City of North Vancouver
Canada-
Population 52346
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Area 11.8333km 2
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GDP 1CAD
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Targets by N/A N/Aemission
In May 2012, the City of North Vancouver demonstrated its commitment to partnering with academia by hiring a Clean Energy Engineering co-op student from the University of British Columbia’s new Master’s degree in Clean Energy Engineering for an 8 month work term. Students in the Clean Energy Engineering program receive intensive training on both the supply and demand sides of energy with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This program also has a focus on energy conservation, community based social marketing, and efficient use of energy.
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The City has worked with Enerficiency Consulting to develop and implement internal monitoring and reporting inventory mechanisms to track both community and corporate emissions. These inventories help determine whether reduction measures are producing anticipated results, and whether emissions reduction targets are being met. The City provides annual information reports to Council summarizing corporate and community GHG inventory results and progress towards reduction targets. In addition, the City has made every effort to track and report on specific measures and to compile a complete, accurate and consistent quantification of emissions. Where adequate data can be obtained, indicators are developed and calculations are performed to estimate total CO2e reductions of each action.
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The City plaza fountain functions as a cooling tower for the Library air conditioning and heating system, which contributes to the reduction of energy required to cool and heat the building, and towards meeting the City's emissions reduction targets.
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In January 2014 the City of North Vancouver moved to every other week garbage collection, with weekly GreenCan and recycling collection, to help ensure that food scraps are placed in the GreenCan rather than the garbage. Food scraps account for up to 40% of household garbage in the City, and this change to the collection service supports the regional target of diverting 70% of all waste from the landfill by 2015.
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The Lonsdale Energy Corporation (LEC) district energy heating system optimizes heating efficiency by circulating hot water through a network of well-insulated pipes, providing customers with dependable, clean, competitively priced energy. While currently mostly using natural gas boilers to generate the heat, the efficiency of the LEC system provides an estimated 15% gas consumption and GHG emission saving compared to stand-alone boilers typically installed in multi-unit residential buildings. LEC is expanding City-wide, and a new City Bylaw requires most new multi-family residential, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings to have a connection to LEC. The strength of the system is that it can use various sources of renewable energy including solar panels and geo-thermal systems, and LEC continues to work to add additional renewable energy sources including biogas and ocean source cooling.
Read More Read LessEmissions from the buildings sector account for approximately 60% of the City's corporate greenhouse gas emissions, as such, substantial opportunities exist to achieve energy and emissions reductions through retrofit projects. Detailed energy audits were performed on four main City properties in 2006 and retrofit projects were identified, including a lighting system upgrade for all core facilities in which 3,851 lights were replaced. In 2010, the City implemented an automated DDC Building Control System that allows for enhanced monitoring, metering and scheduling of energy use in core buildings, including system optimization changes at core facilities, such as reduced fan operation and lighting controls. In addition, lighting occupancy sensors are being installed on an ongoing basis at all core City facilities. In 2010, an opportunity assessment was performed on 13 of the City's largest buildings, which identified cost effective opportunities to reduce energy and emissions. The City is currently working on an implementation plan to realize these opportunities. To date, the City has reduced greenhouse gas emissions in its building stock substantially: from 2005 to 2010, building greenhouse gas emissions declined 16%.
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The City has incorporated electric technology in the City fleet in an effort to reduce emissions from the vehicle fleet sector, which accounts for approximately 30% of the City's corporate emissions. A Chevy Volt electric car, two electric bicycles with 350-watt motors and 36-volt lithium polymer batteries, and a plug-in electric Neighbourhood Zero Emission Vehicle (a small-scale dump truck) were added to the City's fleet for City staff use. In addition, the propane Zamboni ice rink surface cleaner was replaced with an electric Olympia ice cleaner, and the propane forklift was replaced with a more efficient electric forklift. The City is also currently experimenting with electric leaf blowers.
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The City installed fuel tank vapour recovery units at the operations yard to capture and recover valuable gas streams that may otherwise be a significant environmental pollutant. This initiative helps to reduce emissions from the vehicle fleet sector and contribute to cost saving opportunities.
