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Happy new year!


CEA staff regularly speak at conferences and workshops, outlining examples of local action related to climate and resiliency. This edition of CEA’s monthly newsletter features one of those presentations from Josephine Howitt, Senior Lead, Climate Planning & Implementation.


This talk to the Government Finance Officers Association of BC was delivered pecha kucha-style to finance staff from around BC. Hopefully it will inspire you, your finance staff and your community as you start 2025. 


And, really, who couldn’t use more CASH at this time of year? 😉


PS: As always, please help to increase the profile of CEA and its work by forwarding this newsletter to a friend and invite them to subscribe.

   

FEATURE ARTICLE


Before joining the Community Energy Association, I worked in climate and sustainability for the City of Kamloops where I got familiar with acronyms like CPA, CFO, CIO, and CASH. These are all coveted accreditations that will boost your profile on LinkedIn and open doors to a more successful career in public service.


Oh, but one of these–CASH–might be new to you. It stands for Climate Action Super Hero. In the age of bitcoin, the housing crisis and extreme weather events, we need more CASH. We need finance officers across Canada to add a CASH designation to their impressive resumes. And I’m going to tell you how.

Here in Secwepemcúl’ecw, we are facing a multitude of impacts of the climate crisis. Since my eldest daughter was born, four of her seven precious summers have seen prolonged periods of wildfire smoke. There was the heat dome in 2021, then the atmospheric river that cut off major highways and railway connections to Kamloops. Just as she is beginning to appreciate the incredible natural world, everything is being disrupted. Mitigation and adaption are urgently needed.


We know which actions will reduce GHG emissions from transportation, buildings and waste. But actual implementation comes down to organizational leadership, staff capacity and budget.


That’s why finance staff are key to success. Here are five ways that local government finance staff can help and earn a CASH designation by becoming a Climate Action Super Hero.



Leverage dedicated climate funding to build capacity. 


Steady, predictable funding is needed to plan for and implement significant projects. The Province of BC offers local governments reliable funding through the Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP). Other provinces offer annual or regular funding through programs like the PEI Climate Challenge Fund or the Municipal Energy Manager Program in Alberta. 


Sometimes these funds can stack to increase impact. In 2022, through grant stacking, an additional $60 million dollars was leveraged by BC communities using LGCAP funds!


Unfortunately, the ability take advantage of grant and other funding opportunities can be limited by lack of staff capacity. In over 120 BC communities, there is no dedicated climate/sustainability staff position to plan, prioritize and implement climate action projects.


Staff capacity is critical to research and apply for the many grants available, to drive projects forward, and succeed in implementation. Finance officers can be helpful in getting local climate/sustainability staff, and securing adequate funding to implement climate action priorities. 


Take my Climate Action Super Hero (CASH), David Hallinan, City of Kamloops’ Corporate Services Director. He modelled Kamloops’ Climate Action Levy on an existing Asset Management Reserve Fund. Finance officers from North Cowichan to Halifax have framed climate action as an investment to gain support for establishing taxation-based Climate Action Levies.


2


Change the metrics.


Go beyond simple payback, which does not account for the multiple co-benefits of climate action, or the costs of delaying action on climate. We need life cycle cost analyses, net present value calculations and other metrics that better account for the true value of projects. On the other hand, investments in fossil fuel-driven infrastructure may face increasing carbon tax and regulatory costs.


Get your CASH like the City of Vancouver and the City of Toronto, which have implemented or studied an internal corporate carbon pricing policy. This tool aids decision-making by putting a “shadow price” on carbon in life cycle cost analyses.


A note on no discount rates: since GHG emission reductions achieved now are even more valuable than those postponed into the future, some experts recommend discontinuing the practice of applying discount rates to energy efficiency business cases. Removing discount rates or significantly reducing them reflects an ethical stance that prioritizes long-term sustainability and equity for future generations.


3


Find efficiencies through collaboration and resource sharing.


