Watch Council Alert: Gas Bylaw Edition
Last summer, Mayor Ken Sim and ABC councillors moved to gut one of Vancouver's flagship climate policies: the ban on "natural gas" (better known as methane) in new buildings.
In a surprise amendment, they asked staff to prepare policies to allow methane back in buildings, which accounts for almost 60% of our carbon emissions. The amendment appeared to be heavily influenced by fossil fuel lobbyists. This flies in the face of the climate emergency commitment that all sitting councillors and the mayor made through WTC's Hot Pink Paper Campaign.
But it's not a done deal yet. On November 26th, council will vote on whether to follow through with this ill-advised decision. WTC is offering three Watch Council events for our members to learn more and take action:
November 12th: Drop-in session with guests speaking on how buildings contribute to climate change, why this matters, and what we can do about it.
November 25th: Drop-in session with support and tips on speaking to city council.
November 26th: Field Trip to Vancouver City Hall to observe the meeting and support community members speaking to council.
What's On At Council
Agenda Item: Allowing Natural Gas for Heating and Hot Water in New Construction
Important Dates:
Staff's recommendations will be available on the city's website by November 21st. Sign up here to receive council agendas once they're published.
The deadline for speaker registration is November 25th at 5:00 pm.
Council will vote on staff's report on November 26th, likely in the morning.
Good to Know: ABC's decision to reverse the gas ban wasn't unanimous. Councillors Lisa Dominato and Peter Meizner voted against it, breaking from party ranks. We applaud them for putting climate action above partisanship. The split decision shows just how far this move strays from Vancouver's tradition of climate leadership — and that there's hope to convince other party members to do the right thing.
How To Take Action
Join a WTC Virtual Drop-In Session.
Our November 12th Drop-in Session will focus on how buildings contribute to climate change, why this matters, and what we can do about it. To help unpack this, we'll hear from:
Emily Peterson, Environmental Health Scientist at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), will share her knowledge of the health impacts of climate change.
Brittany Hopkins, WTC member and volunteer with For Our Kids, will speak about actions you can take on Vancouver's upcoming decision.
Our November 25th Drop-in Session, the day before the council meeting, will provide an opportunity for folks who want to write or speak to council to brainstorm ideas, receive support from the WTC team, and practice their speech.
Join our Field Trip to City Hall.
WTC Field Trips are quarterly events that foster community and strengthen civic participation skills. In our last field trip of 2024, we'll head to Vancouver City Hall on November 26th to:
View the meeting and learn more about how decisions are made.
Observe whether our elected leaders are representing our needs — and show that we are paying attention.
Support community members speaking to council and be in solidarity with others fighting for climate justice.
If you'd like to get more involved, join Watch Council to understand, track, and influence local governments' decisions with us.
Comments