Whereas the Province of British Columbia has introduced phased improvements to building energy efficiency requirements through the BC Energy Step Code and related amendments to the BC Building Code in support of CleanBC objectives and the transition toward net-zero energy-ready new construction by 2032; And whereas rural and northern communities experience significantly different climate conditions, infrastructure capacity, and energy system realities than larger urban centres, including longer heating seasons, limited electrical grid capacity and redundancy, and a continued reliance on reliable and diverse energy systems to support residential, commercial, and industrial buildings: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to ensure that future building energy regulations, implementation timelines, and related policies recognize regional infrastructure capacity, climate conditions, and energy system reliability considerations in rural and northern communities, and that these policies be developed in consultation with rural and northern local governments.
