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Intro
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CEA News - 2025 Climate & Energy Action Award winners!
- In dialogue at UBCM: coming together for climate action
- Retrofit Assist rapid response helps 36 homeowners deal with closing federal incentive program
CEA in Action
- Fleet Forward is coming to Prince George and Kamloops
- Kickstarting implementation projects on the Prairies
- Building Code requirement for heating and cooling calculations
- Safeguarding natural infrastructure while taking climate action in Gibsons, BC
Get Involved - Job alert: Accelerating Community Energy Transformation
- Make money from public EV chargers
- Upcoming events
| | | | | | | | | | 2025 Climate & Energy Action Award winners!
Congratulations to Kelowna, Maple Ridge, New Westminster and North Cowichan, alongside the Nisga’a Lisims Government, Uchucklesaht Tribe Government, and the University of British Columbia – all recipients of 2025 Climate & Energy Action awards.
The ceremony took place in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention, and the announcement of each winning community was accompanied by cheers and applause reminiscent of the Academy Awards! It was all in a spirit of friendly celebration, recognizing that whether communities won or not, they are all advancing projects of significant local impact.
Read more about this year’s winners and about all 29 nominees.
Thank you to the sponsors for helping make this celebration possible, including Gold sponsors BC Hydro and Vancity, along with FortisBC, the Province of BC, the Real Estate Foundation of BC, and the Union of BC Municipalities.
| | | | | | In dialogue at UBCM: coming together for climate action
Finding connections between climate, the economy, and environmental sustainability – all at the level of communities and the well-being of residents – shaped a unique conversation at UBCM involving government ministers, senior staff, and local government leaders. The event was hosted by CEA and the BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council (BCMCLC).
Similar dialogues have been held at UBCM for years, but this one had the most participation from the Province of BC and there was much commitment to collaboration expressed by all participants.
Read more about the dialogue and learn about joining the BCMCLC.
| | | | | | Retrofit Assist rapid response helps 36 homeowners deal with closing federal incentive program
When the Federal Government announced on Sept. 17 that the Canada Greener Homes Loan program would permanently close from Oct. 1, CEA’s Retrofit Assist team knew it would impact a lot of planned energy upgrade projects.
The process to apply normally takes two months and includes getting an EnerGuide evaluation, reviewing the Energy Advisor’s report, and getting quotes from contractors.
But Retrofit Assist coordinators Natasha Del Bosco and Amber Davis were able to help 36 participants complete the application within the two-week deadline, assisted by several other team members!
This rapid response was only possible because of Retrofit Assist’s close connections with Energy Advisors Capital Home Energy, CLEAResult, Nate Serada of EnergyAdvise, and Sean Swimwood of AmeriSpec, who completed extra evaluations and reports, some within 24 hours, instead of the normal two weeks.
“This kind of situation is exactly why Retrofit Assist exists,” says Program Manager Mariah Byers. "Our team is able to keep track of rebate requirements and guide homeowners and tenants through the process, using our local authorized contractors to make it less overwhelming for individuals.
“We are glad to be able to help these 36 participants complete their evaluation in time, and we will continue to help other participants maximize rebates from the remaining incentive programs.”
Retrofit Assist offers free, one-to-one guidance on energy upgrades to homeowners and tenants in Kamloops, East Kootenay, Vernon, Rossland, Squamish and Whistler.
| | | | | | | | | | Fleet Forward is coming to Prince George and Kamloops
Our free Fleet Forward event series is the easiest way to learn about medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles and speak directly with peers and experts about the opportunities and challenges of integrating new technologies into existing fleets.
Upcoming events include Prince George on Oct. 15, 2025 and Kamloops on Oct. 29, 2025. We'll facilitate conversations covering technologies, funding, suppliers, and procurement. See vehicles from Rizon Trucks and Roseneau, and hear from local low-carbon fuel producers, early adopters, and fleet managers. Ask questions and share insights that can help with your own planning and decision making.
The Victoria and Burnaby events took place in September, and were attended by fleet managers, procurement officers and operations directors from across a wide variety of organizations who commented on the benefits of hearing different perspectives and experiences.
