Kelowna Looking at Bike Paths, Better Transit, and Electric Bike Fleet

The City of Kelowna has big plans for the future of energy conservation in our community, and if they play their cards right, Kelowna could receive $234, 832 in funding that will contribute to a greener community.

City Manager Tracy Guidi, presented to Council on Monday the City's intention of acquiring the provincial Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program grant or CARIP. In order to retrieve the provincial funding, the City of Kelowna must meet specific criteria and devise an action plan in meeting their goals.

The three goals set out by CARIP include, maintaining carbon neutral in corporate operations; measure and report on community green house gas emissions profile, and create energy efficient rural and urban communities.

In moving forward with the CARIP project, the City of Kelowna would like to continue with transit improvements, as 63 per cent of our carbon emissions in our community are derived from transportation. The city is hoping to introduce the pedestrian and bicycle master plan, the expansion of the car sharing program; the continuation of transit exchange projects, Pandosy and Queensway, and investigate the potential uses of an electric bike fleet.

Photo credit: City of Kelowna report.

Photo credit: City of Kelowna report.

Waste accumulation accounts for seven per cent of Kelowna's GHG emissions, and in bringing that number down even further, the City is proposing additional composting programs, community clean ups, and the initiation of phase one of the Solid Waste Management place review.

Photo credit: City of Kelowna report.

"This comprehensive plans spells out quite thoroughly what we're doing and I'm quite proud of it, and I know the rest of Council is quite proud of the work we are doing as well," said Mayor Colin Basran. "If we're going to be leaders and set the example or if we're going to talk the talk, we have to walk the walk."

Two programs, the trunk sales and the repair cafes, will be back in 2015 after they received positive feedback for encouraging waste management for those in the community.

CARIP is a provincial conditional grant program that provides funding to B.C. Climate Action Charter signatories equivalent to 100 per cent of the carbon taxes they pay directly. The funding is designed to assist local governments in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It was in 2007 that the City of Kelowna signed the Charter. As a charter signatory, the City is eligible for the grant provided a report on the City's plans and progress toward meeting climate action goals is made public by March 8th. The next step on the agenda will require to City to submit a report on corporate carbon neutral progress. The deadline for this report is on June 2nd.