Climate at top of the agenda for southwest B.C.'s local government conference

There are ways big and small to measure how climate change is a growing issue for local governments, including what gets talked about most at their annual conferences.

"In previous years we've spent a lot of time and attention on homelessness and housing. Those are still challenges that we will be talking about. But certainly climate has become the primary topic," said Jack Crompton, president of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association. 

The organization consists of all local governments in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Sea-to-Sky corridor, and holds its annual conference this week in Harrison Hot Springs. The main debate and information sessions relate to climate change, and the only resolution directly from the organization's executive is a "call to action on [the] global climate emergency." 

"It's important that local governments get together and learn from each other," said Crompton. 

"Climate change [doesn't] respect political boundaries. And when our governments don't consider them from a regional perspective I don't think we provide the kind of response we need."

Climate emergency

One of the 34 resolutions to be debated on Thursday calls on the province to change its building code to include limits on greenhouse gas emissions created by new buildings. 

"Our B.C. government has brought in this step code and that's about energy efficiency. But it doesn't talk about an emissions cap or a maximum amount of emissions that come off buildings and new construction," said Port Moody Coun. Amy Lubik, whose municipality submitted the motion. 

"And we know that buildings are actually one of the biggest components of greenhouse gas emissions for municipalities." 

The B.C. Energy Step Code enacted in 2017 outlines an incremental, province-wide approach toward building more energy-efficient buildings.

While cities are in charge of approving new construction, the City of Vancouver is the only one with a separate building code.

"I get jealous that Vancouver has the powers that they do," Lubik said.

Another resolution put forward by Port Moody calls for local governments outside Vancouver to have the power to implement an empty homes tax.

"As we see an increase increase in urbanization, more people are coming to cities and so more of the economy and housing fall [under municipal oversight] without necessarily having the power to do as much as I think we would like," she said.