September 14, 2020 - The City of Kamloops is seeking community feedback on the Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP), which is being developed to set the direction for reducing local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and supporting a cleaner, healthier, lower-carbon future.

There are a number of ways for citizens, businesses, and organizations to provide input on the plan’s draft policies and actions, including an online survey and a discussion forum on this Let's Talk page.

The survey is open until October 12 and respondents can enter to win one of three BYO gift baskets—each including a $50 Downtown gift certificate.

There are also opportunities to learn about the project and share feedback in person at one of three open house events:

September 30, 6:00–8:00 pm
October 1, 1:00–3:00 pm
October 1, 5:00–7:00 pm

All three events will be held at the Kamloops Yacht Club at 1140 River Street. All provincial COVID-19 protocols will be followed. The event is a drop-in format, and the venue will be limited to 25 participants at any given time. Each event will begin with a half-hour presentation, but attending the presentation portion of the event is optional.

“We hope these community conversations provide a clearer picture of what a ‘made in Kamloops’ approach to tackling climate change looks like,” said Glen Cheetham, the City’s Sustainability Services Supervisor. “The actions identified in this planning process are intended to bolster our community response to the changing climate.”

Kamloops’ community GHG emissions come from three main sources (2017 data):

• Transportation 66%: fuels consumed by personal and commercial vehicles
• Buildings 29%: primarily energy used for space and water heating
• Solid waste 5%: decomposition of organic matter

To be in line with provincial, federal, and international commitments to keep global temperature rise to 1.5°C, each of these emissions sources needs to set a course to achieve reductions of around 80% from 2007 levels by 2050.

While there is urgency to act to achieve these global objectives, efforts to address climate change also result in positive changes closer to home. The many co-benefits include lowering household transportation energy expenditures; improving air quality; and promoting healthy, active lifestyles.