As a Councillor for the District of Central Saanich I am proud to report that energy efficiency programs have been advancing in Central Saanich for over two years.
I have led Central Saanich to be a key participating community with the provincial Community Action on Energy Efficiency initiative (September 2005 - present). This has provided the District of Central Saanich with tens thousands of dollars and still more for residents to improve energy efficiency in their homes through the Energy Savings Plan pilot project (May 15th, 2006). Another effort came when Central Saanich Council sought and recieved a helpful legal opinion about the use of Local Improvement Charges to finance energy efficiency improvements early in 2007. (Nov. 2006) The legal opinion is helpful to all municipalities and is attached for reference. In March 2007 Central Saanich set the following targets for CAEE Gold funding:a. Achieve an EnerGuide for New Houses rating of 80 for 100% of new detached, single family and row houses by 2010.b. Implement a policy that sets an energy efficiency target of at least 25% below Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB) for new local government funded, owned, managed or occupied buildings by 2010.
c. Pursue a comprehensive retrofit by 2010 of at least 50% of existing local government owned and managed building floor space with energy efficiency improvements that provide simple paybacks of 7 years or less through energy savings -- within the context of the current Facilities Review Process and its evaluation of future intended uses of existing buildings.d. Participate in a working group with Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Community Services, and Office of Housing and Construction Standards to implement incentive and/or regulatory measures to achieve one or more targets for new and existing buildings that align with the new BC Energy Plan.e. Develop a Central Saanich Community Energy Plan, establishing the above policies and targets, and supporting implementation of the Capital Regional District Community Energy Plan (CEP).
On May 7th, 2007 the District of Central Saanich endorsed the following motion (also attached): That the correspondence be received, and Council endorse the following Resolution to be submitted to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) for consideration at the 2007 UBCM Annual Convention: “WHEREAS the Province announced its intention to develop a new unified BC green building code (2007 Throne Speech) and later announced its intention to implement new energy efficiency standards for all new construction in British Columbia by 2010 (2007 BC Energy Plan); AND WHEREAS BC local governments wishing to support the Province’s new BC Energy Plan by implementing new building energy efficiency regulations between 2007 and 2010, are unable to do so without the authorization of the Minister of Community Services; THEREFORE BE IT RESOVED that the Province establish a procedure that would allow interested local governments to implement and require the energy efficiency standards for new buildings called for in the Province’s Energy Efficient Buildings: A Plan for BC, namely: Energuide 80 for residential buildings and 25% better than the standards in the Model National Energy Code for commercial buildings. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Province actively engage local governments in the development of the proposed unified BC Green Building Code and the proposed energy efficiency standards.” Currently Central Saanich is developing an internal anti-idling policy for the District and is waiting to get word on possible grant funds to establish a Community Energy Plan for Central Saanich. This entry is submitted by Zeb King (One of Central Saanich's elected Councillors).| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| CentralSaanich.UBCMresolution.doc | 24.5 KB |
| Central Saanich Resolution joining CAEE and setting targets 2006.doc | 61 KB |
| LIC Legal Opinion.pdf | 379.7 KB |
