Victoria, BC– The Capital Regional District (CRD), in collaboration with Stantec Consulting Inc., has released its regional and local government Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventories for the 2022 year. Produced bi-annually as a resource for the entire capital region and each of its municipalities and electoral areas, the report aims to monitor trends and inform planning and programming focused on reducing pollution in the capital region.

“To achieve our regional GHG emissions targets, we need to continue to see sustained investments and policy shifts both locally, provincially, nationally and beyond. The status quo approach is not going to achieve the results we want and need. Our region, province, country and world need to commit to meeting our collective climate targets to ensure a sustainable future for our children,” said CRD Board Chair, Colin Plant. “CRD’s climate service will continue to support regional and corporate initiatives in partnership with our local governments.”

Key findings from the report include:

• The capital region emits approximately 1.86 million tonnes of C02 emissions annually - a 1% increase from 2020.
• Transportation and buildings account for the vast majority of regional carbon pollution (approximately 75%).
• Natural Gas use accounted for most of the building-related carbon pollution in the region.
• There has been a decrease in on-road transportation emissions from 2007, but a substantial increase in the number of vehicles in the region.
• On a per capita basis, the region has seen a 25% decrease in emissions since 2007; including a continued decline between 2020 and 2022.
  

The CRD’s 2021 Climate Action Strategy identifies opportunities for supporting the region on its pathway to low-carbon communities including transitioning to zero-carbon vehicles, supporting active transportation options, accelerating energy efficiency and emission reductions in infrastructure and buildings, managing ecosystem health and minimizing waste generation and resulting emissions. Given the increase in emissions shown in the report, the CRD Board has directed staff to present new innovative and ambitious options and measures to reduce this trend in future years and achieve our existing 2038 emissions target.

2022 Regional GHG Inventory Study

The CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and government partners to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andy Orr, Senior Manager
CRD Corporate Communications
Tel: 250.360.3229
Cell: 250.216.5492