March 2024

On March 13, Council approved the 2024-25 Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (CCAS), a proactive plan to build a more resilient, equitable and healthy city in the face of climate change. Vancouver is facing impacts caused by five main climate change-related hazards: extreme heat, poor air quality, drought, extreme rainfall and sea level rise. The CCAS aims to support Vancouver’s people, ecosystems and infrastructure by reducing risk and enhancing resilience to these hazards.

The 2024-25 CCAS includes over 60 actions, including:

• Completing the Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator (RARA) and Non-Profit Resilient Retrofit Grant (NRRG) programs to retrofit 30 existing buildings to provide cooling for residents and reduce building emissions;
• Expanding on a 2023 DIY Air Cleaner (filter) pilot with partners to provide supplies for community members to build 300 air cleaners to use during poor air quality events;
• Developing a coastal adaptation and flood management policy that outlines a city-wide approach to coastal adaptation planning.

It’s also important to recognize that the impacts of climate change are not experienced equally, and certain residents and communities are disproportionately impacted. Equity considerations were a central component of the CCAS development process in order to center these communities and individuals.

YOUR TURN

Learn more and read the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy here.

Watch the presentation to Council here.

SUPPORTING: ADAPTATION

Do you have an idea for a project in your neighbourhood to support local climate action? We have a grant for that!

The Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grant (GCNSG) supports small-scale resident-led projects that help advance the City of Vancouver’s goals under the Climate Emergency Action Plan and the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Up to $500 is available to support your climate action in the following priority areas:

• Educating on making homes and buildings more energy efficient
• Promoting greener forms of transportation
• Taking care of our forests, wetlands, and other natural climate solutions
• Educating about local climate impacts and solutions
• Preparing for future changes to our climate and environment
• Advancing climate equity and justice in disproportionately impacted communities

 
The GCNSG is offered in partnership with Vancouver Foundation and is administered through Vancouver’s Neighbourhood Houses.

YOUR TURN

Applications for Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grants are now open. Learn more and apply.

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY, ADAPTATION

In 2020, a groundbreaking study revealed that 6PPD-quinone, a chemical that tires can leave behind on roads, had been mysteriously killing salmon in local creeks and around the world.

In partnership with the University of British Columbia, City staff studied the effectiveness of rain gardens at removing this chemical from rainwater before it reaches waterbodies. Rain gardens, like other types of green rainwater infrastructure (GRI), blend plants, soil and other natural elements with engineered systems like pipes, to capture, filter and absorb rainwater where it lands. The study of 6PPD quinone at a rain garden on Pine Street and W 8th Avenue showed that rain gardens can filter more than 90% of this toxic chemical, helping to protect water quality and wildlife.

The City’s latest Green Rainwater Infrastructure Monitoring Report (2021-2023), also reveals that more than 300 GRI assets across Vancouver are also reducing localized flooding by absorbing and removing rainwater from streets more efficiently than expected, supporting our ability to adapt to increased rainfall due to climate change.

YOUR TURN

Become a Green Streets volunteer to help care for local green rainwater infrastructure or learn how you can help protect local waterbodies in the garden and at home.
 
Read more about the how rain gardens can help protect salmon.
  
SUPPORTING: HEALTHY WATERS PLAN, RAIN CITY STRATEGY, ADAPTATION

Spring is on its way and there is no better time to get involved with a new stewardship program for Vancouver’s natural spaces.

From wildflower meadows to rain gardens, green infrastructure brings nature into the city, helping to clean and manage rainwater, cool the urban environment, encourage biodiversity and make a more livable city.

This year, we are launching the Seeding Stewardship program, which will provide communities with an opportunity to learn about, engage with, steward and support natural spaces throughout the city that play an important role in our efforts to sequester carbon and adapt to climate change.

We are looking for leaders to establish stewardship groups at seven nature-based solutions sites across Vancouver. This program can provide support for volunteers to steward, enhance biodiversity, educate and more while cultivating public spaces for you and your neighbours to enjoy urban nature.

YOUR TURN

Join us on Saturday April 13 for two program launch events. Attend a hands-on workshop about supporting pollinator habitat at Pine Street Pollinator Garden or learn about selecting and caring for native plants from experts at Sunset Park.

Unable to attend the launch events? Send an email to raincity@vancouver.ca to learn more about how to get involved.

SUPPORTING: HEALTHY WATERS PLAN , RAIN CITY STRATEGY, ADAPTATION, CLIMATE EMERGENCY