HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-20 Council Workshop Agenda and Reports Special Meeting.pdfCity of Maple Ridge
SPECIAL COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA
October 20, 2020
11:00 a.m.
Virtual Online Meeting including Council Chambers
The purpose of the Council Workshop is to review and discuss policies and other items of interest to Council.
Although resolutions may be passed at this meeting, the intent is to make a consensus decision to send an
item to Council for debate and vote or refer the item back to staff for more information or clarification.
The meeting is live streamed and recorded by the City of Maple Ridge.
1.APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
2.UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS
2.1 Community Energy and Emissions Scoping Reports
Staff report dated October 20, 2020 recommending development of a Official
Community Plan amending bylaw for public consultation to update Policy No. 5.45 for
greenhouse gas emission targets, that a proposed Community Development and
Enterprise Services Advisory Committee, once established, review feedback and
provide recommendations; that staff review Official Community Plan sections 5.5 -Air
Quality and 5.6 Planning for Climate for policy alignment and provide
recommendations to the proposed Committee prior to consideration by Council; and
that the proposed Committee consider options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
outlined in sections 3.2 and 3.3. of the October 20, 2020 staff report.
3.ADJOURNMENT
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DATE:
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TO: His Worship Mayor Michael Morden MEETING DATE: October 20, 2020
and Members of Council FILE NO: 01-0690-02-2020
FROM: Chief Administrative Officer MEETING: Council Workshop
SUBJECT: Community Energy and Emissions Scoping Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Maple Ridge’s 2008 Sustainability Action Plan has for the most part been implemented.
On May 26, 2020, Council directed staff to bring back information on the City’s community greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, reduction targets and actions to support a discussion on the targets and the
City’s progress toward achieving them. On July 7, 2020, the Committee of the Whole received a
presentation illustrating that although corporate emissions were on track to meet reduction targets,
community emissions were increasing along with the City’s growing population. On July 14, 2020,
Council directed that staff bring back a scoping report outlining options for reducing community
greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.
The aim of this report is to highlight policies and actions being undertaken in other municipalities to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to seek Council direction on options for further exploration and
implementation within the City of Maple Ridge.
RECOMMENDATION:
That staff be directed to bring forward an Official Community Plan amending bylaw for public
consultation to update Policy No. 5.45 for greenhouse gas emission targets to net zero by 2050 from
2010 levels, with an interim target of 45% reduction by 2030, in alignment with the International Panel
on Climate Change and that a proposed Community Development and Enterprise Services Advisory
Committee, once established, review feedback and provide recommendations; and
That staff review Official Community Plan sections 5.5-Air Quality and 5.6-Planning for Climate for
policy alignment and provide recommendations to the proposed Committee prior to consideration by
Council; and further
That the proposed Committee consider the options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions outlined
in sections 3.2 and 3.3 of the October 20, 2020 report titled Community Energy and Emissions
Scoping Report, and provide recommendations to Council.
City of Maple Ridge
2.1
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DISCUSSION:
1 Introduction
Climate action has been growing as a significant policy area for BC local governments since 2007
when the Province passed legislation requiring greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in local
Official Community Plans and Regional Growth Strategies, along with supporting policies and actions.
In 2008, Council adopted a Sustainability Action Plan to identify both corporate and community actions
that would be implemented or explored over the coming years. A review of the Sustainability Action
Plan and greenhouse gas emissions, provided to Committee of the Whole on July 7, 2020, showed
that the plan had been implemented, apart from developing a Community Energy and Emissions Plan.
The review also conveyed that, although the City has undertaken numerous actions to mitigate
greenhouse gas emissions, the City’s growing population continues to push the aggregate figure
upward. Council directed that staff bring back options for reducing emissions and adapting to climate
change.
The City of Maple Ridge cannot achieve deep greenhouse gas reduction targets alone. Supporting
legislation, similar in construct to the BC Energy Step Code for new buildings, is under development at
the Provincial level for energy retrofits of existing buildings, and is necessary to enable the City to
develop policies to unlock the significant emission reduction potential in our existing building stock.
The BC Zero Emission Vehicle mandate will also be crucial in accelerating the adoption of electric
vehicles. The Province has already signalled that by 2040, 100% of light-duty vehicle sales will be
made up by electric cars and trucks. Furthermore, resources from senior levels of government (e.g.
transit) will be critical for success. Partnerships and collaboration with utilities, municipal
governments, local businesses and residents will also be required.
This report outlines recommendations and options for Council consideration that can be implemented
now or in the near future, that will have the largest reduction impact on Maple Ridge’s greenhouse gas
emissions, or that will help to position the City of Maple Ridge among those municipalities leading the
transition to a low-carbon economy. It should be acknowledged that there are also numerous climate
change adaptation actions being taken within City departments, some of which may also reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
2 Approach
This scoping report was developed using the following approach to help identify appropriate policy
options for Council's consideration:
1. A detailed review of Maple Ridge’s community greenhouse gas emission sources. As Council
heard in July 2020, the majority of greenhouse gas emissions arise from buildings and on-road
transportation. The review and earlier reports helped to illustrate the issues, advantages,
challenges/gaps, resources and opportunities the City is facing with respect to embarking on
an emissions reduction program.
2. Consultation with: working groups such as Metro Vancouver’s Regional Engineering Advisory
Committee’s Climate Protection Subcommittee, BC Hydro’s Sustainable Communities group of
local and Provincial Government and other stakeholder staff, the Provincial Climate Action
Secretariat, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ Climate Action Committee, and the
Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund; staff at the City of Maple Ridge;
and colleagues at other local governments.
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3. An in-house gap analysis to determine what research, actions and policy development are
currently underway, and where additional effort would have the most impact.
4. A comparative scan of what other municipalities have learned and are doing to reduce
community greenhouse gas emissions. This included a review of which of these strategies
and/or options might align with other Council objectives, regional goals such those of the
Climate 2050 Plan currently in development, and the provincial CleanBC Plan. A wide range of
policies and actions to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate
change have been utilized throughout the region and more broadly. Some were studied at the
municipal and regional levels, and some have follow-up studies to test the actualized results.
Some have benefits beyond climate action, with community benefits including health, comfort,
convenience and liveability.
5. In-depth research into two policy areas having potential to significantly reduce emissions, that
will continue to deliver reductions over a long period of time, and that have been implemented
successfully in other jurisdictions. Those are: 1) implementing the BC Energy Step Code and
2) strengthening electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements.
This report is not intended to be an all-encompassing master plan addressing climate change.
Rather, it outlines a selection of options for Council consideration that could form an action plan to
help reduce community greenhouse gas emissions from existing and future sources. Additional
measures that require enabling by senior regulatory bodies have been omitted at this time. And yet
others are being implemented within other City departments.
The two areas with the most potential to deliver on greenhouse gas emission reductions in Maple
Ridge at this time are:
• Enable Home Energy Retrofits for existing building stock, and
• Enable zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption.
