Based on meetings, workshops and discussions of the past few months. March 14, 2019
1. Strategic Planning, Coordination and Communication
Coordinate efforts to ensure all groups and agencies are working to the same purpose and collaborating where possible.
Key Actions:
• Secure funding to update the SSI Climate Action Plan, to be completed ASAP to have measurable data and targets to monitor our progress.
• Include First Nations in discussions and look at partnering.
• With local government, Transition Salt Spring- Climate Action Group to continue as the coordinating body to update and implement the Climate Action Plan.
• A key role of the Climate Action Group, in collaboration with local government, is to facilitate access to resources, programs and incentives available at the regional, provincial and federal levels.
2. Climate Adaptation
Include adaptation as well as mitigation strategies in the SSI Climate Action Plan.
Key Actions:
• Implement measures to address increasing risks from expected climate changes such as droughts, fire, extreme weather events and sea level rise.
• Adaptation strategies should include emergency preparedness measures.
3. Food and Agriculture
Imported food is one of the largest sources of GHG emissions on SSI. Local food security is recognized as both a mitigation and adaptation strategy.
Key Actions:
• Assist funding to “The Root” and the SSI Abattoir.
• Secure funding to update the Area Farm Plan.
• Implement land use policies to facilitate affordable housing for farm workers
• Facilitate access of younger farmers to unutilized or underutilized agricultural land through land tenure reforms and succession planning.
• Promote the benefits of eating local, organic produced food.
• Support water-related agriculture initiatives such as conservation, rainwater harvesting, and pond creation.
4. Transportation
Transportation is one of the largest source of GHG emissions on SSI. Strategies include measures to reduce automobile use and to convert fossil fueled transportation to electric.
Key Actions:
• Install EV charging stations at all public facilities and promote installations at private facilities.
• Expand the community bus system.
• Develop EV infrastructure for all forms of fossil fueled transportation – from ferries to buses to private vehicles to bicycles.
• Support funding of safe pathways and bike lanes in or near villages and on major transit routes.
5. Energy Efficiency and Generation
Measures that reduce fossil fuel use will have the biggest GHG reduction benefits, but measures such as renewable distributed electricity generation and electricity conservation are still important elements in improving energy security and community resiliency.
Key Actions:
• Help homeowners and business secure grants and financing for home energy audits and retrofits for improved energy efficiency.
• Promote solid and liquid waste energy generation projects (methane capture is primarily a regional strategy)
• Develop on-island solutions for disposal & beneficial re-use of our liquid waste.
• Secure funding for a Community Energy Manager in partnership with BC Hydro to promote and facilitate an energy efficiency program and GHG emission reduction plan.
• Actively promote Clean BC- retrofit funding program options on SSI
• Support formation of a local, renewable energy-based utility cooperative.
6. Land and Water Use, Stewardship and Conservation
Land use measures can reduce or prevent increases in GHG emissions, but also protect ecosystems and watersheds providing important, nature-based infrastructure and help communities avoid or adapt to climate changes impacts.
Key Actions:
• Work with Islands Trust to implement new Development Permit Areas to protect ecosystems, riparian areas, and forests; help avoid existing and new developments from the risks of sea level rise.
• Promote incentives (from local governments or organizations such as the Trust Conservancy, SSI Conservancy or SSIWPA) for private landowners to protect land from logging or development.
• Support revision of SSI Land Use Bylaws and Official Community Plan to facilitate affordable, low eco-impact housing solutions.
• Promote rainwater harvesting for potable and non-potable purposes, including TSSEC’s rainwater catchment lending program.
• Support changes in regulations and SSI’s OCP to strengthen water centric planning, “smart growth” and ecosystem protection.
• Work with NSSWD to help resolve or mitigate the impacts of their moratorium on new connections in order to facilitate affordable housing and other community projects.
7. Public Inspiration, Education and Activation
Public information, education and engagement are key to encouraging larger scale changes in behavior and political will.
Key Actions:
• SSI Community Alliance and Transition Salt Spring to sponsor public events, co-hosting with other groups, starting with a public town hall in April.
• Educate public and government planners on water conservation strategies for home and planning use and protecting terrestrial and wetland and marine areas.
• Take advantage of Community Alliance and other community group meetings to connect with, speak to and learn from the public regarding important issues.
• Work with groups like Transition Salt Spring, SSI Conservancy, SS Forum, as well as local government, to educate public on climate emergency.
• Support and promote action-oriented programs where people learn and help in a hands-on way.
• Celebrate successes and share achievement of targets and goals.
Transition Salt Spring-Climate Action Group