Read More Read Less- Transport
The City has implemented a requirement for all City departments to report qualitatively on energy and greenhouse gas emissions implications for each project submitted through the City's Capital Budget Project Plan process. This requires every department's project manager to identify and consider potential sources of greenhouse gas emissions for each project along with any reduction opportunities and greenhouse gas reduction benefits that could result from the project. Where information is readily available for buildings and fleet, these departments are required to provide quantitative data on expected increases or decreases in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions expected from the project.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City has partnered with Elements Society for the delivery of the Destination Conservation program, a practical, student-driven, activity-based program designed to increase sustainability by helping schools conserve energy and water, reduce waste and protect the environment while saving money. A cooperative team of students, teachers, principals, custodians and parents work together in this multi-year program. In 2010, four City schools participated in the program to encourage energy conservation and waste reduction through behaviour change both at school and at home.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City is partnering with the Districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver and the Community Energy Association to develop a communications and outreach strategy to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new and existing buildings. The outcome of the strategy will be to develop a guidance document for condominium strata owners regarding building retrofits to accommodate charging infrastructure, as well as a best practices overview for including charging infrastructure in the design of new residential and commercial developments. This initiative will encourage the use of electric vehicles and contribute to the reduction of community-wide GHG emissions from the transportation sector.
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The City awards $30,000 annually to support small-scale, community-based parks and environmental initiatives, such as local garden projects, as well as $4,300 annually to community-based sustainable transportation organizations such as local cycling groups.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City has begun to require contractors to report on emissions produced in the provision of services to the City. This includes tracking and reporting on emissions that are derived from fossil fuel consumption used to operate vehicles, equipment and machinery. Contracted service providers are asked to report to the City the litres of fuel consumed, including but not limited to gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane and bio-fossil fuel blends. These emissions are added to the City's corporate greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
Read More Read Less- Transport
The City has opted-in to the Province of British Columbia's invitation to local governments for inclusion in the Solar Hot Water Ready Regulation in partnership with Solar BC, Natural Resources Canada and the development industry. This regulation enables the City to require pre-piping for solar hot water installations in new single family (one unit) residential dwellings in the City. The benefits to the proposed regulation is that the installation of conduit and additional roof structure can be done at low cost and disruption during the initial construction compared to a later retrofit, and will allow for more optimal placement of a future system.
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The City of North Vancouver has partnered with Metro Vancouver, BC Hydro, FortisBC, and the Province of BC to offer the LiveSmart BC Small Business Program. This program helps small and medium-sized businesses identify potential energy efficiency and money saving opportunities.
Read More Read Less- Commercial
The North Shore Recycling Program (NSRP) is a municipal agency of the City of North Vancouver and the Districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver that has been instrumental in encouraging efforts to reduce waste through public services and education programs on the North Shore. The NSRP oversees the collection of over 14,000 tonnes of recycling from North Shore homes annually. They also administer the North Shore Recycling Drop-off Depot, and provide community education and school programs, including the Backyard Compost Coaching Program. Through the program, the NSRP will send a Compost Coach to a resident's home to share how to create terrific compost, minimize common composting problems, and divert food waste from the garbage. The City encourages residents to compost their food and yard waste by subsidizing the cost of compost bins, which can be purchased through NSRP.
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The City is the urban core of the North Shore and we face some unique challenges, one of those being that 85% of our residential buildings are multi-family (apartments, townhouses, duplexes, and condos). One of the most significant challenges to achieving higher multi-family residential and commercial diversion rates through recycling is the lack of sufficient space for the collection of recyclable materials. Ensuring the provision of adequate storage space for recycling facilities in new buildings is part of the City and region’s strategy to achieve the overall regional diversion rate of 70% by 2015. The City is currently in the process of developing a bylaw amendment and guidelines for garbage and recycling storage space requirements in new multi-family residential and commercial buildings. The bylaw amendment will address challenges including the lack of sufficient space for storage of recyclables and access issues for both building occupants and collection services. The intent of the bylaw and guidelines is to create sufficient space to store all garbage and recycling materials between collection days and to permit easy access and movement of garbage and recycling storage containers into and out of the space. The storage space requirements take into account the expected types and amounts of garbage and recyclable materials that will need to be collected, so that building users will be able to meet regional waste diversion goals and regulations. This action will help ensure the City is advancing opportunities for waste diversion in all building types.
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The City has received directive from City Council to develop terms of reference for a local carbon funding structure to account for its corporate carbon emissions. Based on the City’s corporate emissions inventory, funding will be directed annually towards carbon reduction projects at a specified amount per tonne (likely $25/tonne) of emissions generated.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City has partnered with the Districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver and the TravelSmart Program to develop TravelSmart North Shore, which encourages residents to get out of the car once a week to enjoy the community by walking, cycling and taking transit. The TravelSmart program encourages residents to make more sustainable travel choices, specifically walking, cycling and taking transit. The program’s vision is to slow the need for ever-growing road infrastructure and to contribute to the reduction of vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions in the region. The City is also encouraging employees to support TransLink’s new North Shore TravelSmart initiative and the City’s climate action efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting a staff challenge for employees to leave their car at home one day per week.