A third area:
• Enable the BC Energy Step Code for new buildings,
is one that will become entrenched into the BC Building Code in increments over the coming decade
or so. Council has the ability to enable the requirements earlier, so that buildings constructed before
the standards are mandated by the Province will benefit from greater energy efficiency. It is
substantially more cost-effective to do this at construction rather than retrofitting later.
On September 29, 2020, Council received a report on Council advisory committees and approved
several amendments made by the Advisory Committee Task Force. Also referenced in the report was
a new committee for which Terms of Reference are being drafted for Council consideration.
This next section offers a recommendation to update the City’s greenhouse gas emission reduction
targets. The remainder of the items are options that are recommended for referral to the newly
proposed Community Development and Enterprise Services Advisory Committee.
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3 Policy Options
3.1 Official Community Plan Amendments
3.1.1 Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Targets
All municipal governments in British Columbia are required to include greenhouse gas emission
reduction targets in local Official Community Plans and Regional Growth Strategies, along with
supporting policies and actions. Policy 5-45 in the City of Maple Ridge Official Community Plan
states:
The District of Maple Ridge has a goal to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions
by 33% below 2007 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
In 2018, the vast majority of the world’s governments formally adopted a report referred to as
“SR15” issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)1. It concluded that in order
to avoid the worst impacts of a global rise in temperature, worldwide emissions must be reduced by
45 percent by 2030 compared with 2010 levels, and that net emissions must be reduced to zero by
2050.
In recent years, a number of local governments have been updating their sustainability plans and
adopting new reduction targets. In late 2019, Metro Vancouver proposed an amendment to the
reduction targets in the current Regional Growth Strategy. On January 14, 2020, City of Maple Ridge
Council endorsed those targets.
In the absence of a comprehensive energy and emissions plan that would enable the City to quantify
reduction targets based upon the estimated impact of specific policies and actions, it is
recommended that the City adopt the regional target as an aspirational goal.
Recommendation: That staff bring forward an Official Community Plan amending
bylaw for public consultation to update Policy 5-45 for greenhouse gas emission
targets to net zero by 2050 from 2010 levels, with an interim target of 45%
reduction by 2030, in alignment with the International Panel on Climate Change.
Recommendation for referral to committee: Review public feedback and provide
recommendations.
For more on the history and approach to GHG target-setting in Maple Ridge, see Attachment 6.1.
1 Full Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ ; Summary for Policy-makers:
https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SR15_SPM_version_report_LR.pdf
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3.1.2 OCP Policy Alignment
Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future is the current regional growth strategy. Metro Vancouver
Climate 2050, a regional growth strategy update is currently underway, and expected to be ready for
mid-2022.
As a legislated requirement, member municipalities are required to update regional context
statements. These statements set out the relationship between the regional growth strategy and each
municipality’s official community plan, and how the latter will be made compatible over time. The
statement is subject to acceptance by the regional district, to ensure the municipality and the region
agree that the two documents are compatible. The City expects to begin this work in 2021.
Metro Vancouver’s Climate 2050 Strategic Framework includes a graphic illustrating how a carbon
neutral region can be achieved through a combination of deep emissions reductions in all sectors
and some carbon removal. It will require unprecedented greenhouse gas reductions across most
sectors. Metro Vancouver is completing further analysis for each of the emissions sources to
understand the pathways to deep emission cuts.
Figure 1 Source: Metro Vancouver Climate 2050 Strategic Framework - illustration of how a carbon neutral region can be achieved
by a combination of deep emissions reductions in all sectors and some carbon removal.
The City of Maple Ridge’s Official Community Plan’s sections 5.5-Air Quality and 5.6-Planning for
Climate Change both include policies relating to greenhouse gas emissions. Since the time they were
developed, much has changed globally and locally. Following the Regional Context Statement review
and development work, these two sections could be updated with new contextual information,
issues, objectives and policies.
Recommendation for referral to committee. Review staff recommendations on
proposed amendments to Official Community Plan sections 5.5-Air Quality and 5.6-
Planning for Climate Change and provide feedback.
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3.2 Reducing GHG Emissions in Buildings
A review of community greenhouse gas emissions inventories from 2007, 2010 and 2012 shows that
about one-third of community emissions are generated from buildings and infrastructure throughout
Maple Ridge. Of those building emissions, well over 90% are generated from natural gas usage, with
the remainder coming from BC’s low-carbon hydro electricity. Further, 73% of building emissions are
generated by the residential sector, with the remainder coming from commercial and small-to-medium
industrial (CSMI). The 2012 community greenhouse gas emissions profile is illustrated as follows:
Figure 2 Community GHG Emissions Profile (tCO2e, 2012) – note that while more current data is available for most categories,
2012 transportation data is the most current available at this time, making 2012 is the most recent community emissions profile.
Two key strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the buildings sector are:
• Strengthen energy efficiency requirements in new buildings, and
• Improve energy efficiency in the existing building stock.
The next set of policy options addresses these areas.
Trucks/Cars
60%
Waste
3%Deforestation
5%
Commercial,
Small/Medium
Industrial
9%
Residential
23%
Buildings
32%
Community GHG Emissions Profile (tCO2e, 2012)
96% of building GHGs
are from natural gas
(using 2017 data)
Buildings
Breakdown
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3.2.1 Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Buildings
The BC Building Code is the Provincial regulation that governs how new construction, building
alterations, repairs and demolitions are completed. The code establishes minimum requirements for
safety, health, accessibility, fire and structural protection of buildings and energy and water
efficiency. The BC Building Code is based on the model National Building Code and an updated Code
is issued every five years.
The BC Energy Step Code is an optional compliance path in the BC Building Code that local
governments may use if desired, to incentivize or require a level of energy efficiency in new
construction that goes beyond the base requirements of the BC Building Code. Through increasingly
stringent requirements for energy use, thermal demand and air tightness, the Step Code provides a
performance pathway to support market transformation to net-zero energy ready buildings by 2032.
The general concept of the Step Code is that each upcoming update of the Building Code, beginning
in 2022, will entrench the performance standards of the lower voluntary step(s), which then become
the minimum standard. By implementing the Step Code, the City will be accelerating energy-
efficiency and reduced greenhouse gases, in advance of Provincial standards.
Attachment 6.2 provided detailed information on the BC Energy Step Code.
Attachment 6.3 provides further information on stakeholder implications and costing.
Attachment 6.4 is a Comparative Scan showing the BC Energy Step Code adoption levels of
other municipalities.
Attachment 5.5 provides information on Stakeholder Consultation.
As of March 2019, 70% of all new residential construction was subject to the BC Energy Step Code.
Throughout the subsequent 18 months, that number has been steadily growing.
Recommendation for referral to committee: Implementation of the BC Energy Step Code
for both Part 9 (simple) and Part 3 (complex) buildings, including an approach for
exempting in-stream application, potential utilization of a density bonus to provide an
incentive to encourage higher BC Energy Step Code standards for new development, and
proposed effective dates for implementation and for subsequent step increments.
