On Thursday, Vancouver city councillors will vote on final bylaw changes that, if approved, would allow home builders in the city to use natural gas for space and water heating in new homes.
It would be a reversal of current climate-friendly practices and council has already shown it’s split over the proposed change.
Since 2016, Vancouver has been on a path to gradually phase out natural gas for space and water heating in most new building types by 2025 because burning natural gas to heat space and water in buildings is the single largest source of carbon pollution in the city, according to materials from City of Vancouver staff.
In July, councillors voted 6-5, with Mayor Ken Sim casting the tie-breaking vote remotely from vacation in favour of  Coun. Brian Montague’s motion seeking the change.
Montague argued allowing natural gas for space and water heating would reduce barriers to building middle-income and multiplex housing and make Vancouver more affordable.
Those opposed to the change, including two of the seven ABC councillors on the 10-councillor and one-mayor council, say it would limit Vancouver’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to meet climate goals.
The city is already not on course to meet its target of reducing carbon pollution by 50 per cent by 2030, according to a report from its general manager of planning.Â
The staff report that council will consider on Tuesday would give builders a choice between using electricity or natural gas to heat space or water in new builds but with a significant difference in emissions.
“Allowing natural gas for space heating and hot water provides applicants with more choice over fuel source but is not expected to improve affordability or accelerate housing approvals when compared to the low carbon option,” reads the report.
“Buildings that opt to use the gas compliance path will have significantly higher carbon emissions, which will make it more challenging to reach Vancouver’s 2030 climate targets and may incur future costly retrofits.”
On The Coast spoke to two councillors who voted on a motion to allow natural gas in new homes in Vancouver. Brian Montague says the measure will help ease housing affordability, while Pete Fry says it will damage the city’s environmental goals.
Advocacy group Women Transforming Cities says in its two-year progress report on the current council it’s “disappointed that council sought to roll back one of the city’s flagship climate policies.”
Meanwhile, the B.C. Coalition of Affordable Energy says taking away the choice of using natural gas for space and water heating under what’s known as the Zero Carbon Step Code will harm businesses who want to choose “a more affordable and dependable energy source.”
The province’s Clean B.C. program will implement the highest level of the Zero Carbon Step Code by 2030. This means the use of natural gas for space heating and hot water equipment will be effectively prohibited in new buildings by 2030, although currently allowed now by the province.
Vancouver does not have any policies, regulations or bylaws banning the use of natural gas for cooking in new or existing buildings or for some ancillary uses like gas fireplaces or laundry.
Minus one councillor
Tuesday’s vote will proceed without Coun. Christine Boyle, who is on unpaid leave and will officially resign in December. She won a seat in the provincial legislature in October with the B.C. NDP.
She was one of the five votes in July that went against the Montague motion.
That means Tuesday’s vote could pit ABC councillors Rebecca Bligh, Sarah Kirby-Yung, Mike Klassen, Brian Montague, Lenny Zhou, and Mayor Sim who supported the July amendment, against ABC councillors Lisa Dominato, Peter Meiszner and Green Party councillors Adriane Carr and Peter Fry, who opposed the change.