Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Workers build a home Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, in Marshall, N.C. Climate change is increasing billion-dollar disasters, many of them from intensifying hurricanes. Housing developers are now building homes, some of them round, that can resist hurricane-force winds and at the same time generate much less of the emissions that contribute to climate change. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Some homes are being built to stand up to hurricanes and cut emissions, too

Solar panels, for instance, can both keep out strong winds and provide clean power

 

North Cowichan Coun. Bruce Findlay said accelerating steps to significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from new buildings in the municipality is not a good idea. (Citizen file photo)

N. Cowichan gives green light to expedited GHG emissions reduction in new buildings

But move faced a lot of opposition

 

FortisBC says users will soon see a drop in natural gas prices. (Courtesy of Tetra Tech Canada)

‘A green milestone’: FortisBC completes pipeline near Greater Victoria landfill

The Parkside Hotel and Spa in Victoria joined the project by also investing in renewable energy,

 

A cyclist navigates the shoulder in traffic along Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria. Road vehicles were once again the Capital Region’s greatest emitter in 2022. (Black Press Media file photo)

Car travel and natural gas use stress targets as CRD emissions rise

Emissions drop 7 per cent in 15 years amid goal to cut GHGs by 61 per cent by 2038

A cyclist navigates the shoulder in traffic along Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria. Road vehicles were once again the Capital Region’s greatest emitter in 2022. (Black Press Media file photo)
This 2011 photo of the underwater basalt field located in the Endeavour area of the Cascadia Basin, located about 200 kilometres off the west coast of Vancouver Island, could soon be the site where carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is stored. (Courtesy of Ocean Networks Canada/CSSF-ROPOS)

Likely no earthquake risk from storing CO2 under ocean off Vancouver Island

Project looks to pump massive amounts of captured emissions into ocean crust

This 2011 photo of the underwater basalt field located in the Endeavour area of the Cascadia Basin, located about 200 kilometres off the west coast of Vancouver Island, could soon be the site where carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is stored. (Courtesy of Ocean Networks Canada/CSSF-ROPOS)
Lisa Marie Barron, Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP, receives a letter from Kevin Lindsay, co-organizer of a rally against the fossil fuel industry held Wednesday, June 28, in downtown Nanaimo. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

‘Canada is Burning’ because of a lack of climate action, say protesters in Nanaimo

Rally organized to call for accountability from politicians and fossil fuel industry

Lisa Marie Barron, Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP, receives a letter from Kevin Lindsay, co-organizer of a rally against the fossil fuel industry held Wednesday, June 28, in downtown Nanaimo. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)
The Bay Centre made significant cuts to its greenhouse gas emissions and overall energy use between 2011 and 2019. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Network of major Greater Victoria buildings charting the path to zero emissions

Local buildings have made substantial cuts in a short timeframe, are taking up innovative systems

The Bay Centre made significant cuts to its greenhouse gas emissions and overall energy use between 2011 and 2019. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming announces $9 million in funding to install shore power infrastructure at Ogden Point on Wednesday (April 5). (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)

B.C. providing $9M so cruise ships in Victoria can connect to shore power and cut emissions

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is installing shore power infrastructure at Ogden Point

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming announces $9 million in funding to install shore power infrastructure at Ogden Point on Wednesday (April 5). (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Central Saanich Coun. Zeb King and his community are calling on the CRD to adopt carbon budgeting in order to put a finite amount on the greenhouse gases the region can emit before worsening climate change. (Courtesy of Zeb King)

Central Saanich wants CRD to implement a carbon budget to limit emissions

Councillor says budget system would boost accountability on greenhouse gas targets, tracking

Central Saanich Coun. Zeb King and his community are calling on the CRD to adopt carbon budgeting in order to put a finite amount on the greenhouse gases the region can emit before worsening climate change. (Courtesy of Zeb King)
The Telus Ocean building will be a zero-carbon structure when it rises from this construction site in downtown Victoria. More new buildings in the capital and across the province will soon have to be built to produce lower emissions as the province is set to bring its Zero Carbon Step Code. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

‘Long overdue’: B.C. introducing new powers to limit emissions of new buildings

Zero Carbon Step Code comes into effect May 1

The Telus Ocean building will be a zero-carbon structure when it rises from this construction site in downtown Victoria. More new buildings in the capital and across the province will soon have to be built to produce lower emissions as the province is set to bring its Zero Carbon Step Code. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Travis Butler, president of Butler Concrete and Aggregate, says reducing the environmental impact during the production of their products is a priority. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke company reduces environmental impact with new technologies