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3.2.2 Home Energy Labelling
A home’s energy use can be indicated using a label, much like the Energy Star labels found on home
appliances. The home energy label can be positioned on a home’s electrical panel to convey the
home’s energy performance upon construction completion. The benefits of labelling include:
• educating new home buyers with direct access to performance data;
• providing an effective marketing tool highlighting energy efficiency as a selling feature;
• offering builders a way to differentiate and drive demand for above-code construction.
As part of the BC Energy Step Code compliance pathway, the information for an energy efficiency label
is generated, and therefore labelling can be implemented at no additional cost. In situations where
construction is not Step Code compliant:
Estimated costs can found in Attachment 6.6.
The Comparative Scan in Attachment 6.4 shows the municipalities requiring home energy
labelling.
Attachment 5.7 provides more information about the EnerGuide label, one option for home
energy efficiency labelling.
Over 400 homes in Maple Ridge are already voluntarily labelled, as part of a region-wide pilot project
titled Rate Our Home. The results currently reside with the Province, who are engaging with the Greater
Vancouver Real Estate Board on the topic.
Recommendation for referral to committee: Implementation of Home Energy
Labelling requirements, and recommendations on the public disclosure of home
energy labelling information.
The case for Home Energy Labelling is comprehensively discussed in a July 2018 report titled
“Put a Label On It – The BC Energy Step Code & Home Energy Labelling Disclosure” at
http://energystepcode.ca/app/uploads/sites/257/2019/11/PutALabelOnIt_FINAL_V1.2.pdf
.
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3.2.3 Accelerating Energy Efficiency Retrofits for Existing Buildings
Maple Ridge’s existing building stock is responsible for over 150,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide
equivalent (a measure of greenhouse gas emissions), or about one-third of the community’s total
emissions. They are generated by the use of electricity and natural gas. Due to British Columbia’s
supply of low-carbon hydro electricity, over 95% of these emissions come from natural gas use.
2007 2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Electricity 13,598 13,278 7,466 5,632 5,916 5,880 6,027 6,219
Natural Gas 145,916 132,920 134,657 132,469 127,853 118,852 128,939 147,919
Grand Total 159,513 146,198 142,123 138,101 133,769 124,732 134,965 154,138
Table 1 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions from Maple Ridge, community-wide
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund developed a resource titled “GMF
Municipal Energy Roadmap – A guide to help Canadian municipalities prioritize and tackle deep
greenhouse gas emissions reductions in municipal and community buildings.2 It provides valuable
insight into cost-effective ways to reduce GHG emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change,
while also ensuring a good quality of life for current and future residents.
Of the ~148,000 tCO2e emissions from natural gas use in 2017, over 100,000 tonnes were from
residential use. The majority of this was used for space heating, followed by water heating. Measures
to reduce natural gas consumption through fuel switching to electricity have the greatest potential to
reduce community greenhouse gas emissions, followed by reductions through enhancing efficient use
of natural gas for space and water heating. Examples of these measures include:
Space Heating Other
Heat pumps replacing natural gas
Heat pumps replacing electric resistance
Building envelope upgrades
Improved HVAC controls
Low-carbon water heating
High-efficiency lighting and reduced plug loads
Rooftop solar PV
Table 2 Examples of home energy retrofit options
For existing home owners in particular, decisions such as the above can be fraught with time-
consuming research, much uncertainty, and in some cases, lessons learned the hard way. A similar
but more complex barrier exists for strata owners. Council may wish to consider providing a program
to support Maple Ridge residents with energy upgrade decisions. Elements of a program could include
resources, group education sessions and webinars, one-on-one assistance, pre-vetted service
providers and products, bulk purchasing programs, and streamlined or subsidized permitting.
Recommendation for referral to committee. Development of a program to support
energy efficiency retrofits for existing community-wide building stock.
2 https://fcm.ca/en/resources/gmf/gmfs-municipal-energy-roadmap
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3.3 Reducing GHG Emissions in Transportation
3.3.1 Supporting the Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV)
The BC Government’s Zero-Emission Vehicles Act was passed in May 2019. The associated Regulation
came into effect in August 2020. It will meet increasing consumer demand for ZEVs in a variety of
models and price ranges. It also provides regulatory certainty for achieving CleanBC targets. CleanBC
actions also include making it easier to charge ZEVs, building industry capacity for servicing ZEVs, and
speeding up the switching to cleaner fuels.
The regulation aims to see 10% of light-duty vehicle sales as ZEVs by
2025, 30% by 2030 and 100% by 2040. This mirrors the Government
of Canada’s sales targets in the Pan-Canadian Framework for Clean
Growth and Climate Change. The Zero-Emission Vehicles Act has a
prohibition backed by penalties for suppliers that states:
On or after January 1, 2040, a person must not make a
consumer sale of a light-duty motor vehicle that is not a zero-
emission vehicle.
City of Maple Ridge requirements for roughed-in electrical vehicle charging infrastructure for new
development came into effect through the following process:
• On July 17, 2018 at Council Workshop, Council considered proposed regulatory changes
pertaining to electrical vehicle charging infrastructure for new development, and approved a
consultation process to engage the development community3.
• At the December 11, 2018 Council Meeting, Council received a consultation summary
indicating broad levels of support for the proposed requirements4, and directed staff to
explore regulatory approach to a construction “rough-in” requirement.
• On March 12, 2019 at Council Workshop, Council received this information 5 and directed
staff to prepare the bylaw amendment to integrate the revised requirements.
• On July 23, 2019, Council adopted the Off-street Parking and Loading Amending Bylaw.6
In light of the Province’s zero-emission vehicle mandate, Council may wish to strengthen and expand
the requirements for charging infrastructure. Rebates are currently available, and accelerating the
requirements for charging infrastructure will mean more subsidies for Maple Ridge citizens and
businesses.
Attachment 5.7 is a comparative scan showing what other municipalities are doing.
Attachment 5.8 shows Maple Ridge requirements adopted in July 2019.
Recommendation for referral to committee. Recommendations to strengthen
development requirements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The above option will address charging infrastructure in new buildings. The next section provides an
option for accelerating the addition of chargers to existing buildings.
3 https://www.mapleridge.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07172018-3087 item 4.4
4 https://www.mapleridge.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12112018-3136 item 1001
5 https://www.mapleridge.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03122019-3185 item 4.2
6 https://www.mapleridge.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06252019-3263 item 1105
A “light-duty vehicle”
means a passenger car or
any motor vehicle having a
gross vehicle weight of
2,800 kg or less, for which
a motor vehicle licence is
required under the Motor
Vehicle Act or the
Commercial Transport Act.
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3.3.2 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Support Program
Most electric vehicle owners do the bulk of their required charging overnight where they live.
Because older buildings don’t typically have charging infrastructure, the vast majority of electric
vehicle owners live in single-family homes. This limits the ability of condominium dwellers to own
electric vehicles, slowing the transition to low-carbon transportation.
