Corporate and Community Energy and Emissions Plan, District of West Vancouver

Building on several energy initiatives already underway, the District of West Vancouver will develop an integrated Corporate and Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CCEEP), and meet requirements for the first three milestones of the PCP Milestone Framework. The initiative will expand the scope of the district’s existing corporate Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), adopted in 2010, to include community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction activities. As a PCP member since2001, the district has made steady progress toward its vision of a low-carbon future and is on track to reach targets established in federal and provincial policies and legislation; notably, the BC Climate Action Charter. The CCEEP will pinpoint ways to achieve the district’s Official Community Plan targets: to reduce GHG emissions by at least 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020, and at least 80 per cent below 2007 levels by 2050. According to the CCAP, more than 97 per cent of West Vancouver’s total GHG emissions originate from community-based sources, particularly from home heating and personal vehicles. Taking this and other data into account, the CCEEP will present recommendations for land use, building policies, energy infrastructure, transportation and utility systems into the future. Community and stakeholder engagement will be a key component during the six phases of developing the CCEEP. The process will include innovative approaches that engage the whole community in a variety of ways, including: identifying energy champions among the elected officials; inspiring residents to take action in their homes and lifestyles through strategies such as Cool North Shore's local peer-led Cool Neighbourhoods program; facilitating public interest by creating a brand; and partnering with Metro Vancouver and the University of British Columbia Collaborative for the production of an energy visualization tool. Implementation of the CCEEP is expected to improve quality of life for residents through better air quality, increased walkability and community connectedness and more resilient neighborhoods, as well as more economic opportunities for local businesses and job retention in the community. The public engagement process and resources produced in the energy visualization process could provide knowledge sharing opportunities both locally and nationally. (Project description from original funding application)