The Corporation of Delta has received over $190,000 from the provincial government in recognition of the municipality’s green initiatives.
Delta received the grant as part the B.C. government’s Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program (CARIP), which provides conditional grants to communities that have signed the Climate Action Charter in order to support their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Delta signed the charter in 2007.
Council previously resolved that these funds be directed to a “climate action reserve account” that will be used to fund greenhouse gas reduction ventures in conjunction with other capital projects.
“Committing to more efficient environmental practices also pays dividends in terms of a better quality of life and value to local ratepayers,” Delta North MLA Scott Hamilton said in a press release. “Local governments influence 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in British Columbia and Delta should be recognized for its efforts to reduce our carbon footprint.”
The charter voluntarily commits local government to three goals: becoming carbon neutral in civic corporate operations by 2012, measuring and reporting on their community greenhouse gas emissions profile, and creating complete, compact and more energy efficient communities.
Communities that have signed the charter are eligible to receive 100 per cent of the carbon tax paid on natural gas and vehicle fuels as a rebate through CARIP. In 2016, the province provided over $6.4 million in CARIP grants to local governments, and since 2008 has granted over $39 million.
Delta council approved the corporation’s Climate Change Initiative in July 2007, which includes a goal of reducing corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent below 2007 levels by 2015.
According to a report by the corporation’s office of climate action and environment from May 10, 2016, Delta’s corporate greenhouse gas emission baseline for 2007 was 7,411 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The report states Delta achieved its emission reduction goal as emissions associated with corporate buildings and fleet in 2015 were 5,798 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing a 21 per cent reduction from the 2007 levels equivalent to the emissions of approximately 320 vehicles over a one year period.
The report also say Delta achieved carbon neutrality for the fourth consecutive year through the use of carbon offset credits from two local projects: the household organic waste collection program and the Vancouver Landfill gas capture optimization greenhouse gas emission reduction project.