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Proposed Text Amendment for Official Community Plans (as at January 14, 2010)

The following text amendment will be included in the following Official Community Plans:

In 2007 the British Columbia Climate Action Charter was introduced creating a partnership between the Province and local governments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and positively affect climate change. The Cariboo Regional District became a signatory of the Climate Action Charter committing to become carbon neutral in respect of its corporate operations by 2012.

In 2008, Bill 27, The Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Act, was introduced by the Province mandating all local governments include GHG reduction targets, policies and actions in all Official Community Plans and Rural Land Use Bylaws committing local governments to influence the reduction of community wide emissions through various planning tools.

Following its 2007 Speech from the Throne, the Province committed to a 33% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020 and 80% by 2050 from 2007 levels. In 2009, the Cariboo Regional District Board of Directors voted to match the provincial GHG emissions target.

In 2007 the provincial government calculated the Cariboo Regional District's greenhouse gas emissions and completed the Community Energy Emissions Inventory (CEEI). The Inventory concludes the Regional District's 2007 CO2 emissions level was 329,145 tonnes. ¹

The Cariboo Regional District is committed to addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Provisions to reach a 33% reduction of GHG emissions within the Regional District by the year 2020, and an 80% reduction by 2050 from 2007 levels are addressed through the following policies and actions:

Energy & Conservation

  1. Encourage collaboration with other levels of government and utilities to address energy and emissions management.
  2. Endeavour to participate in senior government programs and initiatives that address climate change impacts and energy management that help plan for local scale impacts of climate change.
  3. Encourage the planning, design and construction strategies to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
  4. Encourage developers to follow best practices in sustainable development – seeking out leading edge technologies and minimizing the impact on existing infrastructure (e.g. permeable parking lots; stormwater detention ponds, solar orientation etc.).
  5. Encourage and support initiatives to upgrade wood burning appliances through the woodstove exchange program.
  6. Consider creating incentives for responsible development practices by creating an incentive for green building policy that exchanges developer investment in green technology for density bonusing, modified development standards or other appropriate mechanisms. As a performance benchmark the Regional District may choose to adopt the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
  7. Explore strategies to increase recycling options.
  8. New developments and redevelopments of property shall consider the Environmental Best Management Practices for Urban and Rural Land Development (Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection) and Develop with Care: Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia where applicable.

Climate Change

  1. As a signatory to the Climate Action Charter, the Regional District will take steps to address and support the goals of the Charter including becoming carbon neutral in respect of its corporate operations by 2012.
  2. The Regional District recognizes the need to take a region wide approach to energy and emissions planning and will complete a CRD Climate Action Plan on reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by December 2011. Steps and considerations in the planning process will include:

    1. conducting a corporate inventory of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
    2. using the CRD Climate Action Plan as a guide when making land use decisions and directing future development to create more complete and self sustaining communities.

      This may include: the production of in house public education materials on building energy efficient homes and how to retrofit existing buildings; production of sustainability checklists for developers; and preparation of other general information on how residents can contribute to building greener communities.
    3. review opportunities for home based business and industry to decrease dependence on automobiles.
    4. support local food security through local agricultural uses and food processing and by encouraging community gardens and farmers markets to create more food independent communities.
    5. support a broader range of local goods and services to service settlement areas and thereby decreasing dependence on automobiles.
    6. investigate opportunities to control GHG emissions at Regional District landfills through the collection of methane for the sale of offset credits.
    7. encourage employment opportunities that support GHG reduction, e.g., conducting energy audits for buildings, commercial composting operations.
    8. work with the [adjacent local government] to ensure a region wide approach.
    9. create partnerships with local environmental groups to promote and support energy conservation and climate change initiatives within the Regional District.
  3. The Regional District will adopt a "lead by example" approach to energy and emissions planning and will commit to setting corporate targets, by:

    1. seeking funding support for measuring the Regional District’s carbon footprint by mapping operations, collecting emissions data and calculating a corporate footprint, and,
    2. identifying best carbon reduction opportunities and setting specific reduction targets.
  4. The Regional District will incorporate strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when engaged in major infrastructure planning and design projects or new facility construction.
  5. The Regional District supports a land use strategy that encourages, infill and compact development patterns, where appropriate, as a means of providing sustainable development and addressing greenhouse gas emissions.
  6. The Regional District will continue to support opportunities to directly address climate change and energy sustainability through such projects as:

    1. new trails and bike paths that support alternative transportation options.
    2. where possible, seek the expansion of public transit systems for rural residents travelling for work, services or medical appointments;
    3. supporting Smart Growth planning principles as applicable to rural areas; and
    4. protection of ecosystems that perform essential ecosystem services such as cleaning air and purifying water.
  7. Determine which provincially funded initiatives that target the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are available to the Regional District.
  8. The Regional District will explore new economically feasible policies, strategies and initiatives – passing bylaws when needed, that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build environmentally sustainable communities.

¹ Emissions calculated for the Regional District's member municipalities (100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Quesnel, and Wells) have been extracted from the original CEEI report totals to produce an accurate account of Regional District emissions. The Regional District's OCPs and RLUBs do not influence the reduction of GHG emissions in the four member municipalities directly.