B.C. Climate Action Charter

B.C. communities commit to carbon neutrality by 2012

• See updated list of 174 local governments - March 31, 2009.
• Read Sept. 24, 2008 news release on Climate Action Revenue Incentive program.
• Read March 20, 2008 news release and backgrounder.
• Read original Sept. 26, 2007 news release.
• Download the B.C. Climate Action Charter (March 2009) [PDF 29 KB]
  Note: New signatories ~ please submit your signed copy of the Climate Action Charter to the Union of BC Municipalities.

The Province will offset the carbon tax for local governments who have committed to become carbon neutral by 2012, Premier Gordon Campbell announced last September during the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Penticton.

“The Climate Action Revenue Incentive program will be a new conditional grant equal to what local governments pay in the carbon tax, with only one string attached – to be eligible, communities must sign onto the Climate Action Charter and commit to becoming carbon-neutral by 2012,” said Premier Campbell. “If communities do that, and publicly report on their plan and progress in meeting that goal, they will be eligible to receive a grant equal to 100 per cent of their carbon tax costs.”

To date, 174 local governments have signed the B.C. Climate Action Charter, pledging to become carbon-neutral by 2012. The Province will work in partnership with the UBCM to develop a framework to accurately track what local governments pay annually in carbon tax. For the current year, the carbon emissions tax municipalities pay will have to be estimated. Supplementary estimates passed in March 2009 by the provincial legislature provided the funding for the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program grants to municipalities. For 2009 and future years, the Province is providing grants based on the previous year’s actual costs so that local governments can recover every penny they pay in carbon tax, without adding any burden to the property tax.

Local governments will be required to report annually on steps they are taking to become carbon-neutral by 2012. A similar program will be developed with boards of education.

List of Local Governments, as of March 31, 2009 

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