The implementation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in stratified buildings can be a
complex process. Some of the barriers include:
• The electrical grid for some buildings may be already at capacity;
• Strata councils may lack the budget to install charging infrastructure;
• The cost of individual meters paid for by EV owners can be cost-prohibitive;
• Strata bylaws may require 75% of the owners to agree to paying the expense;
• Strata councils often have limited resources and may be unlikely to address the request;
• Deciding who pays for the capital expense, and for the charging electricity, can be sensitive.
Rather than individual strata councils trying to navigate their way through the process, the City could
provide a liaison service, linking strata members with the resources necessary for creative solutions
and informed decisions.
Recommendation for referral to committee. Development of an assistance
program to aid strata members in retrofitting existing buildings with electric
vehicle charging infrastructure.
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4 Existing Sustainability Workplan
In addition to supporting the Council discussion on policy items presented within this report, staff are
continuing to work on supplemental items that align with Council’s Strategic Plan and its focus on
the environment and efficiencies. Some are highlighted in this next section.
4.1.1 Financing Community Energy Efficiency
While investments in new energy systems and retrofits can often improve comfort as well as energy
use, it can take time to recover the cost of the improvements through energy savings. In many cases,
homeowners don’t expect to own their current home long enough to reap a financial payback. Some
homeowners lack access to the upfront capital needed to make such investments. The City can help
homeowners overcome these barriers. Attaching financing to the property rather than a person is
one way to allow for a matching up of investment payments with reduced energy costs. And it can
encourage uptake in the rental market, where the owner may not bear the burden of monthly energy
expenses.
According to GMF’s Municipal Energy Roadmap, and not BC-specific:
“Financing options have become an increasingly popular tool to support the adoption of
efficient, clean energy technologies by addressing market barriers and increasing access to
low-cost, long-term capital.”
There are several approaches to financing energy efficiency, such as on-bill financing through utility
bills, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) or local improvement charges (LIC). A working group is
underway, bringing together GMF, Provincial, utility and local government staff to develop enabling
legislation to support the use of financing tools in British Columbia.
4.1.2 Climate Change Consideration in Corporate Processes
Staff reports to Council are structured to ensure implications relating to finance, customers, other
departments, and policy are covered. The Official Community Plan contains numerous policies
relating to climate change, providing an opportunity for staff to address climate change in the report
structure. Altering the report format will help to raise the profile of climate change implications and
provide an opportunity to address the community energy and emissions impacts of staff
recommendations and alternatives. This will ensure the climate change discussion is formalized in
Council’s decision-making process. It can also be built into other corporate tools and processes, such
as purchasing and other policies.
4.1.3 Bulk Purchasing
As noted earlier, there are many factors influencing the City’s greenhouse gas emissions, and many
of them are outside Council’s control. Citizen purchasing decisions are one those factors. Some local
governments have arranged for bulk purchasing of products on behalf of citizens, where this aligns
closely with Council objectives. Two examples are solar panels and electric vehicles. Staff are
investigating the provision of bulk purchasing on behalf of citizens, for products and services that will
reduce community greenhouse gas emissions.
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4.1.4 Land-Use Modelling
New development and land-use planning decisions require careful consideration as they affect the
scale, scope, and type of infrastructure needs. The infrastructure needed could be a combination of
both “grey” constructed infrastructure and “green” infrastructure, using nature to provide the
services. Greenhouse gas emissions are sequestered in trees, vegetation and soils. Land
development releases stored emissions, and releases new greenhouse gases over the long term,
unless the development is net-zero. The financial and environmental impacts of these development
and land-use decisions will influence long-term community and fiscal sustainability and climate
resilience. Staff are investigating the use of infrastructure life-cycle costing to compare the use of
greenfield land for development against the value of engineering and other services provided by
retaining the land in its natural state.
4.1.5 Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
The City has Level-2 chargers available for public use both above-ground and in the parkade. Level-3
or “fast” chargers allow for a much faster charge – to about 80% charge in 40 minutes. The closest
Level-3 chargers to Maple Ridge is in Port Coquitlam to the west, and in Mission to the east. Staff are
working with BC Hydro to bring this higher service level to support the transition to zero-emission
vehicles and to support local business and tourism.
4.1.6 Home Energy Efficiency Mapping
Technology such as artificial intelligence and city-wide thermal infrared imagery can be combined
with existing data sources to indicate the relative energy efficiency of the City’s existing building
stock. Data visualization can then provide a mapped view which can be used to inform City programs
to encourage energy retrofits. With homeowner participation, energy efficiency analysis can be
extended to systems and appliances inside the home. Staff are exploring options that will help
achieve GHG reduction targets while also providing benefits to residents.
4.1.7 Municipal Natural Assets
Along with the options presented within this report, the use and expansion of green infrastructure,
retention of trees and restoration of natural areas, maximization of permeable surfaces and
attention to the heat island effect are a few of the topics critical to climate change adaptation.
Council will be hearing more on these issues relating to environmental management and natural
assets in the future. Part of the Sustainability workplan will include supporting the Municipal Natural
Assets Initiative, to the extent that Council approves this work in future.
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5 Closing Content
5.1 Strategic Alignment
5.1.1 Official Community Plan
The Official Community Plan includes several policies that support the options highlighted in this
report.
• 5-39 Maple Ridge will continue to participate in National, Provincial, and Regional programs
aimed at reducing air and greenhouse gas emissions.
• 5-40 Maple Ridge will promote energy efficiency to reduce air and greenhouse gas emissions
by:
a) participating in emissions management programs such as the Greater Vancouver
Regional District air quality management program;
b) encouraging alternative transportation initiatives, promoting ‘clean’ transportation
options, and encouraging the use of public transit;
c) promoting green space and natural areas;
d) exploring opportunities for non-fossil fuel energy efficient systems in municipal
buildings and infrastructure;
e) maintaining and enhancing the District’s forests and woodland areas; and
f) encouraging tree retention and tree protection programs.
• 5-41: Maple Ridge will encourage the use of energy efficient site design and building
practices in all new developments when appropriate.
5.1.2 The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM)
In 2019, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) struck a Special Committee on Climate
Action to generate new ideas, explore opportunities and barriers to local government action, and
identify avenues for further partnership work in mitigating, and adapting to, the effects of climate
change. The committee is comprised of elected officials and senior staff from local government, as
well as representatives from the Province, environmental non-governmental organizations, crown
corporations and academia.
Over the past nine months, the Committee has been considering the state of climate action, local
government approaches and best practices in mitigation and adaptation, and the roles and
responsibilities of the orders of government and external stakeholders in supporting local action. The
Committee has also been reviewing opportunities and barriers to taking climate action to the next
level, and propose options that are sensitive to local conditions, autonomy, and resources. The
Committee has generated a draft report of its findings and have engaged with local government
stakeholders through webinars for feedback on the 21 draft recommendations. The next step will be
finalization of the Committee’s recommendations, with consideration by the UBCM Executive targeted
for November 2020.
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An excerpt from the introductory section of the report reflects comments expressed by Council
members during discussions on a variety of policy issues and decisions, and supports the
recommendation and options presented in this report.
