Update: The low-emission homes report was passed at Council on 29/04/20. This is crucial legislation that will help to create low-rise residential homes which will produce 86% less GHG's! 

Fossil gas has no part to play in Metro Vancouver’s zero-emission future. 90% of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings come through burning fossil gas, which makes it one of the largest sources of emissions across Metro Vancouver. Vancouver is in the strongest position to remove fossil gas from new buildings as the City can establish its own building code, a right given in the City’s charter.

In 2016 the City of Vancouver approved a strategy, which stated that renewable energy would be the only source of energy used in the City by 2050. This was followed up with legislation to remove fossil gas as a heat source for multi-family homes of four stories or more, which came into effect in 2018.

Now Vancouver is going one step further. The City of Vancouver is proposing removing fracked fossil gas for space and water heating for new homes that are three stories and under by 2021. This would help cut emissions from these homes by 80 to 90 percent!

This legislation also has the potential to have wide-reaching consequences. It directly contradicts the Federal and BC government who have labelled fossil gas as an interim climate solution. We know this isn’t true. If this motion is passed Vancouver would be sending a statement to all investors, companies, and the BC and Federal governments that fossil gas has no part to play in a zero-emission city.