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As we await the return of spring, it may be that evergreens are on the mind... In any case, this month we begin a new section spotlighting ever-relevant stories and resources that we don't want you to have missed.
And we start with opportunities to join a new peer network, provide your residents with retrofit support, and more.
If you like what you read, please forward this newsletter to a friend or colleague and invite them to subscribe.
CEA NEWS - Retrofit Support
- Elected officials invited to join new Alberta Climate Leaders network
- Focus on Solar and Battery Permitting
SPOTLIGHTS - Why Daylu Dena installed BC's northernmost EV charger
- Zero Carbon Step Code - local government policy planning companion
- Energy Independence in Three Steps (Starting with Solar)
- Peer Network Meetings
MEMBERS - All in the Family: Celebrating CEA Members
| | | | | | | | | | Retrofit Support
Many communities have priorities related to housing supply, affordability, the local economy, resiliency, and climate action. All of them can be achieved simply by supporting energy retrofits of existing homes.
CEA’s Retrofit Assist has been operating since 2022 and has so far helped hundreds of homeowners identify retrofit priorities, connect with contractors, and access rebates. To date, those rebates have totalled more than $750,000 and most homeowners completing retrofits are able to cut their energy consumption by 31% (and make their home WAY more comfortable).
Check out this latest example from Kimberley, where rebates covered 80% of the cost of a retrofit that is cutting energy consumption by 70%.
These are the kinds of opportunities available in communities that participate in Retrofit Assist. Interested? Check out this opportunity to join other communities that are part of the Retrofit Assist family.
| | | | | | | | Elected officials invited to join new Alberta Climate Leaders network
When municipal elections took place in Alberta last fall, the first chapter closed for the Alberta Climate Leaders program (CEA’s collaboration with the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre).
The program had launched in 2022 with the Alberta Municipal Climate Leadership Council (AMCLC), which connected elected officials and fostered cross-municipal relationships. With elections approaching last fall, the council’s 45 members signed off for the last time, some heading to the polls and others to life after elected office.
Now in 2026, MCCAC and CEA are excited to open a new chapter for Alberta Climate Leaders. Leaning on a stronger peer network model, the Elected Officials Peer Network (EPN) is a new opportunity for municipal elected officials to connect, share, and develop new skills. It’s a peer-led forum for gaining practical insights on navigating climate, resilience, and infrastructure-related decisions in an Alberta context.
With the EPN, Alberta Climate Leaders continues to provide an integrated suite of resources: learners can access the Climate Leaders Playbook, visualize potential impacts with the Climate Action Explorer, and join a peer network for support with implementation.
Learn more and please share with your colleagues across Alberta.
| | | | | | | | Focus on Solar and Battery Permitting
There are now more than 15,000 solar and/or battery systems installed in BC Hydro’s service area and the introduction of new rebates in 2024 revealed inconsistent permitting at the local government level as a potential challenge for installers. While an electrical permit is always required and is issued by Technical Safety BC, a building permit is issued by the local government and is required by some, but not all, local governments.
While a single process across the province has appeal, a new CEA Solar and Battery Permitting Guide for Local Governments acknowledges that there is no single “best practice” given different circumstances around BC. Instead, the guide provides suggestions related to community education, improving procedures, and opportunities for regional collaboration.
About 100 participants from around BC joined a webinar last month to learn more, provide feedback and ask questions, and consider how the new resource could be useful in their communities. Discussion during the webinar also involved structural requirements related to snow loads and the importance of maintaining FireSmart practices.
| | | | | | | | | | | | Why Daylu Dena installed BC's northernmost EV charger
Lower Post is the farthest north community in BC, with many of the Kaska community's daily needs (shopping, schools, healthcare) 23 km away in Watson Lake, Yukon.
Living in a region deeply affected by climate change, but also needing to regularly travel long distances, the community is looking for low-carbon transportation solutions that can help build a safe future.
As part of these efforts, the community installed its first electric vehicle charger in fall 2024. Learn more about Daylu Dena Council's efforts from Deputy Chief Harlan Schilling.
This video was produced as part of the First Nations Low-Carbon Transportation project, a five-year project (2022–27) being led by the BC Assembly of First Nations climate team, with support from the Community Energy Association and funding support from the BC Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions.
The project is aligned with the BCAFN's goal to “ensure reliable and affordable low-carbon and active transportation within and between First Nations communities” and to “support First Nations in reducing reliance on fossil fuels.”
| | | | | | | | | | Zero Carbon Step Code - local government policy planning companion
This document consolidates current information about the Zero Carbon Step Code and explains how it relates with the Energy Step Code and other provincial building requirements. It serves as a practical reference for local government staff involved in planning, building policy, or climate action.
For local governments with limited capacity, this document can serve as a starting point for developing a Zero Carbon Step Code implementation pathway, which could lower a community’s emissions and encourage more local, renewable energy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | Energy Independence in Three Steps (Starting with Solar)
An upcoming webinar series will help homeowners understand how they can gain home energy independence, insulating themselves from utility costs and some of the impacts of extreme weather.
The first session will be an introduction to solar power and include what to consider when adding solar panels, finding an installer, and available incentives. Later sessions will dive into the integration of electric vehicle (EV) chargers, home battery storage, and how to achieve grid resilience.
Please encourage people in your community to attend this free webinar:
Power On with Solar Panels
📅 Thursday, March 19, 2026 ⏰ Noon-1 p.m. Pacific
đź“Ť RSVP for Free
| | | | Peer Network Meetings
Retrofit Peer Network March 12, 2026
Encouraging solar installations in retrofits.
Thompson-Okanagan Climate Action Network (TOCAN) March 24, 2026
Identifying training programs for local government staff.
Vancouver Island & Coastal Climate Action Network (VICCAN) March 25, 2026
Reviewing recent workshops on building relationships with Indigenous communities.
Lower Mainland Peer Network March 25, 2026
Exploring collaboration and coordination opportunities with Indigenous communities.
Alberta Climate Leaders Staff Peer Network March 26, 2026
Identifying shared priorities for advancing climate action in 2026.
Embodied Emissions Peer Network April 9, 2026
| | | | | | | | All in the Family: Celebrating CEA Members
As a non-profit, CEA relies on members to both support and amplify our work. THANK YOU to the communities and organizations that are joining with us as members in 2026.
If your community or organization is on this list, pump your fist and say a quiet “yesss.” If it isn’t, well, don’t you think it’s time to join one of the best groups of community-based energy and climate action experts anywhere? Find the details on our website or contact us anytime.
| | - Bowen Island
- Capital Regional District
- Courtenay
- Cowichan Valley Regional District
- Delta
- Fernie
- Gibsons
- Granisle
- Kamloops
- Kelowna
- Kimberley
- Kootenay-Boundary Regional District
- Lumby
| | - Mackenzie
- Metro Vancouver
- Municipal Finance Authority of BC
- Nelson
- New Hazelton
- North Vancouver (both the City and the District)
- Penticton
- Planning Institute of BC
- Prince George
- Province of BC (Climate Action Secretariat)
- Quesnel
- Real Estate Foundation of BC
- Rossland
| | - Saanich
- Salmon Arm
- Smithers
- Squamish Nation
- Summerland
- Thompson-Nicola Regional District
- Sunshine Coast Regional District
- Union of BC Municipalities
- University of British Columbia
- Urban Development Institute
- Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- Whistler
| | | | | | 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 | | | | | |