British Columbia local governments can continue to build prosperous, fair, resilient communities by
capitalizing on the opportunity of low carbon solutions that meet their unique context.
We can build communities where:
• All buildings are comfortable, leverage local resources and are low cost to operate
• All British Columbians have transportation choices, like an electric personal vehicle or public
transit, and feel safe moving around the Province
• Across all sectors, we waste less and, when do create waste, we turn it into a clean resource
• Communities all across the Province are safe, secure, and resilient to risks like wildfires, floods
and extreme weather
• Residents and businesses are active partners with the local government in ensuring the safety
of the community and building a vibrant low carbon economy
• We create opportunities for our local industries to build on their strengths while providing new
training and employment opportunities as we create demand for British Columbia’s
innovative, sustainable products
The report recommendation and options are also consistent with the regional Climate 2050
Framework, the CleanBC Plan and the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate
Change.
5.2 Departmental Implications
In order to implement options in this report, a number of regulatory and informational work will be
required of various departments. For example:
• Amendments may be required to some or all of the following: Building Bylaw, Official
Community Plan, Development Permit Procedures Bylaw, Development, Permit Area
Guidelines for Form & Character, Development Application Fees Bylaw, Development
Application Submission Requirements, and the Development Checklist;
• The City’s website will require an area connecting developers, builders, citizens and strata
members with information and resources, and training programs may be required;
• Staff may need additional training, such as inspections staff who would be required to
ensure compliance with the BC Energy Step Code.
Additional implications may be identified upon further consultation within City departments. Capacity
within existing business plans, particularly in Planning, Building and Engineering may need to be
reviewed and priorities adjusted.
5.3 Financial Implications
The City has a reserve for the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program. This essentially is a rebate
provided back to local governments since the BC Carbon Tax was implemented, in order to make it
“revenue neutral.” Council may wish to consider using the funds, currently $440,000 with an annual
inflow of about $60,000, to fund some of the options presented in this report in order to avoid a
property tax incremental increase. This would be in alignment with the intent of the reserved funds.
2579148 Page 16 of 34
5.4 CONCLUSION:
This report provides a number of options Council may wish to investigate or implement to advance the
community toward a low-carbon future. The options of interest to Council will inform the 2021 business
plan for the Corporate Planning and Consultation Department. The report also recommends that the
City’s carbon emission reduction targets be amended to align with the International Panel on Climate
Change.
Prepared by: Laura Benson, CMA, CPA
Senior Policy and Sustainability Analyst
Approved by: Christina Crabtree
GM Corporate Services
“Original signed by Paul Gill”
Concurrence: Al Horsman
Chief Administrative Officer
5.5 Related Content:
• July 14, 2020 Council Meeting Agenda, item 1151
• July 7, 2020 Committee of the Whole Agenda, item 1151
• May 26, 2020 Council Meeting Minutes, item 601
• January 14, 2020 Council Workshop Agenda, item 4.2
• March 23, 2010 Council Meeting Agenda, item 1201
• February 15, 2010 Council Workshop Agenda, item 4.1
6 **Attachments:
6.1 GHG Reduction Targets – Background and Approach
6.2 BC Energy Step Code
6.3 BC Energy Step Code Costing Information
6.4 BC Energy Step Code Adoption Comparative Scan
6.5 BC Energy Step Code Stakeholder Consultation
6.6 Home Energy Labelling Costs
6.7 Guide to the EnerGuide Label for Homes
6.8 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Comparative Scan & Rebates
6.9 Maple Ridge EV Charging Infrastructure Requirements for New Development
** Note that most of the text appearing to be hyperlinks on the attachments will not be active, as they are
snapshots of documents – not “live” versions of them.
ATTACHMENT 6.1
2579148 Page 17 of 34
6.1 GHG Reduction Targets – Background and Approach
In 2010, Council adopted the Provincial target of 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by
2020 from 2007 levels, and 80% by 2050. At the time, Council discussed the merits of a top-down,
inspirational target approach where a challenging and possibly unattainable goal was selected. The
alternative was using a bottom-up approach, estimating the impacts of various policies and actions
to establish an achievable target. The target Council selected was top-down, and aligned with the
Province’s goals in their 2008 Climate Action Plan. This target relied upon assumptions relating to
energy pricing, population growth, economic activity and technology innovations, and the pathway to
achieve 27% of the reductions required provincially to meet the target were not identified.
Figure 3 Source: 2008 BC Climate Action Plan – estimated impact of identified measures toward 2020 target of 33% reduction
from 2007 levels.
In May 2018, acknowledging the impacts of the growing economy and population, the Province
established additional strategies for greenhouse gas emissions, and introduced interim targets.
Compared to 2007 levels, the reduction targets are: 40% by 2030; 60% by 2040; and 80% by 2050.
The estimated reduction sources to achieve the 2030 target follow, showing unidentified reductions
of 6.1 megatonnes.
Figure 4 Source: 2018 CleanBC Plan – estimated impact by sector toward 2030 target of 40% reduction from 2007 levels.
ATTACHMENT 6.1
2579148 Page 18 of 34
In 2018, the vast majority of the world’s governments formally adopted a report referred to as
“SR15” issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)7. Backed by 30 years of
scientific study, it stated that emissions of greenhouse gases due to human activities, the root cause
of global warming, continue to increase, year after year. It concluded that in order to avoid a
temperature rise of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, worldwide emissions must be reduced by 45
percent by 2030 compared with 2010 levels, and net emissions must be reduced to zero by 2050.
In recent years, a number of local governments have been updating their sustainability plans and
adopting new reduction targets. Some are developing targets through comprehensive energy and
emissions plans, similar to the approach undertaken by the Province in 2007/2008. In doing so,
they are able to gauge the estimated impacts of various emission reduction measures, and decide
whether to adjust their targets to reflect the likely outcome of identified actions, or to initiate
additional or more impactful measures to achieve their stretch goals.
In late 2019, Metro Vancouver proposed an amendment to the regional growth strategy, revising
earlier greenhouse gas reduction targets as part of their Climate 2050 plan development. On
January 14, 2020, Council approved a resolution “that the Type 3 minor amendment to Metro
Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future, reflecting a carbon neutral region by 2050, and an interim
target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, be endorsed and
the resolution forwarded to Metro Vancouver.” Metro Vancouver’s target was established to align
with the October 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report to limit
global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
The next illustration shows a timeline of the City’s climate action milestones within the context of
regional and global milestones.
Figure 5 Climate Action Milestones
7 Full Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ ; Summary for Policy-makers:
https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SR15_SPM_version_report_LR.pdf
ATTACHMENT 6.2
2579148 Page 19 of 34
6.2 BC Energy Step Code
ENERGY STEP CODE - Introduction 8
The BC Building Code’s historical, prescriptive approach sets out specific requirements for insulation,
windows, furnaces, water heaters, lighting and other equipment and systems. This focus on
individual elements doesn’t ensure the building functions well as a system.
