Local governments have influence over at least 50 per cent of emissions in Canada. This is because where people live, what kind of buildings they live in and how they get around are the jurisdiction of local governments.

The current local government is handing over several documents and action plans to address our CleanBC commitments. There are ambitious and missed goals and missed opportunities in our Official Community Plan and the SCR Framework: Campbell River’s Integrated Community Sustainability Plan and subsequent bylaws, policies and changes.

I have spoken before about the variety of tools the city has to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate breakdown. We can increase energy efficiency standards in building codes. Our land use policies can enable cities to be walkable and have good transit. We can improve standards for protecting our watersheds and wetlands, increasing our tree canopies and managing storm water, Campbell River can increase our support to our several environmental partners addressing these and other critical issues.

There is a provincial program – province identified property assessed clean energy (PACE) – that was re-announced this week at the UBCM convention. Rolling out this program is critical to allow municipalities to offer financing to home owners for things like heat pumps and deep retrofits which have high up-front costs. These initiatives improve access for low-income, senior and vulnerable communities – those most affected by the effects of extreme weather.

But heat pumps and other deep retrofits that improve the safety and resilience of homes have high up-front costs. Without good options for financing and funding, they are out of reach for those most affected by the effects of extreme weather: low-income, elderly and vulnerable communities. Emissions from existing buildings currently make up on average 45 per cent of emissions in villages, towns and cities, mostly generated by homes and buildings. PACE is necessary to meet our net-zero commitments. I will work hard to have these funds distributed and for Campbell River to get its fair share.