Starting July 1, 2024, new homes being built in Nanaimo will no longer be allowed to use natural gas as the primary heat source. (Dreamstime)

By Jordan Davidson

going electric

Nanaimo fast-tracks carbon zero plans by reducing natural gas heat sources

Aug 29, 2023 | 4:08 PM

NANAIMO — Using natural gas as a primary home heating source will soon become a thing of the past in the Harbour City.

During the Monday, Aug. 28 meeting, city councillors voted 5-4 in favour of adopting the Provincial Zero Carbon Step Code, which requires all new builds of homes, as well as small and large buildings, to meet the highest level of carbon reduction by July 1, 2024.

In most cases, reaching the level would require the full electrification of a building as the primary source of heat for the interior as well as the building’s water.

The move does not prohibit the use or installation of gas or wood fireplaces as a secondary or emergency source of heating.

Public speaks
Around two dozen residents and stakeholders spoke at the meeting, with opinions ranging from concerns about the environment to those in the heating industry who worry about the financial effects.

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Chris Bowen, general manager of Nanaimo’s Pioneer Fireplace, expressed concern about what it would mean if he was no longer able to sell natural gas fireplaces for new homes.

“A proposed ban on natural gas in new homes would result in a reduction in revenue of approximately 30 per cent. This would be the case despite the diverse range of products we offer, including a broad range of electric heating appliances.”

He said the primary concerns he’s heard from customers related to electric heating include the high cost, “low-quality heat”, and unreliability in the case of power outages.

Local environmental activist Vic Brice was one of many who spoke in support of the motion.

He said he cancelled his FortisBC account two years ago and has used electric heat pumps ever since, and referenced the current air quality in Nanaimo due to the ongoing wildfires as an obvious sign things need to change.

“We don’t have time. Fortis tells us we have to go slow. We can’t do that. For our future, for our kid’s future, we have to change now.”

FortisBC
Following Council’s decision, FortisBC released a statement saying they are disappointed but are committed to “achieving a lower-carbon energy future for B.C.”

“This decision will not only cut off homes and businesses from access to low-carbon energy options, such as renewable natural gas today and hydrogen in the future, but will also reduce affordability during a time when British Columbians are feeling the impacts of increased cost of living,” read the statement from Jason Wolfe, director of energy solutions.

Wolfe also presented at Monday’s meeting, trying to sway Council’s mind.

Council direction
Coun. Ben Geselbracht said Nanaimo is in line with global trends to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and reaching the targets of reducing global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid disastrous weather events from occurring at a more frequent rate.

“There is a limit of how much stuff we can burn in the atmosphere…the insurance company numbers are showing that society is paying dearly for it, and there’s a basic concept of fair share. Every level of government and organization needs to take their fair share of responsibility for reducing their emissions to meet these targets to avoid these catastrophic changes.”

Coun. Hilary Eastmure, Erin Hemmens, Tyler Brown and Paul Manly joined Geselbracht in favour of requiring all new builds to meet the highest zero carbon performance levels by July 2024.

Mayor Leonard Krog along with coun. Ian Thorpe, Sheryl Armstrong and Janice Perrino voted against.

Perrino said the province set the goal of 2030 in order to give the industry time to adjust and not burden developers and others in the industry.

“This (vote) is a tough one. We’re going to get there, the government said 2030 is the final date, absolutely, and I’m pleased that we’re going to get there. I’d be thrilled if the government came back and said 2024, but they haven’t. They said 2030, and that’s for me the most difficult part of this.”

This puts Nanaimo’s timeline to achieving zero-carbon targets faster than the province’s goal of 2030.

According to BC Hydro, 70 per cent of energy used in the province is currently from fossil fuels, with 19 per cent from electricity and 11 per cent from biomass.

B.C. introduced the zero carbon step code on May 1 in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in new buildings.

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