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It is awards season! And this year, a new Climate & Energy Champion Award has been added to the Climate & Energy Action Awards. It’s our attempt to make sure the hidden heroes working quietly in local government are a little less unsung. Could you be the inaugural winner?
Plus, many other ways to weigh in on CEA’s research, learn and engage, with upcoming events and opportunities.
If you like what you read, please forward this newsletter to a friend or colleague and invite them to subscribe.
CEA NEWS - 2026 awards nominations are open until July 13, 2026
- Continued engagement on LGCAP’s future
- CEA members invited to the Annual General Meeting
- Welcome to CEA, Annabelle Harris!
OPPORTUNITIES - Don’t apply for FCM's climate adaptation grant... until you have CEA in your corner!
- Share your experience with EV charging in the workplace
RECENT EVENTS - Kootenay peer network explores regional climate resilience
- HPSC Forum in Kamloops
- Gearing up for more retrofits in Terrace, BC
- CEA reconnects at PluginBC’s fleets summit
- Energy efficiency showcase in Prince George, BC
SPOTLIGHT RESOURCE - Low-carbon, safe transportation for everyone
UPCOMING EVENTS - Renewable Energy: A Power-ful Opportunity
- The Power of Natural Assets
- Peer network meetings
- Save-the-Date: builders' training in Gitanmaax
| | | | | | | | | | 2026 awards nominations are open until July 13, 2026
Let’s celebrate the unsung heroes of climate action in BC - the staff and elected officials in local governments and Indigenous communities working to advance initiatives related to climate and energy in their communities!
The longstanding Climate & Energy Action Awards recognize projects that contribute to resiliency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide related benefits that are setting the community up for future success.
New this year is a Climate & Energy Champion Award for an employee or elected official from a CEA member community who has taken initiative, influenced others, and helped integrate meaningful climate solutions into organizational practices and the community.
Nominations are due by Noon on Monday, July 13, 2026.
| | | | Thank you to the awards sponsors: BC Hydro, Union of BC Municipalities, Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia.
| | | | | | Continued engagement on LGCAP’s future
CEA continues to engage with municipalities and provincial government around BC’s Local Government Climate Action Program. 2026 is the last year that funding has been committed to the program.
Since it was established in 2022, LGCAP has distributed just over $120 million to local governments and Modern Treaty Nations in support of local capacity and infrastructure related to climate and resiliency.
CEA has also heard from communities across the province that have leveraged the LGCAP funds to secure almost dollar-for-dollar match funding, unlocking additional capital and capacity.
Municipalities have given us a clear message: recapitalizing LGCAP will ensure local governments and Modern Treaty Nations continue to contribute to impactful local climate resilience.
CEA's CEO Megan Lohmann has met with government officials and will be presenting to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services in mid-June as part of Budget 2027 consultations. More updates will be provided as we work through the government consultation process.
Member support enables CEA to direct efforts toward LGCAP engagement in a manner that is time sensitive and nimble. Learn more about becoming a member.
| | | | CEA members invited to the Annual General Meeting
CEA will be hosting our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 from 10–11:30 a.m. PT. The meeting will be held virtually.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Grace Nosek, an author, organizer, and scholar focusing on challenging climate misinformation, youth engagement, storytelling, and building robust democracy.
Members have been sent a registration link. If you did not receive your link, or if you are interested in becoming a member, please reach out to our Membership Team at membership@communityenergy.ca.
| | | | | | Welcome to CEA, Annabelle Harris!
Annabelle Harris is CEA’s new Climate Adaptation and Resilience Lead, bringing experience in built environment sustainability, climate risk, decarbonization, and biodiversity.
At CEA, Annabelle will focus on climate adaptation and low-carbon resilience planning, supporting communities in addressing current and future impacts of climate change.
Annabelle lives in the territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw in Squamish, BC.
| | | | | | | | | | Don’t apply for FCM's climate adaptation grant... until you have CEA in your corner! Municipalities developing climate adaptation plans, risk assessments, and capacity-building initiatives can receive up to $140,000 from the Green Municipal Fund’s Climate-Ready Plans and Processes grant. CEA can help maximize your chances of a successful application and access bonus funding. - We have supported applications in previous intakes and delivered the work for successful applicants.