When purchasing a conventional new home, a home buyer may have access to energy performance
information about individual systems, such as the furnace and appliances; however, the total energy
performance of the building is unknown. Energy consumption is one of the highest ongoing operating
costs of owning a building, and typically there is no way to compare the future energy consumption of
two similar homes.
An energy-efficiency objective was introduced for the BC Building Code in 2008, along with an
alternative to the prescriptive approach: a performance-based approach. In 2015 following the
enactment of the modernized Building Act, the Province led a multi-year stakeholder collaboration
effort resulting in BC Energy Step Code, a set of incremental building energy performance levels for
new construction that apply across various building types and climate zones. Lower steps are easier
to meet, and higher steps have more ambitious energy-efficiency requirements.
The B.C. Building Code regulates building in two main categories: simple buildings and complex
buildings. These categories are used to define BC Energy Step Code requirements, where Part 3 is
further broken down into residential wood-frame; residential concrete and commercial.
Figure 6 Main Types of Buildings (source: BUILDING ACT GUIDE SERIES: SECTION A1 - Understanding B.C.’s Building Regulatory
System - JUNE 2015
The performance approach establishes a desired outcome, and leaves it to the design and building
team to decide how to achieve it. To comply with the BC Energy Step Code, builders must use energy
software modelling and on-site testing to demonstrate that both their design and the constructed
8 See https://energystepcode.ca/how-it-works/ for more information.
MAIN TYPES OF BUILDINGS
Part 9 Buildings (Simple) Part 3 Buildings (Complex )
Size Most buildings three storeys
and under in height and with a
footprint of 600 square metres
or less.
All buildings over three storeys in height or over
600 square metres in footprint. Some buildings
three storeys or less in height or under 600
square metres in area that are of a specific use.
Description Small buildings intended for
residential, commercial or
medium-to-low hazard
industrial activities.
Buildings intended for public gatherings,
residential care, detention or high-hazard
industrial activities. Some larger buildings
intended for residential, commercial or
medium-to-low hazard industrial activities.
Examples • Houses and duplexes
• Small apartment buildings
• Small commercial buildings
with stores or offices
• Small industrial shops
• Shopping malls; Office buildings; Restaurants
• Condos; Apartment buildings
• Hospitals; Care facilities; Daycares; Schools
• Churches; Theatres
ATTACHMENT 6.2
2579148 Page 20 of 34
building meet the requirements of the standard. They may use any materials or construction
methods to do so.
Over time, high-performance designs, materials, and systems are expected to become increasingly
available and cost-effective. By 2032, it is anticipated that the highest step for each category, “net
zero ready”, will be a base requirement in the BC Building Code. “Net-zero energy” buildings are able
to generate (supply) enough energy on-site to meet the building’s annual energy consumption
(demand). The difference between being “net zero energy” and just being “ready” may be dependent
on future available energy generation technologies.
Local governments can choose to require or incentivize builders to meet one or more steps of the BC
Energy Step Code as an alternative to the code’s prescriptive requirements. This performance-based
standard empowers builders to pursue innovative, creative, cost-effective solutions, and allows them
to incorporate leading-edge technologies as they come available.
Figure 7 BC Energy Step Code "steps" for Part 9 homes
Figure 8 BC Energy Step Code "steps" for Part 3 Wood-frame Residential, as opposed to Residential Concrete or Commercial
ATTACHMENT 6.2
2579148 Page 21 of 34
Maple Ridge Context
During the summer of 2017, the City partnered with the University of British Columbia and BC Hydro
to commission a technical study titled GHG Emission Reduction Potential of Energy Step Code
Scenarios. The analysis and calculations indicated that typical Part 9 buildings in Maple Ridge
already met the Thermal Energy Demand Intensity (TEDI) requirement of lower steps (Step 1, 2 and
3), one of the measures of energy efficiency. Therefore the adoption scenarios for significantly
reducing emissions from Part 9 buildings would need to come from the upper levels of the Step
Code.
As an aside, this analysis of the potential for energy and GHG savings revealed that with a few
adjustments, Step 3 of the BC Energy Step Code was already achievable or within reach of most
Maple Ridge builders.
This was subsequently borne out with a follow-up study. Staff wanted to understand the cost
premium and practical considerations that might be experienced by the local industry. Staff
partnered again with BC Hydro, along with a local developer/builder, to have a typically-built home
side-by-side with one built to BC Energy Step Code 3 standards as part of our Maple Ridge Building
Better Program. The demo home was used for on-site training for staff and external stakeholders.
The program also included a full-day hands-on classroom training day for 35 external stakeholders.
The outcomes of the study are highlighted in Attachment 6.3.
ATTACHMENT 6.3
2579148 Page 22 of 34
6.3 BC Energy Step Code Costing Information
A 2018 report prepared for BC Housing and the Energy Step Code Council titled BC Energy Step Code
- 2018 Metrics Research Full Report Update9 includes as one of its overarching goals the exploration
of “the costing impacts of applying various steps of the Step Code to different steps archetypes across
multiple climate zones in BC.” In contrast to a 2012 study for the City of Vancouver 10 which projected
“modest increases in construction costs resulting from adopting higher building energy performance
requirements,” the 2018 Metrics Research found that “the higher requirements have proven to have
no demonstrable impact on cost.”
The analysis looks at thousands of building variables and scenarios
across all climate zones (note that Maple Ridge is in Climate Zone 4,
or CZ4 in the adjacent table) and calculates three cost metrics:
incremental capital cost, net present value of long-term building
operation, and costs per tonne of carbon abated.
A few quotes from page 27 (page 33 of PDF) with regard to Part 9
buildings are:
• “In summary, in Climate Zones 4-6 (where 95% of BC’s
population resides), all buildings modelled were able to
achieve Step 4 for less than a 3% incremental capital cost
and achieve Step 3 for less than 2.4%.”
• “It is important to note that in Climate Zones 4, the
achievement of Step 3 (the highest step for Commercial
Office) could be achieved for less than a 1% cost premium
for most cases. For MURB, these costs are substantially
lower than what was originally anticipated.”
Of note is that these incremental cost percentages do not include
any potential savings due to better building envelopes, such as lower
operating costs and reductions in capital costs of mechanical
equipment. And though they also exclude potentially higher design
costs as the market adjusts, these will likely disappear over time.
Maple Ridge Context
Following the Provincial introduction of the BC Energy Step Code, the
City decided to support local builders with training opportunities and
a demonstration project. With funding support from BC Hydro, the
City launched “Maple Ridge Building Better with the Energy Step
Code,” a builder and staff capacity building project. The project
included a builder workshop in early 2018, energy modelling training
for building department staff, blower door test equipment for City staff, and collaboration with a local
builder and third-party Energy Advisor to build and document the construction of a Step 3 home.