CEA runs multiple peer networks convened around specific climate action topics, and for cross-sectoral regional groupings, for municipal staff and elected officials, all with the aim of enhancing knowledge and advancing implementation through the sharing of resources and collaborative initiatives.


Become a CASH enthusiast like the City of Rossland’s CFO, Mike Kennedy, who partnered with the District of Squamish and the Resort Municipality of Whistler to launch Retrofit Assist in their communities. This innovative concierge program supports residents in navigating the entire process of home energy upgrades. The three municipalities shared the costs of program development and the project website, while creating a replicable model that has since launched in Kamloops and the East Kootenay.


4


Be a multisolver.


There are literally too many pressing issues for us to work on each one individually. A positive trend in climate action planning is the integration of equity, diversity and inclusion considerations. This makes sense: climate action is all about more compact and connected communities, and actions like promoting heat pumps that also provide cooling are crucial for those vulnerable to the impacts of heat waves.  


In Alberta, the Home Upgrades Program offers free installation of energy-saving upgrades to low-income households. Kambo Energy Group and Alberta Ecotrust Foundation combined forces to reduce energy poverty by providing free deep energy retrofits in Edmonton, Calgary and Canmore.


Another great example of multisolving is to adopt social procurement policies and practices. Local government spending has the potential to support local economies, mitigate climate change and contribute to reconciliation. This could apply to new net zero buildings, constructing active transportation networks, or for low-carbon building retrofits.


Using social procurement, Comox Valley Regional District incorporated community employment benefits into constructing a new water treatment plant, resulting in nearly 45,000 hours of employment for under-represented populations, with no additional cost implications.


Meanwhile, the City of Courtenay adopted an Indigenous procurement policy which will endeavour to award 10% of projects valued at over $1 million to K'ómoks First Nation designated businesses. Climate Action Super Heroes can contribute to reconciliation and creating more equitable outcomes.


5


Institutionalize climate governance—measures that direct your local government to prevent, mitigate, or adapt to climate risks.


Small changes to your organization’s routine tasks can make a big difference over time. You could change your budget and Council report templates to reflect climate action, resilience, and risk considerations. Consider adopting sustainable social procurement or applying a climate lens to projects. Write climate and sustainability tasks into job descriptions, and provide training where needed.


Finally, finance staff can go from being allies to being accomplices. Even when the positions exist, climate and energy staff can’t do it all. But, working together, your collective powers can make you a superhero dream team. All you have to do is start with one of these areas where you think you can make a difference.


To conclude, it’s simple—we all need more CASH! Email me or connect on LinkedIn if you’d like to discuss, and please share examples of how your finance and administrative staff are helping save the world.

This piece was adapted from my presentation to the Government Finance Officers Association of British Columbia last summer as part of the panel, “Finance Can Save the World,” convened by Mike Kennedy.


Thanks to Mike and the whole panel (from left): Mike Kennedy, CFO for the City of Rossland; Carlee Price, CFO for the Resort Municipality of Whistler; Ryan Smith, Divisional Director, Planning and Development Services, City of Kelowna; Me; and Peter Urbanc, CEO of the Municipal Finance Authority of BC.

   
   

EVENTS

   

Upcoming presentations


Future Fuels Forum (Prince George, BC)

Jan. 14, 2025

CEO Megan Lohmann will host a panel discussion on the transportation sector and the use of new, low-emission fuels.


Home Energy Retrofits (Rossland, BC)

Jan. 15, 2025

Mariah Byers, Program Manager for Retrofit Assist will share how to get a more comfortable home and reduce utilty bills.

Upcoming meetings


CEA convenes a variety of peer networks, mostly for staff in local, regional, and Indigenous governments.  Inquire about joining CEA's peer networks. Here’s what’s coming up in January and February.


Northern BC Climate Action Network (NorthCAN)

Jan. 30, 2025

Hear an update and provide feedback on the in-person NorthCAN Forum scheduled for April 2830, 2025 in Prince George, BC.


Electric Mobility Peer Network

Feb. 13, 2025


Embodied Emissions Peer Network

Feb. 26, 2025



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.

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