IN THIS ISSUE

In Vancouver, there are approximately 80,000 detached houses. Also known as single family homes, these houses create about 28% of Vancouver's carbon pollution – nearly half a million tonnes of emissions per year - by burning natural gas, a fossil fuel, for heating and hot water. Fossil fuel-burning appliances create carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter, which impacts air quality and our health, including increasing asthma and respiratory inflammation. 

To reduce these emissions, and protect our health, new regulations are accelerating the switch to safer and more climate-friendly electric home heating and cooling options, like heat pumps. These systems not only lower carbon pollution from detached homes, but can also help to safeguard against heat and smoke events that are becoming more extreme and prevalent with climate change.

On January 1, 2023, two new regulations come into effect for home renovations in detached houses: 

• For major home renovations over $250,000 in value, existing space heating and hot water systems must be replaced with electric versions
• Any air conditioning system (not including portable air conditioning units) installed in existing homes must also provide heating

These regulations promote the health and safety of residents, and advance our Climate Emergency Action Plan target to reduce Vancouver’s carbon pollution by 50% by 2030.

YOUR TURN

You can find more information about these regulations here. 

Looking for resources ahead of your home renovation? The City and its partners offer many supports for homeowners, including:

• Rebates and resources for detached home renovations
• Home energy coaching through the Home Energy Navigator program

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Did you know that gasoline and diesel lawn and garden tools produce carbon pollution that impacts our health, environment and climate? These tools, such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws and trimmers, are a significant source of regional air and carbon pollutants. They may be small, but they have a big impact: operating a commercial leaf blower for an hour creates as much pollution as driving a new vehicle 1700 kilometres.

Metro Vancouver is considering actions to reduce those emissions and to promote electric alternatives to lawn and garden equipment. These changes would support the region’s Clean Air Plan, a ten-year plan for managing air quality and carbon pollution, and Climate 2050, a strategy to transition Metro Vancouver to a low carbon, resilient region over the next 30 years. 

YOUR TURN

Metro Vancouver would like to hear from you about your experience with these tools as they consider how to reduce emissions from the use of this equipment, you can provide feedback here until February 1, 2023.

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY

UBC Forestry’s Climate Action and Community Engagement (CACE) micro-certificate supports community leaders interested in engaging and training local climate champions. CACE grows the skills required to address the rapidly growing need for civic participation in climate action within communities vulnerable to climate change extremes.

Participants in the eight week online program will:

• Identify climate change causes, impacts, and solutions at the local level
• Design community outreach plans for local-scale climate action
• Facilitate fun, interactive and hands-on activities to engage community in climate conversations
• Participate in professional development opportunities and community engagement skill-building 

YOUR TURN

Applications for the February to April 2023 cohort are now open. Learn more about the program and register here.

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY