The Honourable George Heyman, Minister of Environment & Climate Change Strategy presented awards recognizing the leadership of B.C. local governments and public sector organizations at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention, and the City of Cranbrook has received an honourable mention.

“Local governments across B.C. are leading the way in the fight against climate change and our government is committed to helping them in this fight and showing real climate leadership at a provincial level,” said Minister Heyman. “These awards highlight the many innovative actions communities are taking to achieve their greenhouse gas emission targets.”

City of Richmond won in the Community Planning and Development category for the Community Energy Save Program. In accepting the award, Mayor Malcolm Brodie noted that, “Richmond’s Community Energy Save Program empowers businesses and residents to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. This program has helped Richmond achieve a six per cent reduction in community GHG emissions despite a growing population.”

Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine won in the Corporate Operations category for the Terrace Area Integrated Solid Waste Management Program. “The state-of-the-art waste management facility and transfer station, combined with a three-stream residential curb-side collection program, residential and commercial organics diversion, and solid waste material bans has successfully prevented the release of almost 1,500 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in less than one year,” said Board Chair Philip Germuth.

City of North Vancouver’s Safe and Active School Travel Program won in the Public Sector Collaboration category. Mayor Darrell Mussatto thanked all project partners for their support in increasing the number of kids walking and cycling to school. “Since 2014, this partnership between the School District, ICBC, TransLink, RCMP, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Recreation & Culture Commission and North Vancouver families has successfully reduced vehicle trips to school by 25%.”

A special award was presented to the B.C. Energy Step Code Council in recognition of the multi-sector collaboration required to develop the B.C. Energy Step Code. Zachary May, Chair of the B.C. Energy Step Code Council praised the effort of Council members. “I’d like to thank the local government, industry, utility, and public sector members for their hard work over the last two years to collaboratively develop a B.C. Energy Step Code that reflects the needs of all stakeholder and creates a roadmap for affordable, energy efficient buildings.”

“B.C. communities are implementing remarkable actions to achieve their corporate and community greenhouse gas emission reduction targets,” said Darrell Mussatto, Chair of the Community Energy Association and Mayor of the City of North Vancouver. “Local government action is essential to achieving B.C.’s long term GHG emission reduction targets.”

Honourable Mentions were awarded to the City of Cranbrook for heat recovery through pool dehumidification at Western Financial Place and to the District of West Vancouver for its Better Climate, Better Community Plan, Township of Langley for its Green Municipal Investment Fund.

Community Energy Association organizes the Climate & Energy Action Awards annually in partnership with the Province of B.C., Union of BC Municipalities, BC Hydro, FortisBC, and the Real Estate Foundation of BC. For more information on applicants and their projects, visit Community Energy Association’s website.

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