipal actions that may be taken to reduce energy use and GHG emissions. The municipality will review and update the 2010 corporate and community-wide inventory to include more detailed information on GHG emissions generated from transportation, buildings, landfill usage, and changing land use patterns. These broad categories will be further broken down to allow for strategies that address root causes and reduce emissions in the most cost-effective manner. The NRRM will also re-evaluate the feasibility of implementing several medium to large-scale reduction measures identified in the original action plan. Possible energy management options include fuel switching or equipment upgrades to increase energy efficiency, cogeneration projects, energy management systems, and renewable energy projects. Stakeholder participation — including open communication with a representative group from the oil and gas sector — and public consultation will be key components of the planning process. The NRRM will leverage the experience of other municipalities across Canada and internationally that have completed similar projects, and plans to share its findings and lessons learned. This initiative has significant potential as a model for other communities facing similar trends in growth that is driven by development in primary industries. (Project description from original funding application)