25 Sep 2023 Council meeting Environment

Building Bylaw Amendments - Implementation of BC Zero Carbon Step Code and Update to BC Energy Step Code

Motions decided by one vote
That “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” (to introduce Zero Carbon Step Code and revise BC Energy Step Code regulations) pass fi rst reading.
Minutes, page 10
That “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” pass second reading.
Minutes, page 10
That “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” pass third reading.
Minutes, page 11
The City’s vote record words it differently
That “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” (to introduce Zero Carbon Step Code and revise BC Energy Step Code regulations) pass first reading. That “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” pass second reading. That “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” pass third reading.
Sources
Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting
Staff reportPage 1
Purpose
To introduce amendments to “Building Bylaw 2016 No. 7224: for Council’s consideration to update BC Energy Step Code requirements and implement the BC Zero Carbon Step Code.
Staff report, page 1
Staff recommendation
That: 1. “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” (to introduce Zero Carbon Step Code and revise BC Energy Step Code regulations) pass first reading; 2. “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” pass second reading; 3. “Building Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7224.05” pass third reading.
Staff report, page 1
DocumentsStaff report about Environment & Natural Resources

Ben Geselbracht Yes

Council. Councilor Gezebrook. I believe you had some discussion you wanted to put to the table. This has been debated quite extensively. I think. In the last little while, there's been quite a lot of interest in this decision. And so I would just quickly summarize. This motion and bylaws the boat nanaimo taking responsibility for a fair share of emissions reduction. We are facing significant costs and challenges. Insurance costs because of floods, fire heat domes are increasing. We're spending more on emergency management and also. The municipal infrastructure that we're having to upgrade to deal with these extreme weather events. Collectively. We're in a bind because co2 emissions keep rising. And who takes responsibility to start reducing. Reducing them. And. I think. That. Council ten years ago. This has been a long time issue. Set targets. To be 30% below. Their 2010 levels and 2020 when we went out and measured we were actually 18% higher than where we were. And that's 11% more than what could be accounted to population growth. And so despite recognizing the problem and setting targets, we're still even outpacing what we'd expect from population growth. And I think if things keep continuing the way that we're going and we're not taking any meaning for measure, I think there's an accountability. Of some group denialism that we can continue on the path that we're doing. And our consultant that we hired to look at our emissions very clearly said that you're not going to reduce your emissions if you continue heating homes using fossil fuels and you have to fuel switch. And this Council is committed. We're committed to evidence based policy. And we have the technology now available to switch our homes over to be heated from high efficiency electric systems. And now. We have provincial legislation that actually allows us to enact it. And we have to make this decision. There's no way that we'll meet our targets if we don't accelerate this and implement it next year, because we're just adding new carbon emissions to our city. And for a small city like nanaimo not taking responsibility for emissions.

Paul Manly Yes

I will be supporting this and I know there's been a lot of emails coming into our inboxes. One way and another. And that's not necessarily what swaying me but. I would like to address some of the misconceptions about this. This is not a ban on natural gas. There's zero carbon STEPcode does not affect people with older homes. New homes will not be allowed to use oil or gas as a primary heat source, but it does not prevent people from using natural gas. For natural gas fireplaces, or. Stoves or having propane or wood stoves as secondary heat sources. They're all exempt from this code. And that's why. The companies that. Install gas fireplaces weren't consulted because they can go ahead and continue on with this. I know that fordis has said that they're not going to put gas lines in that is their prerogative as a monopoly that runs the gas supply. But in the city of Vancouver, they implemented a similar zero carbon STEPcode in January of. 2022 almost two years ago, and City of Vancouver staff have noted that fireplaces, gas fireplaces continue to be going into new developments. So. It's not going to ban. Fireplaces. Or stoves. I don't know why you'd want to burn. Gas in a stove because. It releases benzene, which is a carcinogenic chemical gives you cancer. It also releases nitrous oxide, which. Gives people asthma or affects people with COPD so. I would advise against using natural gas. As a cooking source, there's been wide consultation with builders in this community and construction companies, and they wanted certainty. And they say it's more feasible to do this in one go rather than. A bit at a time. It affects approximately 160 new homes built and most of the apartments that are being built in the community. Already are compliant with the zero carbon step code they're electrified in terms of what the past presenter said, I don't know why you would need more than 200 apps to power your house unless you're in a 10,000 square foot home. Because. I have a zero carbon house. I got a heat pump. I have a car that plugs in. Everything runs on electricity around here. And I have a 200 amp service like stove, lots of room on it. Heat pumps are more efficient and cost effective than gas furnaces. And that's according to an industry government report. That said that heat pumps are six to eight times more efficient. And. They're cost effective natural gas is going to become very expensive in British Columbia as soon as Alan G. Canada is online when we start to export LNG because we're going to be paying world price for natural gas. Right now we're paying what the Australians were paying when they first got their LNG facilities in. We pay $4.20 a gig of jewel that went up to $20 a gig of jewel in two years in Australia. In 2017, and it spiked to $800 a gigajoule in 2022. When their Ukraine war happened, we have a publicly owned utility, Gas furnaces shut off in a power outage because you still need electricity for the blower and the relays and the circuit boards and everything else. So we're in a climate emergency. We're watching not just BC, but not just Canada, but the world. Forests are burning. We're seeing extreme weather and extreme floods. The Arctic is warming and melting. We are in a climate emergency, and we have the responsibility to do something about it. I don't believe that this Council. We may not agree on everything. We all understand that climate change is real. We just may not agree that it needs to be done at the accelerated pace the same way.

