Tumbler Ridge Community Energy Plan
The Peace River Regional Energy and Emissions Project is a collaborative effort between the Peace River Regional District and the municipalities of Chetwynd, Pouce Coupe, Taylor and Tumbler Ridge to develop a community energy plans for each community and the rural areas in order to meet their voluntary commitments under the Climate Action Charter and the regulatory commitments under the “Green Communities” amendment to the Local Government Act (Bill 27, 2008). This report represents the District of Tumbler Ridge’s community energy plan. The full plan is available through the following link: District of Tumbler Ridge Community Energy Plan
Tumbler Ridge Community Energy Plan Background
A community energy plan clarifies the community’s desire for energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse
gas emissions over the next 10 to 20 years. Together the Peace River Regional District, the Districts of
Taylor, Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd, and the Village of Pouce Coupe are initiating a process to develop
Community Energy Plans (CEPs). The CEPs will define:
- An inventory of current energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
- Targets to reduce energy consumption and/or GHG emissions from the baseline;
- Actions that we can take to help us achieve these targets; and
- An implementation strategy to ensure the plan is a success.
The District of Tumbler Ridge CEP will focus on the rural areas that lie outside municipal
boundaries. Each municipality will also have its own CEP. The full Background information is available through the following link: District of Tumbler Ridge Community Energy Plan Background
Corporate Energy Plan
Tumbler Ridge Corporate Energy Plan
The Peace River Regional Energy and Emissions Project is a collaborative effort between the Peace River Regional District and the municipalities of Chetwynd, Pouce Coupe, Taylor and Tumbler Ridge to develop both corporate and community energy plans for each community and the rural areas in order to meet their voluntary commitments under the Climate Action Charter and the regulatory commitments under the “Green Communities” amendment to the Local Government Act (Bill 27 in 2007). This report represents the District of Tumbler Ridge’s corporate energy plan. The full plan is available through the following link: District of Tumbler Ridge Corporate Energy Plan
Tumbler Ridge Efficiency Corporate Opportunity Assessment
An opportunity assessment is an initial survey of facilities and their energy bills in order to determine the potential scope of a comprehensive energy efficiency retrofit. The opportunity assessment includes a review of the energy bills, a short walk-through of key facilities, and discussions with staff. From the information gathered, broad estimates of potential energy savings and project costs are made, and a financial analysis is performed.
The purpose of the opportunity assessment is to indicate to staff, council and the board the potential benefits, both financial and otherwise, from undertaking a comprehensive energy efficiency project. It should be understood that an opportunity assessment is NOT a comprehensive energy audit or study, and does not take the place of an engineering study. Rather, the opportunity assessment allows local governments to make informed decisions about if and how to proceed with more detailed assessments. The full assessment is available through the following link: District of Tumbler Ridge Corporate Opportunity Assessment
Tumbler Ridge Corporate Energy and Emissions Inventory Report
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in BC
There is increasing evidence that global climate change resulting from emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) are causing, or will soon cause, significant environmental impact on the ecology of the planet. In the past 2 years, the BC Government has embarked upon a number of initiatives to reduce GHG emissions in BC including:
- Setting a target of a 33% reduction in total province‐wide emissions by 2020 from 2007 levels.
- Requiring all ministries and other public sector organizations (PSOs) to become carbon neutral
beginning in 2010. - Requiring municipalities to incorporate GHG reduction targets, and strategies to reach them, into
their official community plans (OCPs) through the Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes
Amendment Act (Bill 27 – 2008). - Encouraging municipal governments to become proactive in achieving carbon neutrality in their
corporate operations by becoming signatories to the Climate Action Charter. Signatories commit to
achieving carbon neutrality in their municipal operations beginning in 2012 through a combination
of emission reductions and offsets. The District of Tumbler Ridge is a signatory to the climate action
charter.
Community and Corporate Emissions
This inventory addresses the corporate operations consumption and emissions. Actions to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are frequently divided into the realm of:
- Corporate emissions ‐ those that the municipality creates through its activities (and which it has control over) such as municipal building operations, recreation centres, vehicle fleets, and utility services); and
- Community emissions ‐ those that the residents and businesses in the community create through their activities. The municipality cannot directly control these, but may be able to influence through planning and program activities. These will be addressed in a separate phase of this project.
Carbon Neutrality
Carbon neutrality means that the operation of the local government will result in no net greenhouse gas
emissions to the atmosphere. Carbon neutrality results from a combination of:
- Reduction measures to reduce the GHG emissions from operations. This is accomplished through
retrofits, efficiency initiatives, and behavioral change of staff; and - Carbon Offsets, which are reductions made by others elsewhere in the community or province, through registered and reviewed projects that reduce GHG emissions. Owners of these offset projects may sell these ‘reduction credits’ to other parties that are working to neutralize their
carbon footprint.
The full report is available through the following link: District of Tumbler Ridge Corporate Opportunity Assessment