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The City is in the process of conducting CityShaping - an engagement initiative aimed at involving as many community members as possible to play an important role in updating the City's Official Community Plan (OCP). City Council has approved an extensive engagement process to reach out broadly to the whole community for ideas and to set goals, while also bringing stakeholders and "local experts" into deeper conversations about specific strategies and measures of success, including those related to sustainability, climate, energy and emissions. Staff and consultants working on the CityShaping process will weave together all of the inputs, generating a revised OCP for further comment by all involved. The goal is to engage at least 2500 people over a year, asking questions, forming answers, and keeping everyone involved as the discussion becomes more focused and as a draft OCP is created. There are a variety of ways to get involved, and special effort will be made to ensure the participation of youth, of renters, of those who own their own homes, of local businesses, of ethnically and culturally diverse people, and of stakeholders. The intention is to be inclusive of as many different voices as possible, while staying focused on the work that needs to be done to create a strategic and well-supported plan. Innovative engagement activities, opportunities for reflection and discussion, and ambitious outreach targets set this process apart.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City is committed to supporting all modes of transportation - walking, cycling, transit, and vehicles. However, with passenger vehicles accounting for over one third of the City's greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, the City is committed to encouraging the use of electric vehicles as an alternative to conventional gasoline powered vehicles. Four Level 2 charging stations have been installed in central locations across the City, as well as one fast charge Level 3 station. The City and the North Shore in general have a higher than average ownership of electric vehicles, as such the charging stations will play a key role in alleviating range anxiety and facilitating more widespread adoption of electric vehicles throughout the community. The Province of British Columbia has also provided funding for activities associated with identifying and facilitating the installation of charging stations in key locations throughout the region. Work is currently underway led by Metro Vancouver in collaboration with many local municipalities to identify and secure 150 publicly accessible charging stations. Outreach is being conducted by the City to continue to recruit and inform potential charging station hosts, such as local grocery stores or other businesses.
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The City's Traffic Calming Program provides a comprehensive approach to identifying and resolving neighbourhood traffic and transportation problems through the application of traffic calming measures to reduce traffic speeds, acceleration, and greenhouse gas emissions. Traffic calming measures used by the City include traffic circles, speed humps, bumpouts, corner and curb bulges, median islands, raised crosswalks, and pavement markings.
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As part of its climate action initiatives, the City has installed fifteen new on-street recycling containers in prominent locations throughout the community. The new containers provide the public with the opportunity to deposit recyclable materials into the street bins. The program is the result of a recent City waste audit that found a significant volume of recyclable materials being placed in on-street garbage containers. The City’s new recycling units have three brightly labeled separate openings for newspaper/mixed paper, beverage containers and garbages. This on-street recycling program supports the City’s community-wide waste reduction goals.
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Conversion to a paperless electronic applicant tracking system has been implemented in the human resources department to minimize paper use, and paperless billing has been implemented for external utility payment accounts. Printer settings have been adjusted so that printers print double-sided by default, and scanning has been enabled on many machines, enabling staff to share electronic versions of documents rather than photocopies. In 2012, City Council implemented paperless Council packages, which save approximately 200 kWh of energy per year from reduced printing demands.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The Living City program is a new engagement initiative launched in 2012 that identifies and promotes all of the City’s environmental sustainability initiatives. Living City celebrates what the City is doing to create a more liveable, sustainable community and invites residents and businesses to participate and join in the City’s climate action efforts. Living City includes a number of programs in the following five categories: Natural Environment, Reducing Energy Use, Waste Reduction and Recycling, Getting Around and Urban Agriculture. It is an opportunity to share what the City is doing , connect with others, discuss ideas, and each do our part to respect the environment as we coexist to create a Living City.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
Streetlighting accounts for 12% of the City’s electricity consumption. As part of the City’s Corporate Climate Action Plan it was identified that installation of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to replace the existing High Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlighting will reduce electricity consumption by approximately 51%, in addition to being more cost efficient. Four models of lights have been selected for the LED pilot project, which have a payback period of under five years, and an estimated life expectancy of over 10 years. The City has installed 18 LED streetlights in key areas as part of the pilot. Next steps for the City are to evaluate different models, obtain feedback from the community, and determine the optimum approach to conduct a city-wide retrofit program.
Read More Read Less- Facilities
The City's Street and Traffic Bylaw limits the amount of time drivers may allow their vehicle engines to idle while stationary. Vehicle idling is an important environmental and economic issue due to the unnecessary emission of carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to the greenhouse gas effect. The development of the bylaw is part of an environmental initiative to build a greener, more sustainable community, and contribute to reducing community-wide emissions from the transportation sector.
