April 2024

Energize Vancouver is a new multi-year initiative dedicated to upgrading and retrofitting Vancouver’s large existing commercial and multi-family buildings to provide healthier, safer and more comfortable indoor spaces during extreme climate events like heatwaves or smoke events, while reducing emissions and improving energy performance.

Through the Energize Vancouver hub, owners and property managers of large buildings gain access to tools and resources to track and report energy-use, reduce emissions, improve energy performance and make buildings more climate resilient.

As part of the City’s Climate Emergency Action Plan commitment to reduce carbon pollution from buildings by 50% by 2030, Council approved the Annual Greenhouse Gas and Energy Limits By-law to reduce emissions in existing buildings and shift toward healthier, more resilient and sustainable homes, offices, and retail stores. 

These bylaws prioritize larger buildings with greater capacity to retrofit and make energy-efficiency upgrades. This approach provides building owners and managers time to assess current building performance, explore incentives, secure financing and integrate necessary improvements or equipment replacement into their capital plans, ensuring a smoother transition toward a more climate-resilient future.

YOUR TURN

Learn more about Energize Vancouver here.

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY, ADAPTATION
 

Between May 2-5, be part of the global movement of walkers exploring urban environments with Jane’s Walk. Each year thousands of people gather for volunteer-led walks to share stories of communities, reflect on our city and encourage dialogue and civic involvement.

Inspired by Jane Jacobs, a renowned urbanist and author whose work helped shape our understanding of cities and urban planning, Jane’s Walk is an opportunity to celebrate the joy of walking and storytelling and connect with those around us.

Walking can be an excellent method to interact with your neighbourhood and through our Climate Emergency Action Plan, we are working to make it so 90% of residents live within an easy walk or roll of their daily needs. By prioritizing complete communities, we can support a healthier, cleaner and safer climate-friendly city all year-round.

YOUR TURN

• Learn more about the history and purpose of Jane’s Walk. Register now to lead a walk and showcase the places you love to live, work, and play!

• Click here to join a walking tour near you.

• Don’t forget to share your walking stories using the hashtags #janeswalk and #janewalkvan.

Stay connected @CityofVancouver and @WalkBikeRoll for more updates.

SUPPORTING: VANCOUVER PLAN, ACTIVE MOBILITY PLAN

Active transportation (walking, biking, and rolling) is a climate-friendly alternative to private vehicle use and supports better health, safety, equity, accessibility, affordability and complete communities. The Walk Bike Roll Community Partnership Program aims to increase active travel and support disproportionately impacted communities by funding aligned projects led by community organizations.

The City of Vancouver is providing between $500 and $5,000 for Vancouver non-profit and charitable organizations to undertake projects such as:

• Hosting active travel workshops

• Purchasing equipment to facilitate active travel (ie. locks, helmets accessories or maintenance tools)

• Leading promotional active travel events

Around 40% of carbon pollution in Vancouver comes from burning gas and diesel in our vehicles. Through our Climate Emergency Action Plan, we’re working to ensure that two thirds of trips in Vancouver are by active and public transportation by 2030 and projects like these can help us get there. 
 
YOUR TURN
 
Are you a Vancouver organization looking to promote active travel? Learn more about the WBR Community Partnership Program and apply for funding before April 30.

Email WalkBikeRoll@Vancouver.ca for support before applying.
 
SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY, ACTIVE MOBILITY PLAN

Each April we celebrate Earth Day, reflecting on efforts to protect the planet and its inhabitants. We all have a role in climate action and this looks different for everybody—from stewarding natural climate solutions, to reducing carbon pollution with lifestyle changes, to system changes like voting or volunteering your time with organizations and more.

To acknowledge how far we’ve come, this Earth Day we wanted to round-up recent progress in understanding and responding to climate change:

• The energy transition to a climate-friendly future is underway. Renewable energy is more widely used and affordable than ever before and its growth is supported by Canadians. In B.C., the Province updated the Clean Energy Act with objectives to prioritize affordable clean energy– so electrifying transportation and buildings offers a great opportunity to cut carbon pollution.

• In a recent poll, over 90% of Vancouver residents reported being concerned or very concerned about climate change and its impacts. When channeled into civic engagement activities (like advocacy, community education and awareness, volunteering and electoral participation) residents can influence systems and support policy that helps reduce carbon pollution and prepare for climate events.  

• Climate models help us better understand climate hazards that Vancouver faces, like extreme heat, poor air quality, drought and extreme rainfall, and sea level rise. Through our updated Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, Vancouver has a plan to respond. Learn how you can prepare for these climate hazards.

YOUR TURN

Celebrate Earth Day with events around Vancouver including games, crafts and workshops at Trout Lake Community Centre, Earth Day Ravine stewardship or EcoStewards and Eco-Art.

Stay up to take on the actions you can take by following @greenestcity social media accounts.

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY, ADAPTATION