9 2018 Metrics Research Full Report Update http://energystepcode.ca/app/uploads/sites/257/2018/
09/2018-Metrics_Research_Report_Update_2018-09-18.pdf, a 2018 update to the 2017 Full Report:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/construction-industry/building-
codes-and-standards/reports/bc_energy_step_code_metrics_research_report_full.pdf
10 Building Energy Code Update Study - City of Vancouver (2012). Prepared by BTY Group and Stantec
Consulting Ltd
Figure 9 Lowest First Costs (% change)
– Part 9 Buildings (source: 2018 Metrics
Research Full Report Update)
ATTACHMENT 6.3
2579148 Page 23 of 34
Fernwood Development’s Corey Siemens responded to the City’s request for expressions of interest
to build a Step 3 home because he was interested in building more energy efficient homes and learning
more about the Energy Step Code, and he was building two similar homes side-by-side in a subdivision
in the Albion area.
The four-bedroom 2600 sq.ft single-family home with unfinished basement is a typical spec home for
this Maple Ridge neighbourhood. Mr. Siemens already had the completed design when he started
working with Energy Advisor, Donald Taylor from DW Energy Advisors. It is ideal to engage an Energy
Advisor as early in the process as possible, as making minor changes to the design can be a cost-
effective way of improving energy performance.
These two houses look very similar, but the one on the left is 20% more energy efficient and
cheaper to operate. Fernwood tracked the incremental costs building the two homes, and
the Step 3 home came in at less than 2% more than the typical house.
Corey Siemens of Fernwood Developments specializes in both high-end
custom and affordable single-family residences.
ATTACHMENT 6.4
2579148 Page 24 of 34
6.4 BC Energy Step Code Adoption Comparative Scan
The next table highlights a selection of municipalities who have adopted the BC Energy Step Code as
a city-wide policy, along with general notations. Some require higher steps where rezoning is required
or where the development is within a local area plan boundary. Some offer incentives to encourage
builders to voluntarily use the BC Energy Step Code. It is important to note that some of the detailed
characteristics behind this general overview have been excluded for comparison purposes.
Abbreviations used in the table:
*Part 9: SF-Single family; TH-Townhome; DP-Duplex; LR-Low-rise Apartment; Res-Residential
**Part 3: RW-Residential woodframe; RC-Residential concrete; OR-Office/Retail; TB-Tall buildings
***LCES-Low Carbon Energy Systems; DES-District Energy System; GHGI-Greenhouse Gas
Intensity=equivalent carbon emissions that result from the energy used by the building in a year.
Municipality Part 9 – see types* Part 3 – see types** Other
Vancouver 2017-Step 3+ for SF and DP
2018-Step 3+ for TH and LR
-Rezoning requires Step 4
2018-Step 3+ for RW
-Rezoning requires Step 4
2018-Step 4 for TB
2019-Step 2 for OR
-Rezoning requires Step 4
2020-Step 3 for RC
Floor space exclusion
for improved building
performance
Burnaby 2019-Step 1
Home energy labelling req’d
2019-Step 1 for Res
-Rezoning requires Step 3,
or Step 2 with LCES and
GHGI***
2020-Step 3 for Res
Benchmarking required
Mid-construction
blower door test
required
Surrey 2019-Step 1
2021-Step 3, except Step 2
for < 1200sq ft
2022-Step 4 for TH and LR;
Step 3 or 4 for remaining
Home energy labelling req’d
2019-Step 3 for Res, or
Step 2 with LCES/DES
2019-Step 2 for Comm,OR
2022-Step 4
Benchmarking required
Free mid-construction
blower door test
Richmond 2018-Step 1 for SF/DP
2018-Step 3 for TH/LR
Home energy labelling req’d
2018-Step 3 for WF
2018-Step 3 for RC, or
Step 2 with LCES/DES
2018-Step 2 for OR
Benchmarking required
-Free/subsidized air
tightness training; -
Free drywall blower
door tests for SF/TH
before SC takes effect
-Thick wall exclusions;
FSR exclusions for
green energy in SF/TH
ATTACHMENT 6.4
2579148 Page 25 of 34
Municipality Part 9 – see types* Part 3 – see types** Other
Township of
Langley
2019-Step 2 within Dev
Permit Areas; Step 1
outside of DPAs
2020-Step 2 outside DPAs
2021-Step 3 within Dev
Permit Areas
2022-Step 3 outside DPAs
2019-Step 2 within Dev
Permit Areas; Step 1
outside of DPAs
2020-Step 2 outside DPAs
2021-Step 3 within Dev
Permit Areas
2022-Step 3 outside DPAs
-$300 subsidy for
airtightness testing
-SF: $1000 for Step 4,
$1500 for Step 5
-TH/DP: $300 for Step
4, $500 for Step 5
-renovation incentives
New
Westminster
2019-Step 1
2020-Step 3, except
carriage home Step 2
Home energy labelling req’d
2020-Step 3, or Step 2
with LCES for WF/RC and
hotels
2020-Step 2 for OR
Benchmarking required
Mid-construction
blower door test
required
City of North
Vancouver
2017-Step2, Res>1200ft2
2018-Step3, Res>1200ft2
2018-Step1, Res<1200ft2
2017-Step 1
2018-Step 2 for Res; and
Step 3 with rezoning
2018-Step 2 for
Commercial with rezoning
-$300 for mid-
construction blower
door test
-Moodyville LAP
requires Passive
House or highest step
or 2nd highest plus
noise mitigation
District of
North
Vancouver
2018-Step 3 2018-Step 2 for Res, or
Step 3 with rezoning
2018-Step 1 for Comm
West
Vancouver
2018-Step 3, or Step 1 for
coach house; w rezoning is
Step 4, or Step 2 for coach
house
2021-Step 5, or Step 3 for
LCES
2018-Step 2 for Res, or
Step 3 w rezoning
2018-Step 1 for Comm, or
Step 2 w rezoning
2021-Step 4, or Step 2
with LCES
Port Moody 2020-Step 1, or Step 3 with
rezoning
2021-Step 3
Home energy labelling req’d
2020-Step 2 for WF/RC,
or Step 1 with LCES, or
one step higher w
rezoning
2020-Step 1 for Other, or
w rezoning is Step 3 or
Step 2 with LCES
2021-Step 3 for WF/RC,
or Step 2 with LCES
2020-Step 2 for Other
Benchmarking required
Mid-construction
blower door test
required
District of
Saanich
2018-Step 1
2020-Step 3, or Step 2 for
<1200ft2
Home energy labelling req’d
2018-Step 1
2020-Step 3
ATTACHMENT 6.4
2579148 Page 26 of 34
Municipality Part 9 – see types* Part 3 – see types** Other
Victoria 2018-Step 1
2020-Step 3, or Step 2 for
garden suite
2018-Step 1
2020-Step 3 for WF
2020-Step 2 for
RC/Comm/OR
Kelowna 2019-Step 1
2021-Step 3
Maple Ridge Not implemented Not implemented
The data also shows the future progression for some municipalities who have more certainty of
policy direction, although most have said that implementation beyond a year or so will be determined
based on a review of staff and industry experience with earlier phase(s) of adoption. A forward-
looking estimated adoption timetable helps to communicate future policy intentions so industry
stakeholders can adequately prepare. For this reason, Maple Ridge started communicating with the
industry in 2018.
