Climate Action

Low Carbon Resilience Climate Action Plan

The Low Carbon Resilience Climate Action Plan (LCRCAP) outlines how the Town of Gibsons will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate impacts such as extreme heat, wildfire smoke, flooding, and sea level rise. The Plan brings together climate action and climate adaptation in one coordinated approach, helping build a healthier, more resilient, and more connected community while supporting long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

Why This Matters

Climate change is already affecting Gibsons. Hotter summers, wildfire smoke, heavier rainfall, drought, and rising sea levels increase risks to people, homes, infrastructure, and natural areas. Acting now will help to reduce these risks, protect community assets, and lower long-term costs. Many actions in the Plan also improve everyday life by supporting better health, cleaner air, lower energy costs, and a more inclusive and accessible community.

The Plan at a Glance

The LCRCAP includes 26 Strategies and 84 Actions, outlined within seven Focus Areas to help Gibsons reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prepare for climate impacts. The Plan supports the Town’s GHG reduction targets of 40% by 2035, and 80% by 2050 while strengthening community resilience to climate-related risks.

Gibsons faces increasing risks from:

  • Extreme heat and wildfire smoke
  • Seasonal drought and water stress
  • Heavy rain and windstorms
  • Sea level rise affecting coastal areas and infrastructure

The Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) completed for the Town of Gibsons provides an evidence-based picture of how climate change is already affecting the community, and how risks are expected to evolve through mid-century. The assessment draws on local climate projections, historical data, studies, spatial mapping, and community and staff expertise to identify the hazards and trends most relevant to Gibsons and the people, infrastructure, ecosystems, and services that could be affected.

Preparing for climate impacts is just as important as reducing emissions. Gibsons has already taken significant steps through its leadership in natural asset management, including proactive monitoring and stewardship of the aquifer and a better understanding of how natural assets support coastal and flood resilience.

In addition to reducing emissions, the Town is committed to preparing for and reducing risks from climate-related hazards. Strengthening resilience across critical infrastructure, ecosystems, and community wellbeing is essential to safeguarding Gibsons as climate impacts intensify.

The Plan includes actions that:

Protect natural assets that reduce flooding and erosion
Strengthen infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events
Improve emergency preparedness to ensure rapid response and recovery
Support community health and wellbeing during climate-related events

By combining mitigation efforts with adaptation strategies, the Town is building a Climate-Ready Community that can thrive despite the challenges of a changing climate.

Understanding today’s emissions profile is the foundation for planning effective climate action. Calculating per capita emissions allows a comparison against other jurisdictions. In 2022, per capita emissions were higher than both the BC average and the Canada-wide average.

Transportation

Diesel, gasoline, and compressed natural gas consumed for on-road mobility purposes by passenger and commercial vehicles. In Gibsons, the largest proportion of emissions come from vehicle use (65%), broken down by passenger vehicles (35%), followed by commercial vehicles (30%).

Buildings

Natural gas and electricity consumed within residential homes and commercial buildings and infrastructure. Energy use in buildings is responsible for over one quarter of emissions—residential buildings (17%) and commercial buildings (11%).

Solid waste

The anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in landfill produces methane, a potent GHG. Emissions associated with transporting waste is accounted for under the transportation sector. The decomposition of waste in landfill accounts for 7% of Gibsons’ emissions.

Buildings

Energy-efficient homes with good insulation, airtightness, and heat pumps can lower energy costs while keeping homes cooler during heat waves and improving air quality during smoke events. Upgrading older buildings will improve comfort, protect health, and reduce monthly bills. For new development, higher energy and zero-carbon building standards help ensure strong performance from the start. Expanding local renewable energy, including solar with battery storage, can further reduce emissions and improve reliability during power outages—while also supporting local jobs in energy efficiency, heating and cooling, and renewable energy installation.

Low Carbon & Resilient Buildings Strategies:

  • Enable mixed use and economic vitality
  • Encourage complete and compact community growth
  • Plan land use to reduce exposure to hazard-prone areas
  • Protect and enhance natural assets and green spaces through land use planning
  • Strengthen development standards and bylaws for
Transportation

Transportation choices influence household costs, air quality, and community emissions. Walking, biking, transit, carpooling, and shared mobility offer lower-cost, healthier alternatives to personal vehicle use. By improving pathways, bike routes, and transit connections, Gibsons can make these options safer and more convenient while reducing pressure on costly road expansion and creating a transportation network that performs better during disruptions. A more accessible transportation network also ensures that people who may not drive, including youth, seniors, and lower-income households, can still get to parks or cooling spaces and critical services during extreme events.

Low Carbon & Resilient Transportation Strategies:

  • Improve public transit
  • Electrify passenger transportation
  • Enable walking, cycling, e-bikes and other active modes
Solid Waste

When organic materials break down in landfills without oxygen, they create methane — a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Food scraps, yard waste, wood, paper, and textiles make up a large share of landfill waste, so diverting organics is one of the most effective ways to cut emissions

Waste Reduction Strategies:

  • Increase organics diversion rates
  • Divert waste from the landfill
Other Areas of Focus

  • Community Resilience & Well-being
  • Sustainable Land Use
  • Resilient Natural Assets & Ecosystems
  • Organizational Collaboration & Leadership

Read more about the action items related to these areas starting on page 25 of the plan.

The Town will:

  • Lead implementation and coordination
  • Integrate climate action into planning and decision-making
  • Seek external funding and partnerships
  • Track progress and report publicly

Infrastructure
Investments in Town-owned infrastructure that reduce emissions and improve resilience, such as active transportation networks, natural asset protection, stormwater upgrades and public charging stations.

Policy, Regulation & Incentives
Updates to Town policies, regulations and incentives that support lower emissions and greater resilience, including climate-ready and energy-efficient buildings and land use decisions that reduce exposure to climate hazards.

Engagement, Outreach & Programs

Engagement, education and programs that help residents and businesses reduce energy use, cut emissions and prepare for climate impacts, strengthening overall community resilience.

Climate action is a shared effort. Residents and businesses can:

  • Choose low-carbon transportation options when possible
  • Improve energy efficiency in homes and buildings
  • Support climate-friendly initiatives and programs
  • Stay informed and prepared for climate risks

The Town will monitor progress on emissions reductions and resilience actions over time. Targets align with the draft Official Community Plan and the Province’s CleanBC Roadmap.

While current actions are projected to reduce emissions by 32% by 2035, additional actions will be identified in the future to meet the 40% target.

Implementing the Plan will require:

  • Ongoing collaboration across Town departments
  • Partnerships with community groups, businesses, and institutions
  • Support and funding from other levels of government

Advocacy and collaboration are especially important for actions beyond local government control.

Co-benefits are additional positive impacts related to or resulting from policies or solutions focused on climate mitigation or adaptation.

Read the full plan

For detailed actions, timelines, and background studies, read the full Low Carbon Resilience Climate Action Plan (PDF).

This Plan was Guided by Community Voices

Community input played a key role in shaping the Plan and identifying actions that matter most for Gibsons’ long-term climate resilience.

Feedback was gathered through:

  • A public online survey
  • Community dialogue sessions
  • Workshops with a Low Carbon Resilience Advisory Team, including youth, local organizations, volunteer groups, and the Sunshine Coast Regional District
Related Documents

The LCRCAP was funded through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Green Municipal Fund and the Local Government Climate Action Program.