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The City supports cycling as a healthy, efficient and non-polluting transportation option for both commuter and recreational cyclists. In keeping with the vision outlined in the Official Community Plan and contributing to reducing community-wide GHG emissions, the City is working to improve the bicycle route network and provide facilities to encourage cycling. The City and District of North Vancouver have jointly developed the North Vancouver Bicycle Master Plan which was endorsed by both municipal Councils in November 2012. The Plan sets goals and objectives for the North Shore bicycle network; provides staff with direction on bike route design and end of trip facilities; identifies routes that need improving based on public feedback; and identifies a network of bicycle routes in the City and District of North Vancouver. The plan includes 107km of bicycle facilities in the City, and when fully developed will place every resident within 300m of a bicycle route.
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The City's Lonsdale Energy Corporation (LEC) district energy utility in collaboration with North Vancouver School District No. 44 have recently partnered together in a heat recovery and geoexchange system located at the new School District office building. This project has resulted in an important innovation by providing the opportunity for the LEC to own, operate and integrate in its district energy system, for the first time, the following new and innovative components: heat pumps to recover and recycle energy from the institutional building for use in the district energy system, and a geo-exchange system for heating and cooling. This project allows for the recovery and recycling of heat that is often wasted through cooling towers on the roof of buildings. Not only will the infrastructure create a sustainable source of heating and cooling for the School District building, it will also connect into LEC, to recover and recycle additional energy for residential and commercial premises in the vicinity. In the coming years, LEC will monitor the performance of the heat pumps and various system components to determine if such systems could be implemented at other locations in the City. From this experience, LEC plans to establish the reliability as well as technical and financial parameters to operate future cooling systems with perhaps, reduced geo-thermal systems or cooling towers. In lieu of a geo-thermal field, such cooling systems would rely on LEC’s heating load to cool down the heat pumps when working in cooling mode.
Read More Read LessThe City has developed a set of Sustainable Development Guidelines that are based loosely on LEED criteria and provide developers with social, economic and environmental considerations. The Guidelines are applied to rezoning building projects and provide a range of strategies for reducing energy, water and materials. Buildings are responsible for approximately 50% of the City's community GHG emissions and need to adapt to the realities of climate change to help the City become resilient to that change. Building forms and densities have significant effects on the cost and diversity of housing and transportation needs, and innovative developments that address these and other climate issues are encouraged. Applicants are required to submit a written “Sustainability Statement” as a key part of the application package, and whenever possible, specific commitments should be included. The Sustainability Statement must also reference how the sustainability commitments will be verified at the Building Permit stage. Currently, the guidelines are being updated by zoning bylaw amendments focused on more rigorous standards, such as reflecting higher energy performance.
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Solid waste contributes approximately 10% of the City's corporate emissions, and the biggest area of opportunity for diversion is composting food scraps, as food waste and other organics make up approximately 40% of the waste stream. The City is currently developing a Food Scraps Recycling Program for City facilities, to help divert organic waste from the landfill. The program is currently underway at the City's Fire Hall, followed by implementation at City Hall in early 2013.
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The Canadian Solar Cities Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing Canadian communities for leadership in sustainable practices with a particular focus on energy security and solar energy. The project aims to support renewable and solar energy use and recognizes that communities are leading the charge by implementing policy, targets, and actions that realize actual greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
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- Commercial
The City has implemented a number of transportation demand management programs for employees, including the provision of a partial employee reimbursement program for TransLink Transit Passes, participation in a compressed work week schedule, encouraging cycling to work through the provision of a staff bicycle payroll deduction plan, encouraging participation in annual Bike to Work Week challenges, as well as providing bike racks and lockers at City Hall and the Operations Yard.
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The City implemented a dedicated outreach program in partnership with the City of Vancouver Sustainability Office to promote the LiveSmart BC efficiency incentive program, which encourages home energy retrofits in detached and semi-detached houses through outreach, and by promoting senior government and utility grant opportunities to homeowners. In 2009, 157 pre-audit assessments were completed, and 99 pre-audit assessments were completed in 2010. This program endeavors to reduce community-wide emissions from the building sector, which accounts for approximately 50% of the City's community GHG emissions.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
The City adopted a Civic Building Policy requiring that all new corporate buildings constructed are energy efficient and environmentally responsible, ensuring a legacy of energy efficiency in City facilities. In 2008 the City's new Library was constructed to LEED Silver standard and included features such as a radiant slab heating/cooling ceiling system, solar thermal panels, and a central water to water heat pump connected to a geoexchange system. In 2012, the new City Hall was constructed to LEED Silver standard and includes features such as solar shading, building automation, and a community garden. The new City Operations Centre is also being constructed to LEED Silver standard and includes features such as rain water reuse, solar shading and connections to LEC.
