By The Canadian Press

B.C. Liberals pledge to repeal Vancouver’s natural gas ban for new buildings

Apr 29, 2017 | 3:34 PM

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Liberals say they will repeal the City of Vancouver’s plans to ban natural gas in some new buildings days ahead of the policy taking effect.

Andrew Wilkinson, candidate for Vancouver-Quilchena, said on Saturday the city’s ban would increase costs to consumers, businesses and residents because it would increase building costs and create a reliance on electricity, which is more expensive.

The city’s new regulations on natural gas, which go into effect Monday, apply to new construction and are part of the city’s larger plan to rely exclusively on renewable energy by 2050.

Documents from a city presentation on Friday explain that the regulations only apply to new construction on rezoned lots, which are typically taller residential or commercial buildings which account for about 55 per cent of new development.

Wilkinson said if the Liberals form the government after the May 9 election, they’ll change the Vancouver Charter that allows the city to dictate its own building codes in order to repeal the ban.

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“It’s essential that Vancouverites be able to keep their costs down. We do not support processes and programs that drive up costs,” he said.

The Liberals claim that FortisBC, the province’s natural gas provider, calculated that a family of four would spend an additional $1,500 per year if they had to use electricity instead of natural gas for home and water heating.

But city documents said the move would not increase costs for the construction or operation of a building, and should not create additional costs to the occupants.

A statement the city issued in February of this year said natural gas would still be allowed in new buildings under six storeys for use in fireplaces, cooking ranges, furnaces, domestic hot water and laundry dryers.

These changes have been in the works since November 2015 when the city approved it’s plan to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy use by 2050.

Wilkinson said the Liberals waited until now to take a stance on the issue because changes to the city’s building code go into effect Monday. 

“It’s timely to get out the word now so people don’t make decisions and face a flip-flop in the city of Vancouver. We want the status quo to continue,” he said.

Banning natural gas would also negatively impact restaurant owners who rely on the resource for cooking, Wilkinson said, because it is the more effective and affordable option.

A statement issued by the city in September 2016 on its natural gas restrictions said restaurants could continue cooking with natural gas and no one would be required to replace gas appliances.

But Wilkinson claimed the city only created a caveat that allows for renewable natural gas, and not regular natural gas, and there simply isn’t enough of the resource to support the restaurant sector.

The city has yet to respond to the Liberal announcement.