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124
Councillor Manly Motion re: Amendment to Zoning Bylaw No. 4500
Some industrial activities, such as producing oil and gas and burning waste for energy, harm our health by producing toxic air pollutants that harm our health and climate. Currently, any of these industries could be developed in an area zoned for industrial use, [such as at Duke Point]. For example, in 2014, there was massive public pushback against a waste-to-energy project that would ship in waste from Vancouver to be burned at Duke Point. With this motion, Councillor Manly proposes that these types of high-emissions industries should be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis, giving the community the opportunity to decide when an industrial use is not worth it for our health and our climate.
Carried
102
Home Energy Retrofit Financing Program Bylaw 2025 No. 7393
This bylaw gave the City of Nanaimo the regulatory authority to finance home energy retrofits, offering up to $15,000 in zero-interest financing amortized over a 10-year term via property taxes. This means that an interest-free loan for home energy upgrades can be tied to the property, so that if the owner sells the house shortly after doing the upgrades, the new owner will take over the payments via their property tax bill. Projects include electric heat pumps, solar panel systems or insulation. This program removes one of the barriers preventing homeowners from upgrading their homes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase climate resilience.
Carried
93
BC Hydro Sustainable Communities Fund - Phase Two of Manufactured Home Park Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction Strategybr
Carried
62
Zoning Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 4500.219
This bylaw amendment includes the removal of yard setback requirements for heat pumps. This means that any homeowner could install a heat pump where it suits their home, without being restricted by how far away it is from their neighbour’s property. Heat pumps are an efficient electric method of both heating and cooling homes, meaning that they not only keep us safe from extreme heat events that are becoming increasingly common because of climate change, but they do so using clean energy!
Carried
42
BC Hydro Sustainable Communities Fund - Mobile Home Park Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction Strategy
Carried
38
Building Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05
The bylaw implements the Provincial Zero Carbon Step Code for both Part 9 and Part 3 buildings. As of July 1, 2024, buildings must achieve zero carbon performance. This means that virtually all new buildings will be extremely energy efficient and will only be able to use energy systems that emit very little greenhouse gas. Buildings account for 31% of community greenhouse gas emissions, and most of this comes from burning fossil fuels for space heating and domestic hot water supply. Implementing this bylaw was a significant advancement of climate policy for Nanaimo. Here is a news article about the bylaw: https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/nanaimo-bans-natural-gas-as-primary-heat-in-new-homes-as-of-july-2024-7479488?
Carried