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In the City's park operations, on-site composting and mulching techniques are being used by parks staff to avoid vehicle trips to the transfer station, as well as the amount of waste being disposed of.
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In May 2012 the City expanded its curbside garden green waste (yard trimmings) collection to include food scraps and food-soiled paper through the Green Can program. Prior to program launch, residents on the City’s yard trimmings curbside collection program received a Green Can introductory package, and throughout the summer the program was promoted through advertisements and outreach at community events. This fall, the City is implementing a community-based social marketing outreach initiative aimed at increasing Green Can participation and food scraps diversion in four pilot areas throughout the City. The project involves conducting door-to-door outreach, where residents are provided with information packages and kitchen catchers for collecting their food scraps. Encouragement tags are also being distributed by City collection crews on garbage bins to encourage residents to recycle their food scraps. Participation assessments will be conducted prior to and following the outreach project, to assess program effectiveness and inform future efforts and policy. The City is also working on various communications campaigns including advertising on bus shelters and on waste collection vehicles to increase awareness of and participation in the Green Can program. The Green Can program contributes towards meeting the City's waste diversion targets through removing food scraps from the waste stream, thus contributing to building a more sustainable community.
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The City has played a crucial role in capacity building for climate change action within its business community, and has partnered with Climate Smart, a program providing tools, training and technical support for small and medium sized businesses to develop corporate strategies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve their financial bottom line. Through a process of completing an emissions inventory and developing targets and actions, businesses can realize deep energy and emissions reductions and contribute to achieving the City's community-wide reduction targets. In 2010, six businesses were engaged through the program. In 2011, the City expanded the program and engaged 15 businesses through the program, including North Vancouver based businesses and organizations as well as City suppliers.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City has partnered with the Districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver to develop and implement a home energy retrofit outreach campaign for community-based sustainability programs with the primary program being the successful Cool Neighbourhoods program. The overall project is intended to address climate change by reducing energy use in homes. The goal is to engage 20 new neighbourhoods representing 400 homes in an energy efficiency program.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
A $30,000 fund has been established to fund non-formal offsets for staff undertaking business travel. The offset cost is $25 per tonne of CO2e. In 2010, 56,332 kilometers traveled were offset.
Read More Read Less- Transport
The City’s fleet comprises 30% of corporate greenhouse emissions. Participation in the Enhanced Vehicle Maintenance Program (E3 Fleet Accreditation) is in progress, in an effort to identify opportunities for emissions reductions in the fleet sector. E3 Fleet is a program initiative of the Fraser Basin Council, and provides services and resources to assist in increasing fuel efficiency and reducing fleet emissions and costs. The purpose of E3 Fleet is to summarize key operating parameters of the fleet and identify opportunities for further action to improve fleet operations, including driver training, right-sizing, operational changes to minimize maintenance, route planning, and crew deployment changes; and vehicle replacement purchasing standards. Through continual improvement in reducing fuel consumption and improving fuel efficiency, the City will continue to lead by example to achieve our climate action goals.
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The City adopted a sustainable purchasing policy that includes energy efficiency as evaluation criteria, in an effort to reduce the energy consumption of products and services.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
In March 2014, the City of North Vancouver adopted an updated Policy for Events in Parks and Public Open Spaces, in which a zero waste management plan is required for all events. The goal is to minimize the generation of waste by ensuring that all recyclables and compostable materials are removed from the waste stream, prior to disposal.
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The City of North Vancouver has developed an All Ages and Abilities bicycle network plan, a planning level document often referred to as the AAA bicycle network. The aim of the planned network is to provide an interconnecting system of bicycle facilities which are comfortable and attractive for a broad array of users, such as children and seniors. The network comprises neighbourhood bikeways, off-street paths and trails, and separated bike lanes.
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The City is proposing changes to the Street and Traffic Bylaw to support car share programs by creating special on-street parking provisions for car share companies. These recommendations support the sustainable transportation goals outlined in the City's Transportation Plan.
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The City’s use of trenchless technology in sewer renewal eliminates the need for a full-length excavation, thus reducing the amount of waste to be disposed of, new paving required, and fuel used by the fleet.
