Climate Action

Climate Action Charter

Maple Ridge's Council voluntarily became a signatory to the British Columbia Climate Action Charter in 2009. Through this action, the city has committed to achieving carbon neutral operations and measuring GHGs in the city, while also supporting the development of complete, compact communities.

Under the Climate Action Charter, a joint Provincial – Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) effort created the Green Communities Committee (GCC). The mandate of the GCC is to ensure effective implementation of charter commitments and to go further to ensure that local governments have the necessary tools and support to address climate change. Over 170 local governments in British Columbia have signed the British Columbia Climate Action Charter.

Community Energy and Emissions Inventory

The Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI) provides an assessment of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and other supporting indicators at the community level. The inventory is intended to provide local government and interested parties with usable information that helps them achieve their Climate Action Charter commitments.

Energy use and GHG emission estimates are provided for four major sectors:

• Buildings
• On-road transportation
• Solid waste
• Land-use change from deforestation

There are also seven supporting indicators, including housing type, residential density, greenspace and proximity to transit. You can access the data from Maple Ridge and other municipality's CEEIs here.

Climate Action Revenue Incentive Report

The Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program (CARIP) was a conditional grant program that provided funding from the provincial government to Climate Action Charter signatories equivalent to 100 percent of the carbon taxes they paid directly. This funding supported local governments in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move forward on achieving their Charter goals. The program was replaced by the Local Government Climate Action Program for the 2021 reporting year.

In order to receive the funding, each year local governments were required to publicly report on their progress towards meeting their charter goals, as well as actions planned for the future.

July 26, 2021 - 2020 Traditional Services Inventory

Climate Action Plan

The Province of British Columbia is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 , based on 2010, with an interim target of 45% by 2030. Through the development of the Climate Action Plan (Bill 44), the province has implemented a range of initiatives related to climate change and environmental management. The plan prioritizes citizen empowerment, low-carbon development, and sustainable forestry, as well as championing innovation and creating green communities.

Green Communities Act

In May, 2008, Bill 27, the Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Amendment Act, was enacted by the provincial government. The intent of this bill is to facilitate more sustainable initiatives within British Columbian municipalities when planning and managing land use by having them consider climate issues and energy conservation approaches. Through this legislation, the Local Government Act was amended to require each municipality to establish targets, policies and actions for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Because of the Green Communities Act, Maple Ridge includes GHG targets, tracking and communication in the Official Community Plan (OCP). A list of Official Community Plan Policies that support GHG emission reductions are included in the OCP.

• Frequently Asked Questions about the Green Communities Act

July 28, 2023 - 2022 Traditional Services Inventory