Province asks Vancouver mayor to delay changes to building code and climate policies

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is looking to modernize the city’s building code, and while it’s drawing some support, key details are facing pushback.

B.C.’s minister of housing and municipal affairs is weighing in on Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s plan that seeks to change the city’s building bylaw and pause some climate policies.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Sim and city council, Christine Boyle implored the city to delay a decision on further changes until the fall, following her ministry’s impact analysis of the energy and zero carbon step codes.

“Any sudden changes to Vancouver’s approach introduces confusion, costs and delay for builders,” she said.

On Wednesday, Sim will introduce a motion that seeks to modernize Vancouver’s building bylaw to align it more closely with the province’s building code.

If passed, the proposal also asks staff to pause the Energize Vancouver Bylaw – an initiative to reduce building emissions through energy tracking, annual reporting and support programs – in an attempt to address “affordability.”

According to the city, burning natural gas in buildings for space and water heating accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the carbon pollution generated in Vancouver.

‘There’s no need for it’

Scott Kennedy, an engineer and principal with Cornerstone Architecture, said while he’s in favour of aligning the building code, he disagrees with the motion’s attempt to scale back climate-related bylaws.

“The answer to me is we shouldn’t be using gas for anything in the City of Vancouver anymore,” he said. “There’s no need for it.”

Kennedy adds Vancouver has consistently been at the forefront of green building for about a decade.

“Why would we lose that leadership role when Vancouver is so far ahead?” he said.

CTV News asked the mayor’s party for an interview but was not provided one.

‘It just doesn’t make sense’

Sim’s motion is receiving support from a group called the BC Coalition for Affordable Dependable Energy.

Bill Tieleman, the group’s director, said the motion would repeal a bylaw that was passed earlier this year that banned replacing gas water heaters with anything other than electric water heaters.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” he said. “And it’s putting the burden of a city policy on the backs of homeowners, renters, small businesses.”

Tieleman added it’s about providing more choice to Vancouverites.

“We’re not saying you shouldn’t go electric,” he said. “If you want to, go ahead, but you shouldn’t have the city imposing electricity and electrification on the consumer.”

In 2022, Vancouver banned natural gas for heating and hot water in new homes in an effort to meet climate targets.

Two years later, ABC Coun. Brian Montague introduced an amendment to allow natural gas for heating and hot water in new construction, but it was defeated months later, with three ABC councillors voting against it.

‘Affordability panacea’

Mayoral candidate and Green Party councillor Pete Fry said Sim has misrepresented his motion by claiming it will address affordability.

“I need to disabuse folks of the notion that this is somehow some kind of affordability panacea, because it’s not,” he said. “This is a fossil fuel, gas motion that’s wrapped up in an ad pretending to be housing affordability.”