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The City has partnered with the BC Sustainable Energy Association to support and deliver the Climate Change Showdown, an educational workshop and contest for students in grades 4-7 to work together with their families to reduce their energy and emissions for one month. In the 2011-12 school year, 13 Climate Change Showdown workshops were delivered to 329 students.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
In an effort to reduce emissions from the vehicle fleet sector, the City has purchased efficient hybrid vehicles to replace existing fleet light duty vehicles. Hybrid vehicles are now almost exclusively used for travel by staff at City Hall.
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The City Library features one of the largest solar hot water panel arrays in BC, which generates renewable energy for LEC. Solar hot water panels generate alternative energy which helps to power LEC's high efficiency boilers.
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City staff have been very active in establishing numerous cross-departmental working groups to support the coordination, development, implementation and review of corporate and community energy and emissions reduction measures. These teams, including the Corporate Energy and Greenhouse Gas Management Team, the Climate Action Task Force, Community Energy and Emissions Plan Implementation Team, and Energy Efficient Buildings Working Group have been instrumental in driving the success of various City initiatives to reduce energy and emissions.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City’s comprehensive multi-modal Transportation Plan places an emphasis on enhancing pedestrian routes, greenways and bike corridors, and improving transit service. The Plan serves as a road map over the next 20 years and beyond to increase alternative travel modes, resulting in health benefits from active living, vibrant complete streets, paths and places, lower per capita green house gas emissions and less impact on the environment. Since 2008, 11.6 km of pedestrian and cycling facilities have been implemented in the City, including bike lanes, greenways and sidewalks, and over 100 pedestrian, cycling and transit related projects have been implemented. In 2010, the City substantially expanded sustainable transportation routes, including the expansion of the off-road trail cycle/pedestrian “Spirit Trail” network and the construction of a new pedestrian and bicycle overpass, which provides a vital link across an existing rail line. A major component of the City's long-term Transportation Plan is the Transportation Demand Management Strategy, which includes initiatives from the regional level, private sector and other agencies to address single occupancy vehicle trip reduction and parking management strategies, and provide leadership, education and awareness for sustainable transportation in partnership with local community groups such as HUB Cycling Coalition and Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST).
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In April 2014, the City of North Vancouver launched a food scraps collection pilot program in 10 multi-family buildings in the city, including low-rise, high rise, strata and rental building types. The pilot program consists of weekly collection of food scraps and allows the City to test a variety of proposed implementation approaches and to further understand any barriers to widespread participation. City staff are working with building managers, residents and collection contractors to measure and evaluate the project based on diversion rates, participation and general feedback on barriers and opportunities.
Read More Read Less- Waste
The City has a construction and demolition material checklist to help reduce the amount of waste created in the construction process and designate materials for recycling. The checklist is submitted with the building/demolition permit application and is reviewed by City building officials.
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The City has partnered with the North Vancouver City Library and Cool North Shore to present the Sustainable City Dialogues, which are evening sessions on topics related to renewable energy offered to the community. Dialogues have included Solar Energy 101 and Biomass Energy 101, and have featured an exciting panel of experts from each field. Over 70 people attended both of the sessions.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
The City is implementing a new award program that recognizes community and business led sustainable initiatives - from development projects displaying innovative leadership to individuals and community groups working to make the community more liveable. The ‘Sustainable City Award’ acknowledges community projects and programs that exhibit excellence in all three areas of social, economic and environmental sustainability. The awards program promotes and encourages an integrated approach to sustainability, which is the basis of the City’s Official Community Plan. The City’s inaugural Sustainable City Award has been presented to the Loutet Urban Farm, which is run by the Edible Garden Project through the North Shore Neighbourhood House. This innovative partnership exemplifies the three attributes of sustainability, community building and healthy communities.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
Rental apartment and condominium stratas together comprise 61% of residential dwelling units in the City. This sector, in contrast to the single family detached homes, has largely been overlooked by senior government and utility energy efficiency programs and thus presents significant opportunities for energy reduction and reduced emissions through improvements to the existing building stock. The City has developed an Existing Building Retrofit Framework to accomplish the following goals: 1) prioritize efforts to specific sectors of the building stock that are currently under-served by existing programs, and where significant opportunities exist for energy savings; 2) partner with the BC Non Profit Housing Association in supporting energy studies for four non profit housing facilities located within the City and make strategic use of partners such as utilities, non-profit associations and senior levels of government, in order to leverage funding and expertise towards energy studies and project capital funding; and 3) learn by selectively implementing a limited number of Rental Building Retrofit Pilot Programs consistent with the City's vision to balance social, environmental, and economic needs of the community.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
In 2014, the City of North Vancouver supported the HUB Bike Friendly Business Program as well as cycling education courses at three North Vancouver schools. These programs educated staff and students on cycling safety and basic cycling skills. The goal was to encourage people to choose cycling as a sustainable transportation option. The City also launched the Safe and Active School Travel Program at Queensbury Elementary, in cooperation with the North Vancouver School District, Travel Smart, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation. The program addresses safety issues beyond the immediate school property and includes the development of Safe Routes to School plans, taking walkability and safety issues into account. The City has also installed two BikeLids in Civic Plaza, an innovative new bicycle storage system that provides protection from weather, vandalism and theft. The BikeLid bicycle storage system is another bike-friendly initiative to help make cycling in the City more convenient for both commuter and recreational cyclists.
