Climate Change - Town of Gibsons

 Projected Precipitation Change in South Coast Region
Projected Precipitation Change in BC’s South Coast Region

Climate change presents a challenge to Canadian communities by altering traditional climate patterns such as temperature and precipitation. For coastal communities such as Gibsons, sea level rise is also a major concern.

Climate modellers have developed regional climate models in order to provide locally specific data. Gibsons is located in what is described in Canadian models as the “B.C. South Coast” or “West Vancouver” region. Over the past several decades, temperatures and precipitation here have been slowly increasing and this trend is expected to continue.

The average annual temperature is expected to increase by approximately 1.6 C through the 2020s, 2.5 C in the 2050s and 3.9 C by the 2080s. This increase will be most marked in the winter, suggesting that heating costs and ice-related accidents may be reduced. However, this trend also suggests that less precipitation may be able to be stored as snow, resulting in increased winter runoff.

Cities Race to Zero

In October 2021, the Town of Gibsons pledged to participate in the Cities Race to Zero, which asks participants to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the 2040s or sooner, or by mid-century at the latest. To read more about our participation in the Cities Race to Zero, please click here.

LG Climate Action Program

Local governments like the Town of Gibsons are key partners in helping to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and create complete, compact and energy-efficient communities. Accordingly, the Town has signed on to the BC Climate Action Charter a voluntary agreement between the B.C. government, Union of B.C. Municipalities and local governments to take action on climate change.

The Local Government Climate Action Program (which replaces the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program) provides funding for local governments and Modern Treaty Nations to plan and implement climate action that will reduce emissions, create new opportunities for people in the clean economy and prepare communities for future climate impacts.

View Gibsons 2022 LGCAP survey submission report here.

Available Rebates for Homeowners

The Town of Gibsons encourages residents and business owners to do their part in reducing GHG emissions as well. To encourage upgrades to energy sources, a variety of rebates are available via BC Hydro.

  1. If your home is electrically heated, visit www.bchydro.com/homerebates
  2. To learn about the Product Incentive Program for BC Hydro commercial customers, visit www.bchydro.com/incentives
Additional Resources

Released September 13, 2019: Adapt Now: A Global Call for Leadership On Climate Resilience. Designed to inspire among decision-makers, this report focuses on making the case for climate adaptation, providing insights and recommendations in key sectors.

While emissions’ reductions are currently at the centre of the climate change discussions, the critical role of the oceans and ocean ecosystems has been vastly overlooked. Learn more in this report from the United Nations Environment Programme: Blue Carbon – The Role of Healthy Oceans in Binding Carbon