Janice Perrino No

Go ahead. Thank you so much. I just want to thank everyone for being here. I know it's a long evening and we appreciate your passion. I want to start by saying that I deeply respect all of the members of this Council, even though we are divided on some issues. I appreciate the caring and concern of the people I was elect. Elected to work with. But at the end of the day, sorry, tonight, you're going to hear obviously some of our differences on this particular issue, but at the end of the day, we are a team supporting our community and this region. Having said that, I have some very grave concerns about this particular bylaw. I'll mention three reasons this bylaw doesn't stop the heating of homes by natural gas. Anyone building a new home can not only. Has to purchase a heat pump, but they can also have a gas barbecue and a gas fireplace. In fact, they can have several gas fireplaces in their home to. Heat as much as they want. They don't even have to use the heat pump. They can just use the gas fireplace. So once again, we are in the situation where those who can afford it will have whatever they want. Those who can't afford it will be forced to have baseboard heating in town. I've heard comments like Heat or Eat, and that for me, is a major concern. That people are forced to just do what they can. To abide by this bylaw the cost for families. Will be considerably higher using electricity alone. And for me this bylaw is unfair. The second is the amount of good that this bylaw does is not even a drop of water in the ocean. The natural gas that we don't use will simply be sold to some other community in BC. We're not changing a thing. Real leadership is advocating to our senior. Levels of government to improve how we receive natural gas, how it's processed, and the long term goals of how we safely heat our homes in BC, and finally, asking our local businesses to turn their businesses around in eight months is totally unfair. It is exactly why the provincial government agreed to the Zero Carbon Plan by 2030. Pushing this forward to 2024 is overstepping our role. It's unreasonable, and it's unfair. We're the people that help to create business in this community. We are here to support our businesses and promote businesses. For me, this bylaw is totally unfair. It does not support business and I won't be supporting it.

Ian Thorpe No

Councilor thorpe. Well. I wasn't going to madam chair, but. I will thank you. Thanks everybody for being here this evening. And I don't wish to re debate. And I know Council doesn't wish to re debate. Everybody has their opinions, and I don't think anybody is going to change. But I just want to point out that some of our discussion maybe most of it has been off topic because whether or not you support the oil and gas industry or. Support extinction. Rebellion is really irrelevant. This evening, the provincial government has mandated that cities follow obesity step Code and a carbon neutral step code with implementation guidelines. And this bylaw is not about whether or not we support the step code concept. If you don't, then talk to the provincial government, but. They've imposed that what we're dealing with is instead about the timing of the implementation. And I think councilor Gezzlebarok said. And I agree. And I'm always been pretty aggressive in reducing emissions. We've committed to following provincial step code guidelines where each step is taken and it's measured and it's monitored and it's evaluated. But now suddenly, we're proposing to leap over the steps to the highest level. Rushing to a very hurried implementation. Within one year. And that makes me weigh what are the tangible benefits of doing that against what are the tangible downsides. Benefits. Will certainly please the climate activists and I respect their opinions. And we keep hearing about climate emergency. But the fact is, in my opinion. And statistics we can use to justify anything. But in my opinion, nothing about our rushed implementation will have the slightest measurable impact on emissions. So then what is the tangible downsides? Well, what it will do, as I think councilor perino just mentioned is put an unreasonable stress on local builders and developers to comply very quickly. Local businesses will be adversely affected. We've heard that new homeowners will be adversely affected with a lack of choice it will take. Away consumer choice when it comes to heating and cooking. And to be honest with all due respect, I disagreed with several of the comments of councilor manley, who I admire, but I think he mentioned that we have heard from local developers and builders that they want to see this done quickly. Well, no, I disagree. We've had dozens of letters from local contractors, developers, builders, tradesmen, all saying the same thing. They're willing to go along with the step code, but they need time. To adjust their practices, to learn how to do it properly. And so rushing is not what they want. They're willing to follow the government guidelines as we are. They just think it's unfair and unwise to do it too quickly. Rushing, as it usually does, leads to unintended consequences. So I mean, counsel, we all have our only personal opinions and our beliefs. We're not here to push those. We're here to try and represent what's best for what we feel is the best interests of ordinary and Imo citizens. And I Please don't clap. Thank you. Thanks, chair. I believe. And I mean, this, whatever the intent, this rushing is unfair, I think to homeowners, it's unfriendly to business, it's unfriendly to consumers. And it's unfriendly to our economy. So for me, the downside. Greatly outweighs the benefit. And I urge counsel to think carefully about our duty to our citizens and vote it down tonight, at least until we have time for further discussion and consultation. 1 minute I'm done.