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Living City Summary Report is a public document that details the environmental protection and climate action targets and plans and summarizes progress. The report provides action items for citizens to reduce their emissions.
Read More Read Less- Residential
- Commercial
- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
- Waste
Currently, new buildings in North America are built to a fairly low energy efficiency standard in comparison to codes and standards in Europe. Until recently, all construction in the City of North Vancouver was built to energy standards of the British Columbia building code. Cities in in the Province of British Columbia (with the exception of Vancouver) lack the ability to require efficiency standards exceeding the B.C. code. Given this barrier, the City is the first municipality in British Columbia to implement a strategic and proactive policy in which new zoning amendments will give new buildings a density bonus in return for energy efficient design. These innovative zoning amendments do not increase the allowable density on a property, but will permit additional floor area over a base threshold of permitted density, up to the Official Community Plan maximum densities. In turn, developers must meet the 90.1 2007 energy performance standard set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for industrial, commercial, institutional, and tall (over 5 storey) residential buildings. For residential buildings four storeys and under, developers are required to meet the federal EnerGuide 80 standard in order to earn their density bonuses. The City’s novel approach of incentivizing higher energy performance has resulted almost all new buildings being built to or in many cases exceeding the higher energy standards. This important initiative will result in substantial cumulative reductions in energy use in the community buildings sector and generate a legacy of building energy efficiency in the City.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
Streetlighting accounts for 12% of the City’s corporate electricity consumption. In an effort to lower the energy impact on the City's lighting system, 48 conventional incandescent traffic signals in the City were upgraded to higher efficiency LEDs.
Read More Read Less- Facilities
The City has partnered with the BC Non Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA), with funding support from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, to support energy audits of four non profit housing facilities located within the City that provide immediate shelter, transitional housing, or permanent assisted housing. The audits are identifying energy conservation measures including a cost benefit analysis, for those facilities with aging inefficient gas boilers, or the potential to connect to the Lonsdale Energy district energy system. The pilot retrofit project is consistent with the principles of the City's Existing Building Retrofit Framework.
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The Bicycle Parking Zoning Bylaw Amendment is a supplement to the City's zoning bylaw's parking standards. The regulation creates minimum standards for accessible and secure bicycle parking and end destination facilities (eg. changing facilities for bicycle commuters) in all new commercial buildings constructed in the City.
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In 2010, the City conducted a waste audit of City Hall with the help of the North Shore Recycling Program to help identify the quantities and sources of waste generated at City Hall, and help inform future decisions on waste reduction and diversion programs and services. In 2011, the City conducted an audit of on-street litter and disposed garbage to determine the type and amount of litter found on City streets and public plazas. In 2012, the City conducted a waste characterization study of curbside garbage pickup from residential homes. This study provides a baseline from which the City can monitor progress of existing waste reduction, organics collection and recycling initiatives.
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In an effort to encourage energy and emissions reductions in the City's business sector and meet community-wide emissions reduction targets, the City developed a new business climate action guide which was delivered to businesses with their business license.
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The City's Corporate Zero Waste Program is dramatically reducing garbage being sent for disposal by increasing recycling and food scraps collection opportunities in all civic facilities in the City. Just one month after implementing the program at City Hall, the amount of garbage sent to landfill was reduced by 70%. As a result, staff have also been able to reduce the size of garbage collection bins, resulting in lower garbage collection costs and significant long term cost savings to the City. The program, initiated in 2015, has now been implemented in all major facilities: City Hall, Engineering Operations Centre, Fire Hall, RCMP (Police) Office, Emergency Management Office, Community Policing Office, Library, and at all Recreation Centres.
Read More Read LessThe City of North Vancouver adopted a Climate Change Adaptation Plan in November 2013 to address the most pressing impacts of climate change and to increase the City's resilience. The plan focuses on the following nine main areas: Future Housing, Population and Employment; Transportation, Mobility and Access; Employment and Economic Development; Natural Environment and Energy; Municipal Services and Infrastructure; Arts, Culture and Heritage; Parks Recreation and Open Space; Community Well-being; and Acting on the Plan. By adopting the plan the City achieved Milestone 3 of ICLEI Canada's Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities (BARC) five milestone program.
