2008 Energy Action Award Announcement

NEWS RELEASE

2008 Energy Action Awards 

Castlegar, Whistler, Saanich, Squamish

The City of Castlegar has won the 2008 Energy Action Award in the Corporate Operations category for energy efficiency innovations in its new city hall and throughout operations.  Castlegar's new municipal hall saves over 50% of the energy of a conventional building, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 29 tonnes annually.  The City's operational GHG-reduction activities include composting, recycling, residential water meters, biodiesel for fleet vehicles, no-idling, solar-powered pedestrian lights and re-use of treatment sludge for landscaping compost.  The Resort Municipality of Whistler won the award in the Community Planning and Development category for development of the Whistler Athlete Village (WAV) as compact, low-carbon, resident-restricted housing with an innovative, district-based alternative energy heating system.

The awards were presented at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention by Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Community Development.  "The actions of Castlegar and Whistler show how local governments build communities for the future," said the Minister.  "By sponsoring these awards, we're helping local government leaders from across the province learn about bold ways to address climate change and energy while saving money at the same time."

Mayor Lawrence Chernoff received the 2008 Energy Action Award on behalf of the City of Castlegar.  "The City of Castlegar is honoured to have been recognized through this award.  In just one year, we've made good progress on a whole range of greenhouse gas reduction actions.  These developed very quickly for our small City, and we believe this is a good example for other small municipalities just starting on their own path to GHG reductions."  In accepting the Whistler award, Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed said, "We are committed to building a sustainable, energy-efficient community and will continue to move forward toward the realization of our community's shared sustainability objectives." 

The awards are organized annually by the Community Energy Association in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, Union of British Columbia Municipalities and BC Hydro.  "The awards celebrate leadership of local governments taking action on climate change and energy.  This year's winners demonstrate that energy planning, energy efficiency and renewable energy are possible no matter where you live in the province," said Dan Rogers, Chair, Community Energy Association.

Honourable Mentions were awarded to:

• District of Squamish for its Community Energy Action Plan, including Sustainability Block. 
• District of Saanich for its Municipal Carbon Neutral Reserve Fund.

Entries in the Corporate Operations category included Prince George, Regional District of Nanaimo, City of Richmond and Township of Langley.  In the Community Planning and Development category, entries included Dawson Creek, Pitt Meadows and Ucluelet.

The Community Energy Association is the 'first stop' for local government leaders addressing energy sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction.  Members include the Province, Union of BC Municipalities, Planning Institute of BC, BC Transit, Translink, BC Hydro, Terasen Gas, Pacific Northern Gas and BC Transmission Corporation.

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Contact:

Laura Porcher, Executive Director, Community Energy Association  250-598-4034  cell:  250-208-1248