Enhanced Retrofit Programs for Part 3 Buildings

Whereas the Province of British Columbia has set sectoral targets to reduce greenhouse gas GHG emissions by 59 to 64 below 2007 levels by 2030 for buildings and communities, but is so far falling short of those targets with only a 10 reduction achieved in 2020 as reported in the 2022 Climate Change Accountability Report; And whereas encouraging building retrofits and electrification are critical strategies to address health risks associated with overheating in buildings as a result of warming temperatures, and to reduce GHG emissions from the operation of existing buildings, which represent a significant proportion of community emissions for local governments; And whereas the current rate of low-carbon retrofits and the uptake of current CleanBC programs for Part 3 commercial and multi-family buildings are inadequate to meet provincial and local government climate targets and support market development: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province improve the programs available to Part 3 buildings of all types, including increasing the incentive amounts available for feasibility studies and retrofits, addressing key gaps such as in-suite measures for multi-family buildings, and providing enhanced support services to help Part 3 building owners and managers navigate the retrofit process from beginning to end.