ATTACHMENT 6.5
2579148 Page 27 of 34
6.5 BC Energy Step Code Stakeholder Consultation
A critical element prior to establishing requirements or incentives to implement the BC Energy Step
Code is industry stakeholder consultation. The BC Government’s implementation process had perhaps
the most comprehensive stakeholder engagement efforts of any relating to local government
regulation. And since a number of municipalities in the region have already adopted the Step Code,
industry stakeholders doing business in those jurisdictions will have a familiarity with the
requirements, building technologies, suppliers, energy advisors and the process involved. Those
without hands-on experience will have had several years to prepare for the City’s eventual
implementation of the Step Code.
The definition of customer should also be extended to the eventual occupants, owners and operators
of new buildings in Maple Ridge. This quote was sourced from the American Council for an Energy-
Efficient Economy:
“The value of energy efficiency in properly implemented construction standards is
universally recognized as the easiest and most cost-effective way to help
consumers save energy and money, make housing more affordable, and reduce
air pollution. All of these benefits are difficult or impossible to capture if they are
not taken into consideration at the time of construction.”
Every building built to base code standards will likely remain that way for many years to come, with
the downside of contributing unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions.
It should be noted that the City of Maple Ridge signalled an intent to adopt the BC Energy Step Code
following its introduction through a Council resolution and publication on the Province’s Step Code
website. The City also provided several updates and educational sessions at City-hosted Builders
Forums, in addition to the training provided through the Maple Ridge Building Better program and
demo home highlighted in Attachment 6.3.
ATTACHMENT 6.6
2579148 Page 28 of 34
6.6 Home Energy Labelling Costs
As part of the BC Energy Step Code compliance pathway, the information for an energy efficiency label
is generated. For situations where Step Code is being followed, labelling can be implemented at no
additional cost. In situations where construction is not Step Code compliant,
tables below provide an approximate incremental cost.
Figure 10 Cost Estimates for Part 9 Energy Advisor Services - Climate Zone 4 (source: 2018 Metrics Research Full Report Update)
Figure 11 Cost Estimates for Part 9 Blower Door Tests - Climate Zone 4 (source: 2018 Metrics Research Full Report Update)
ATTACHMENT 6.7
2579148 Page 29 of 34
6.7 Guide to the EnerGuide Label for Homes
Source: EnerGuide Rating System – Technical Procedures – Version 15.1 11
11 https://www2.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/oee/nh-
mn/documents/eg/tech/EnerGuide%20Rating%20System%20Technical%20Procedures%20Version%2015.1.
pdf
ATTACHMENT 6.7
2579148 Page 30 of 34
ATTACHMENT 6.8
2579148 Page 31 of 34
6.8 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Comparative Scan
Municipality For new buildings
Vancouver
(2018)
• Residential-multi-family: 100% of stalls (Level 2)
• Residential-single-family: 100% of homes
• Commercial: 10% of stalls (Level 2)
Burnaby
(2018)
• All residential 100% (Level 2)
Surrey
(2019)
• Residential–all: 100% Level 2 capacity and wiring
• Residential-multi-family: 50% of visitor stalls Level 2 capacity
• Commercial: 20% Level 2 capacity
Richmond
(2018)
• Residential-multi-family: 100% of residential stalls (Level 2)
• Residential-single-family: 100% of residential spaces (Level 2)
Coquitlam
(2018)
• Residential-new multi-family, excluding duplex, triplex, and quadruplex: 1
residential parking space per unit must be equipped with an energized outlet
capable of Level 2 charging
• Residential-new multi-family, excluding duplex, triplex, and quadruplex: 100% of
residential parking stalls equipped with energized outlet capable of Level 2
charging (where the number of parking stalls is less than the number of units)
Township of
Langley
(2019)
• Residential-SFD and multi-family: 1 energized outlet per dwelling; and minimum
performance standards when EV power management software is used
New
Westminster
(2019)
• Residential: Level 2 for all non-visitor parking stalls
• Commercial and institutional (with more than 10 stalls): 10% with Level 2
City of North
Vancouver
(2019)
• Residential: 100% of parking spaces equipped with energized Level 2 outlet,
except visitor spaces and secondary suites
• Residential-visitor parking: 20% of parking spaces (Level 2)
• Commercial: 20% of parking spaces (Level 2)
• All secure bicycle storage to include Level 1 outlets for electric bicycle charging
District of
North
Vancouver
• Residential-Multi-family: 100% of residential spaces (Level 1)
• Commercial/industrial: 10% of stalls (Level 2)
West
Vancouver
• Residential: 100% of spaces with energized outlet capable of providing Level 2
charging
Port Moody
(2019)
• Residential: 100% of parking spaces equipped with energized Level 2 outlet,
except visitor spaces, secondary suites, and new spaces to serve existing units
ATTACHMENT 6.8
2579148 Page 32 of 34
• Commercial: Minimum 20% of stalls for commercial uses must be capable of
providing Level 2 charging, except new or existing stalls for existing commercial
uses
• All accessible stalls must be provided with an energized outlet
District of
Saanich
(2020)
• Residential-SFD/duplex/townhome: One on-site parking space per unit to feature
an energized outlet capable of providing L2 charging
• Residential-multi-unit: All off-street parking spaces in multi-unit residential
develops to feature an energized outlet capable of providing L2 charging,
excluding visitor parking
• Institutional, Commercial, and Industrial: Minimum 0-5% of stalls to be energized
at time of development, depending on building type/use
Squamish • 2017, Residential-multi-family: 30% of off-street parking (Level 2)
• 2018, Residential-multi-family: 100% of off-street parking (Level 2)
Maple Ridge
(2019)
• Residential-single-family/townhome/multi-plex: "Roughed in" charging
infrastructure (Level 2) for 1 space per unit
• Residential-apartment: "Roughed in" charging infrastructure (Level 2) for 100% of
stalls plus 50% of visitor stalls
• Commercial (developments with 10 or more off-street spaces): "Roughed in"
charging infrastructure (Level 2) for 10% of stalls
Rebates
Funded by the BC Government and administered by BC Hydro and Fortis BC, rebates are available to
residents, condo managers, strata councils and businesses to add Level 2 charging. Available
rebates include:
• 50% of costs up to $350, for the purchase and installation of a Level 2 charging station in a
single-family home;
• 50% of costs, up to $2,000 per station or $1,000 per 208 or 240 volt outlets dedicated to
EV charging (and up to $14,000 for multiple stations), in multi-unit buildings such as condos
and apartments;
• 50% of costs, up to $2,000 per station (and up to $14,000 for multiple stations), at eligible
workplaces with at least five employees.
ATTACHMENT 6.9
2579148 Page 33 of 34
6.9 Maple Ridge EV Charging Infrastructure Requirements for New Development
ATTACHMENT 6.9
2579148 Page 34 of 34