NewsLetter: May 2022

May 2022 Newsletter

May 2022 Low-Carbon Energy Systems Campaign WIN! On April 25th, members of the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub, the Council of Canadians Mid-Island Chapter, and the Nanaimo Unitarians made a strong presentation to Nanaimo's Mayor and Council in favour of a low-carbon energy systems (LCES) bylaw. Their presentation was preceded by a Fortis BC Lobbyist presentation in favour of gas, and was followed by a Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment presentation warning of the health harms of heating with gas. Over sixty of you sent emails to the Mayor and Council urging them to regulate cleaner heating systems in new construction. Our presenters followed up with the Mayor and Council over the next few weeks to provide detailed information and have further discussions about the advantages of an LCES bylaw. On May 9th, the Governance and Priorities Committee passed a motion put forward by Councillor Ben Geselbracht to add this policy statement into the green buildings section of the new city plan: "support, prioritize and advocate for low carbon energy systems in all new construction".  This high level policy will set up direction for staff to work on a Low Carbon Energy Systems (LCES) Bylaw once the city plan is finalized. It means as soon as an LCES Bylaw is accepted we will be decarbonizing our space (and most likely water) heating systems in all new construction! For those who are curious, the meeting can be found here.  The discussion on the motion starts at 3:50:00 and goes to 3:58:00. Our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reductions of 50% by 2030 can't be reached through energy efficiency alone. We must quickly switch from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) to utilizing high efficiency electric energy systems like heat pumps. There are several benefits in taking this path: Stops one source of increasing GHG emissions in new construction, Eliminates costly retrofits to switch from a fossil fuel heat system to a decarbonized system in the future, Stimulates green, clean technology, businesses, and jobs in Nanaimo, Is a healthier alternative energy system, Provides cooling in the summer which is an adaptation to future heat domes.  A big thank-you to Shelley Serebrin, Frances Deverell, and Brian Short for spearheading this successful campaign, and to everyone who voiced their support! Forward Nanaimo '22 Recordings are Now Available The Forward Nanaimo '22 series of four workshops has now concluded. In case you missed any of the sessions, recordings are available at https://forwardnanaimo.ca/ along with links to the Jamboard notes from the breakout room discussions. Wrap-up/Networking Meeting  We will be meeting up in person for a celebration, networking, and further informal discussion on how we can move our region forward on Friday, May 27th at 5pm at Brud House cafe (1861 Dufferin Crescent in Nanaimo). In addition to the food and drink listed on their website, they are now licenced to serve beer and cider (see their facebook page for up-to-date info). If you'd like to attend and haven't already signed up, please RSVP here.  Looking Ahead...  NCAH is having a picnic in August. We have decided it will be a potluck event but there are a couple of other decisions that we would like your help with. Please complete a very short survey at the link below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RYFSNVW Thank you so much! The Picnic Committee This newsletter is a publication of the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub. For more information, please click below: Website Facebook Instagram YouTube   Sign up to be a member or volunteer to organize hub events and initiatives:   Membership Sign-up