Butler Concrete cementing a greener way to build

Travis Butler, president of Butler Concrete and Aggregate, says reducing the environmental impact during the production of their products is a priority. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)
Commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings combined make up about a third of Victoria’s total emissions and use natural gas for 88 per cent of their heating needs. New construction will have to produce zero emissions as of July 2025. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

As natural gas use rises in Victoria, the city says it isn’t a clean energy source

No fuel source pollutes more than natural gas in the capital city

Commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings combined make up about a third of Victoria’s total emissions and use natural gas for 88 per cent of their heating needs. New construction will have to produce zero emissions as of July 2025. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The wood frame, mass timber of the Esquimalt Town Square utilizes green technologies, as seen here during the facility’s construction in 2020. (Black Press Media file photo)

Esquimalt eyes keeping natural gas out of new multifamily buildings

Township says not using natural gas is among most effective ways to cut emissions

The wood frame, mass timber of the Esquimalt Town Square utilizes green technologies, as seen here during the facility’s construction in 2020. (Black Press Media file photo)
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault is seen during a news conference in Ottawa, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. Guilbeault says Canada’s promised emissions cap on the oil and gas sector won’t be finalized for another year.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Environment minister says emissions cap on oil and gas expected by end of 2023

Feds originally promised cap for 2021

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault is seen during a news conference in Ottawa, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. Guilbeault says Canada’s promised emissions cap on the oil and gas sector won’t be finalized for another year.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Esquimalt will require all new buildings to be emission-free as of mid-2025. Pictured is the Esquimalt Town Square project during construction. (Courtesy Aragon Developments)

Esquimalt looks to have all new construction be emission-free by mid-2025

Township to join neighbouring communities in beating the province to the requirement

Esquimalt will require all new buildings to be emission-free as of mid-2025. Pictured is the Esquimalt Town Square project during construction. (Courtesy Aragon Developments)
Pictured is traffic on the Hollywood Freeway in Los Angeles. A UVic researcher found carbon pricing mixed with subsidies for drivers to choose cleaner options was one of the most effective mixes at reducing transportation emission in Europe. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

UVic researcher helps find what policy mixes drive down transportation emissions

A carrot-and-stick approach made for the largest emissions drops within Europe

Pictured is traffic on the Hollywood Freeway in Los Angeles. A UVic researcher found carbon pricing mixed with subsidies for drivers to choose cleaner options was one of the most effective mixes at reducing transportation emission in Europe. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
The City of Victoria plans to phase in a movement to a zero-carbon requirement on new buildings by 2025. (City of Victoria )

Victoria mandates zero carbon new buildings by 2025, ahead of B.C. timeline

Provincial requirement for new construction likely to take effect in 2030

The City of Victoria plans to phase in a movement to a zero-carbon requirement on new buildings by 2025. (City of Victoria )
A plan to convert to biomass boilers at Saanich Commonwealth Place aims to reduce the facility’s greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent. (Courtesy District of Saanich)

Saanich Commonwealth Place conversion to biomass fuel will dramatically cut GHGs

District’s largest rec centre and emitter could see a 90-per-cent reduction

A plan to convert to biomass boilers at Saanich Commonwealth Place aims to reduce the facility’s greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent. (Courtesy District of Saanich)
Pearkes Recreation Centre is receiving a heat recovery and mechanical upgrade, with the help of a $2.8-million grant from Clean BC. (Photo by Melanie Seal-Jones/Courtesy District of Saanich)

Energy retrofit at Saanich rec centre to cut GHG emissions by 85 per cent

Construction on HVAC system upgrade project scheduled to start in fall 2023

Pearkes Recreation Centre is receiving a heat recovery and mechanical upgrade, with the help of a $2.8-million grant from Clean BC. (Photo by Melanie Seal-Jones/Courtesy District of Saanich)
BC Ferries CEO Mark Collins addresses business leaders, politicians and military personnel invited to the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s May 12 business leader luncheon. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

BC Ferries plans to go electric mired in government red tape: CEO

From shore charging to seismic upgrades, gaining approval often delays projects

BC Ferries CEO Mark Collins addresses business leaders, politicians and military personnel invited to the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s May 12 business leader luncheon. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)