Hundreds turn out to speak as Vancouver mulls gas heating ban for new homes

Vancouver residents volition person to hold to find retired whether the metropolis volition let the usage of natural gas to vigor homes — oregon re-instate a prohibition connected fossil fuels successful caller builds.

More than 140 radical registered to talk astatine Vancouver City Hall connected Tuesday.

But councillors had truthful galore questions for metropolis unit that conscionable 3 speakers had a accidental to marque their case, postponing a last ballot connected the substance until aboriginal successful the week.

In July, Vancouver metropolis councillors narrowly voted to reverse a argumentation banning the usage of earthy state for vigor and blistery water.

Staff told councillors Tuesday that if they proceeded with the change, starting adjacent March builders would person the prime of gathering fully-electric buildings, oregon to proceed with developments that see earthy gas.

But unit told councillors that allowing the state enactment volition marque it acold much hard for the metropolis to conscionable its 2030 clime targets.

Under either option, state volition inactive beryllium permitted for cooking and fireplaces.

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The ongoing menace of clime alteration was raised galore times during deliberations, but councillors besides heard concerns astir the province’s energy supply.

Consecutive years of drought conditions person enactment unit connected British Columbia’s reservoirs, and consequently, its hydroelectricity system.

In 2023, BC Hydro had to import astir one-fifth of the energy it used.

While the Site C dam volition summation the province’s generating power, wide request is forecast to summation by 15 per cent oregon much earlier the extremity of the decade.