We have financial support available for regional participants to travel to the event. Please email Toby Quantrell at tquantrell@communityenergy.ca for more information.
Events are free and open to all. Please register in advance:
📅 Prince George: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025
📅 Kamloops: Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025
| | | | | | Kickstarting implementation projects on the Prairies
Small and mid-sized communities often need support taking their energy and climate goals from the planning stage to implementation.
Next week, Prairie communities can receive some free, expert coaching to help make that leap from actively planning climate or energy projects to having a project ready to launch. The Project Initiation Workshop on Oct. 8, 2025 in Red Deer, AB is open to staff and leaders from municipalities and Indigenous communities across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Through hands-on work with advisors, including CEA’s Katherine McDougall, participants will be able to advance a project concept—by refining the project scope, detailing a financial strategy, and identifying possible contractors and a path to success.
“I’m looking forward to hearing from small and rural communities—there are cool projects happening there that don’t get enough attention,” Katherine shared. “And I’m going to listen for their challenges, and to understand what is leading them to implementation—whether it’s an action plan, cost savings, grant availability, etc.”
Katherine will provide her expertise on energy generation, including biogas utilization, district energy, and solar PV. And she sees the day being valuable for some of the CEA work she has ongoing in Prairies communities such as Gravelbourg, SK and Lethbridge, AB.
The Project Initiation Workshop is hosted by QUEST Canada and the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre.
| | | | | | Free training for building officials on Building Code requirement for heating and cooling calculations
The Canadian Standards Association’s F280-12 standard is a recognized method for calculating heat loss and heat gain. In fact, the BC Building Code requires F280-12 calculations when sizing equipment for new homes and retrofits. And increasingly, municipalities are enforcing this code requirement.
That means building officials, local builders and contractors need to know how to collect data for F280-12 calculations and how to interpret the data to choose the optimal heat pump equipment.
CEA is bringing in the experts at Ecolighten Energy Solutions for two free, online training sessions to help spread the required knowledge about F280-12 throughout municipalities and industry.
Building officials, builders, energy advisors and contractors, RSVP for free for both of the upcoming webinars:
📅 Stop Guessing and Start Using F280-12 Oct. 16, 2025
📅 How to Interpret F280-12 Calculations Nov. 20, 2025
| | | | | | Safeguarding natural infrastructure while taking climate action in Gibsons, BC
The Town of Gibsons is safeguarding and enhancing its forests, aquifers, creeks, and coastline with its award-winning natural asset management—treating natural habitats as essential infrastructure that protects our community and reduces costs.
Now, the town is working on a new climate action plan. Could these two approaches align? You bet! In fact, Gibsons is already adapting to climate risk by restoring degraded habitats in Charman and Goosebird Creeks.
CEA is helping deliver the Gibsons Low Carbon Resilience Climate Action Plan and helping figure out how to bring together natural asset management, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and community resilience measures.
And on Oct. 22, 2025, CEA’s Andrea Hedley will lead an interactive activity designed to spark practical ideas for bringing together climate action and ecological stewardship. She will be joined by the Town of Gibsons’ Michelle Lewis for this free event hosted by BlueAct Marine Society.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Make money from public EV chargers
Did you know that if you operate a public charger in BC there is an opportunity for you to make money from it?
CEA’s Carbon Credit Aggregation Service allows you to pool BC Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) carbon credits with other owners across the province.
Single communities may not generate many credits by themselves but aggregating credits from many local governments, community organizations, strata and private owners, creates a larger pool of potentially higher value credits. CEA can then arrange sales at higher per-credit prices, disbursing the proceeds back to participants. A non-profit organization, CEA serves municipalities that would be too small to enter the market independently, and charges all clients a reasonable rate.
Eleven local governments and First Nations, including large and small municipalities, have joined the service so far. The service aims to sell all accumulated credits in early 2026 and is currently taking new applicants.
Learn more and apply for CEA’s Carbon Credits Aggregation Service.
| | | | | | | | | | 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 Commision 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 | | | | | |