- Our team can ensure projects are carefully scoped, equity and reconciliation measures are included, and achievable, measurable outcomes are targeted.
- We can also manage a regional or cohort approach giving you access to additional funding and the opportunity to collaborate for shared learning, peer support, and efficiencies.
Learn more about what you get with CEA in your corner.
| | | | Photo: Active wildfire in Squamish, BC in June, 2025 (EB Adventure Photography).
| | | | | | Share your experience with EV charging in the workplace
BC Hydro and CEA are developing a practical guide to help employers bring more EV charging to their workplaces.
We want to hear from BC-based employers (public, private, of all sizes) providing EV charging to employees. Your perspectives will help us better understand what works, what challenges employers are facing, and what guidance would be most useful to include in the guide.
| | | | | | | | | | | | Kootenay peer network explores regional climate resilience
Kootenay Regional Peer Network explored ways to inspire action in the region, during the group’s first in-person relationship-building event at St Eugene, aqam (near Cranbrook) on May 25 and 26.
Around 30 people represented the East and West Kootenays’ municipalities, post-secondary institutions, tourism industry, and NGOs at the event, which aimed to build relationships, celebrate the great work happening in the region, and learn from each other. Topics ranged from personal resilience, to how we talk about climate, and what collaboration could look like going forward.
One participant said: "This event feels like the start of something powerful for the region. I am energized to collaborate with others to help our region be resilient.”
This event was made possible with support from Elk Valley Resources, the Province of BC, Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Real Estate Foundation of BC.
| | | | | | HPSC Forum in Kamloops
CEA partnered with Home Performance Stakeholders Council to co-host a contractor's forum in Kamloops last month.
The event offered retrofit professionals the opportunity to hear from peers about the latest developments in the retrofit industry, including recent updates to the provincial rebate program, how to market the benefits of retrofits and energy upgrades, and a case study on a residential air-to-air heat pump install.
Information about the event, including presentations, is available through to the end of June.
| | | | | | Gearing up for more retrofits in Terrace, BC
Building and housing professionals used real data from a north-west BC home to map out options and costs for a retrofit to make it more comfortable and energy efficient.
The exercise was part of an Integrated Design Process (IDP) charette for building professionals and housing staff that was facilitated by CEA staff in northwest BC in May.
The IDP approach brings a coordinated team of sub-trades together early in a project to identify potential issues and streamline work.
Participants used the results of an energy assessment and F280-12 heat loss and gain calculations to assess the merits of different retrofit options and to identify potential costs and rebate and opportunities.
The charette was presented by CEA and Nisga'a Lisims Government with support from BC Hydro through the Building A Legacy initiative.
| | | | | | CEA reconnects at PluginBC’s fleets summit
CEA’s Danielle Wiess spoke at PluginBC’s Zero-Emission Fleets: Reconnect 2026 on June 2, 2026 (pictured above). The event in Vancouver was a chance to learn about the latest developments in medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) zero emission vehicle (ZEV) technology and to network with others on the road to fleet electrification.
After CEA’s own Fleet Forward showcases last year, Danielle was excited to see many of the same vendors, innovators and fleet managers at the event. “It felt like everyone in the room was someone we’ve supported through our educational initiatives, someone we’ve collaborated with or encouraged others to collaborate with,” Danielle shared.
The importance of collaboration is the message Danielle brought to the audience. The community working to advance zero emission MHD technology is energized, knowledgeable, and looking to build things together. In this context, CEA’s ability to connect and forge collaborations is sowing rewards.
“I think this event showed that the connections we enabled through our MHD ZEV Beyond Awareness initiative and specifically the in-person Fleet Forward events have proven out. I heard adoption stories from people I’d met at our events. And I heard about pilot projects and funding that’s come together because of people connecting at our events.”
Visit CEA's Fleet Forward webpage to view resources related to MHD ZEV fleets and technology.
| | | | | | Energy efficiency showcase in Prince George, BC
A campus-wide retrofit of the College of New Caledonia and a geo exchange system at a local high school were two of the projects featured during an event presented by CEA’s Building a Legacy program and the Northern BC Climate Action Network in Prince George.