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The City has completed floodplain mapping to assess flooding risk and sea level rise at present, in 2100 and in 2200. The study is informing the establishment of new flood construction levels, and computer modeling will be used to inform a sea level rise adaptation strategy. The study will also contribute to the development of a local climate adaptation action plan as part of ICLEI’s Climate Adaptation Initiative, a program that assists local governments with action plan development and implementation.
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In 2009, the City adopted the Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw to allow hobby bee keeping in our community as a sustainability effort to help support the urban agricultural movement. Urban bee keeping plays an important role in pollinating crops in our urban setting.
Read More Read LessIn 2013 the City of North Vancouver adopted an Invasive Plant Management Strategy to guide the City’s management of invasive plants on public lands and facilitate the management of invasive plants on private lands. The overall goal is to prevent, reduce, or mitigate the effects of invasive plants on ecological integrity, aesthetics, and recreation in the City of North Vancouver.
Read More Read LessIn 2009, the City partnered with the Greenskins Lab, a research unit of the University of British Columbia's School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and the Edible Garden Project to develop an urban farm on 4500m2 of land located south of Loutet Park in the City. The urban farm will provide locally grown food for the community and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing food miles traveled, minimizing packaging and waste, and encouraging composting. It will also help contribute to habitat creation, rainwater recycling, and renewable energy production. Loutet Farm had its first growing season in 2011 and
produce was sold to the community through the onsite farmers’ market.
In 2007, the City completed a detailed study of City parkland, including 27 private properties which were identified as being in danger of a potential landslide. As a result of the study, recommendations for mitigating the risks for each property were made, including rerouting the roof and foundation drains, replacing or constructing retaining walls, buttressing the slope, soil nailing, and deepening (or under pinning) the foundations. City Council required eight affected property owners to undertake mitigating measures to reduce their risk of landslide, thus increasing slope stability in the City.
Read More Read LessAs part of the City’s overall efforts to promote food security and urban agriculture activities in our community, the City has amended the Zoning and Small Creatures Bylaw permitting the keeping of chickens (hens only) in the City.
Read More Read LessThe City has joined ICLEI and twelve other municipalities across Canada to work together in assessing and planning for future climate change impacts through a new pilot Climate Adaptation program. The program guides municipalities through the ICLEI Canada Changing Climate, Changing Communities Guide, a five milestone framework for developing a local Climate Change Adaptation Plan and building capacity internally for ongoing implementation and monitoring.
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The City has developed a Climate Action Tree Planting Program to plant trees on streets with no trees at present, specifically planting approximately 30 trees per year (2012-2013), 80 trees per year (2014-2015) and 130 trees per year (2015-2020). Program implementation and species selection is guided by the City’s Street Tree Master Plan. Over time, the increase in the urban forest canopy will improve carbon sequestration, moderate the heat island effect, and filter air pollutants.
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In collaboration with the District of North Vancouver, the City is beginning to develop Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs), in accordance with the requirements set out in Metro Vancouver's Integrated Liquid Waste Resource Management Plan (ILWRMP). Integrated Stormwater Management combines land-use planning, environmental protection, and stormwater management to protect developed lands and natural habitat, while still allowing for long-term urban and economic development. ISMPs integrate all aspects of watershed values and management, including: Engineering and Design; Ecological Health; Community and Recreation; and Economic Development.
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panel of experts who will lead a discussion about climate adaptation and the impacts of climate change. Participants will learn how climate change is affecting our community, find out what the City is doing to adapt and what is being done across Canada and around the world to respond to climate change.
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The City has implemented greener streets through the provision of bio-retention areas, rain gardens and street tree plantings. Each year trees are planted on City lands through park improvement projects, habitat enhancement projects, and as off-site amenities associated with new developments. The City is also pursuing creative solutions for storm water management that include designing and implementing community detention ponds which protect existing waterways and help to educate the public on its use.
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The City is committed to offering the opportunity to grow food locally for residents living in higher density neighbourhoods. Building on the success of the Lower Londsdale Lonsdale Community Garden built in 2004, the City added a second community garden near Queen Mary School in 2009 and its third Community garden at the entrance to City Hall in 2012.
Read More Read LessThe City has developed a Food Security and Urban Agriculture Strategy, which provides a framework for acquiring additional food production land and encouraging citizens and community groups to engage in urban agriculture on public and private land. This program will increase food security while reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production, processing and transportation, as residents source locally grown food.
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Status of compliance
Compact of Mayors