The Pembina Institute is calling on the B.C. government to ensure that economic relief and stimulus programs enhance and accelerate progress toward the vision and goals of the province’s climate plan, CleanBC.

The Institute has released Rebuilding a Resilient B.C., an action plan for investing in jobs and better health and well-being for British Columbians. The action plan outlines four principles for a resilient recovery in B.C. and offers recommendations in support of low-carbon homes and buildings, clean transportation, and clean energy.

These recommendations include:

• Position B.C. to be a leading supplier of renewable fuels.
• Set B.C. on a path to be a leading producer and consumer of low-carbon and zero-carbon hydrogen.
• Grow and train the workforce and develop the supply chain for building retrofits.
• Raise incentive caps to deepen retrofits of homes and buildings.
• Provide funding for capital and operating costs for transit.
• Invest in active transportation.

“Across Canada and elsewhere, B.C. is being commended for its deft navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now B.C. has another opportunity to show leadership — by rebuilding the economy to ensure our province’s future resilience,” said Karen Tam Wu, B.C. director at the Pembina Institute.

For low-carbon homes and buildings, the Institute recommends:

• Raising incentive caps to deepen retrofits of homes and buildings.
• Boosting funding to accelerate retrofits and construction of social and Indigenous housing.
• Investing in deeper retrofits of public buildings.
• Growing and training the workforce and develop the supply chain.