From the experiences of real local projects, participants learned that reducing energy use and incorporating local, renewable sources of energy are often the low-cost options, especially when up-front financial incentives and long-term cost savings are included.
| | | | | | | | | | Low-carbon, safe transportation for everyone
CEA worked with the BC Assembly of First Nations to prepare a province-wide analysis of the challenges, gaps and opportunities of transportation for First Nations communities.
The First Nations Low-Carbon Transportation Assessment Report and Action Plan aims to promote and accelerate access to safe, affordable, and reliable low-carbon and active transportation.
A companion planning guide gives communities a step-by-step framework to develop their own safe, equitable and low-carbon transportation plan, even if staff do not have pre-existing technical knowledge.
| | | | | | Renewable Energy: A Power-ful Opportunity
BC Hydro’s recent calls for power will result in more renewable energy projects all over BC. What’s in it for communities? What’s already operating and what’s planned? How can working together and raising awareness of renewable energy bring more local benefits?
Renewable Energy in the Southern Interior
📅 June 10, 2026 ⏰ 10 a.m–Noon
📍 Kelowna, in conjunction with the Keeping it Rural conference🎟️ RSVP for Free
| | | | The Power of Natural Assets
Hear from the Natural Assets Initiative about the power of natural assets. This session will provide an overview of natural asset management, how it can be applied by local governments, and its intersections with climate risk and adaptation.
Guest speaker: Roy Brooke – Executive Director, Natural Assets Initiative
📅 Wednesday, June 10, 2026 ⏰ Noon PT / 1 p.m. MT
📍 Register on Zoom
| | | | Peer network meetings
CEA facilitates a number of peer networks that bring together local practitioners in various regions, on different topics. Learn more about the Peer Networks and sign up.
Retrofit Peer Network
June 11, 2026
The Home Energy Planner team, BC Hydro, and other retrofit programs will share how to deliver better communications and promotions, while highlighting tools that drive uptake.
Resilience Peer Network
June 17, 2026 A valuable opportunity to learn, share challenges, and connect with other members.
Alberta Climate Leaders Staff Peer Network
June 18, 2026 Exploring practical approaches to framing climate initiatives in relation to council priorities, communicating technical work more effectively, and building stronger internal support for climate action. To join or learn more about the Alberta Climate Leaders Peer Networks, find out more at albertaclimateleaders.ca/peer-networks.
Building Officials Peer Network
June 25, 2026
Thompson-Okanagan Climate Action Network
July 7, 2026
Learn from community organizations that have incorporated equity and inclusion into their emergency management and recovery planning projects.
| | | | Save-the-Date: builders' training in Gitanmaax
Hands-on training for high-performance new construction and achieving higher steps of the BC Energy Step Code
📅 July 6–8, 2026 📍 Gitanmaax, BC To be added to an invitation list please email richardjoseph1962@gmail.com.
Contractors, trades students, pre-apprentices, housing and capital assets staff are invited to join this hands-on, in-person training focused on high-performance techniques in new construction. In collaboration with Fraser Basin Council, BC Institute of Technology and Community Energy Association, the community of Gitanmaax is delivering a dynamic mix of theory and practical application to help prepare for residential building to the upper steps of the BC Energy Step Code.
Topics covered through both theory and practical application will include: - House-as-a-System approach,
- Foundational building science concepts,
- Air tightness, penetrations and ventilation, and,
- Best practices for integrating mechanical systems
Instructed by Richard Joseph, Cody Brenzten (Envelopes 1st Consulting & Contracting) and Shawn Wiebe (High Performance Building Inc.).
| | | | Our Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation
The Community Energy Association commits to the principles of Truth and Reconciliation. As an organization, we support the Calls to Action released by the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
and recognize the importance of the self determination of Indigenous Peoples as articulated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. | | Thank you for subscribing to the CEA Newsletter, our monthly update on local climate and energy initiatives connected to the Community Energy Association. No longer interested? You can easily unsubscribe or update your preferences | | | | | |
