What I can do about climate change in B.C.

 Email this page   Share on Twitter    Share on Facebook 

Through CleanBC and the Roadmap to 2030, the Province is taking action needed to reduce emissions and support technological innovation to meet our climate goals. We’re also working with Indigenous and local governments and making investments that will help B.C. adapt to a changing climate through the draft Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy.

Explore this page to find ways you can support the move to a cleaner B.C. and get ready for the climate change impacts the province will experience now and in the future. You’ll also find tools, tips and rebates that can help you stay healthy, reduce costs and connect with others.

On this page:

Make climate-friendly home improvements

Making energy-efficient upgrades to your house – like space and water heating systems, insulation, windows, doors and ventilation – helps to conserve power and reduce energy costs. It also helps to prepare for the effects of B.C’s changing climate. For example, a heat pump will cool your home during hotter summer days and help filter air pollution caused by wildfire smoke. 

To get started

• Use the BetterHomesBC Rebate Guide or their free Energy Coach service to identify the upgrades that will work best in your new or existing home, and match them to money-saving rebates
• Check out the Government of Canada’s Greener Homes grant program to see if your improvements qualify for even more savings
• See if your local government offers additional "top up" rebates for even more savings, or find programs available for your Indigenous community

Prepare for the effects of climate change

People are already experiencing the effects of climate change in B.C. These include increasing wildfires, more frequent flooding, longer summer droughts and heat waves. Our changing climate will influence everything from the temperature in our homes to the kind of foods we can grow and the design of our sewers and roads.

B.C. is partnering with local and Indigenous governments and others to prepare the province for these impacts. There are also steps you can take at home to stay safe and healthy and reduce risks to your home and property.

To get started: staying healthy and safe

• Visit Beat the Heat at HealthLink BC to learn how to recognize, prevent and treat heat-related illnesses
• Learn how to make a home-made air filter and other ways to deal with wildfire smoke recommended by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control
• Climate change and its impacts can cause anxiety and grief. Addressing and Coping with Climate Grief (PDF) is a self-guided tool that can be used by individuals or groups

To get started: planning ahead

• Learn how the climate is expected to change in your community
• Use the B.C. FireSmart Home Manual or FireSmart Begins at Home app to reduce wildfire risk around your home or property
• Use PreparedBC’s guides to protect your home and property from flooding and severe weather
• Learn how to pack an emergency kit and make an emergency plan
• Develop a plan to check on your neighbours during events like storms and heat waves

Drive less

Personal vehicles like trucks and cars release about one-third of B.C.’s transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions each year. Replacing time behind the wheel with more active methods of transportation like walking or cycling can also improve your mood, lower stress and bring other health benefits.

To get started

• Plan a transit trip using the BC Transit Trip Planner or TransLink Trip Planner (Metro Vancouver)
• Walk, bicycle, skateboard, carpool or take public transit to work or to run errands. Make sure to plan for the weather and consider planning stops to cool down if it’s hot
• New to bicycle commuting? Check out the B.C. Cycling Coalition’s Bike Sense manual  for information on proper equipment and road safety, and get more tips from the Ministry of Transportation: 

​Buy a zero-emission vehicle

Fossil fuel-burning personal vehicles like cars and trucks account for about one third of our transportation emissions in B.C. Switching to an electric or other zero-emission vehicle will help reduce a major source of provincial emissions. While electric cars are initially more expensive to buy, the Province and the federal government both provide rebates for EVs and home and work charging stations to help make them more affordable. In addition, electric vehicles are cheaper to operate over the lifespan of the car because they cost much less to drive and maintain.

To get started

• B.C.'s GoElectric passenger vehicle rebates program offers up to $8,000 in federal and provincial rebates for vehicles like cars and trucks. Find rebates for electric motorcycles and other specialty vehicles at GoElectric Specialty-Use Vehicle Incentive
• Get a rebate of up to 50% when you install an EV charger at home, or talk to your landlord about rebates for your apartment building
• There are more than 2,500 public charging stations in B.C. Find one near you

Buy local

Buying locally grown food helps support local farmers and business owners in B.C.’s agricultural system and reduces the amount of transportation it takes to move products from the producer to the consumer. If you’re buying food and beverages, you’ll know what you get is fresher. If you’re buying clothing, crafts, or other goods, you’ll know it was made by people working in safe, healthy working environments who are paid fair wages for their labour.

To get started

• Look for the Buy BC logo to help you spot products made in-province
• Visit the BC Farmer's Market Trail to find a local-to-you market

​​

Eat a climate-friendly diet

​The ways food production contributes to climate change are complex, but there are general guidelines you can follow:

• Diets high in plant-based foods typically use fewer resources than ones that are high in meat
• Cutting down on food waste saves resources and money. Right now, British Columbians typically spend more than $1,100 a year on uneaten food
• Food produced closer to where you live doesn't have to travel as far and may not need as much refrigeration

To get started

• Buy foods that are locally produced and eat protein sources that come from plants more often. Canada’s Food Guide has suggestions for incorporating plant proteins
• If you end up with more of a food than needed, visit Love Food Hate Waste to find recipes and options for freezing, canning or otherwise preserving your extra food
• Join a local community garden program, or grow some of your own food at home

Get friends and family involved

Surveys show most British Columbians are concerned about climate change. But if no one around you is talking about the issue, it can feel like you’re trying to make changes alone.

Once you’ve started a conversation, you’ve also got the opportunity to work together to make bigger changes in your neighbourhood, community or social network.

To get started

• Learn how to have an effective conversation about climate change
• Want to start working as a group? Check out the University of British Columbia’s Citizen Coolkit for project ideas, like planting more shade trees in your community to help keep things cool during hotter summers        
• Volunteer with local organizations working on climate issues

​Share your ideas with government

When you share your feedback, knowledge and ideas, you're letting governments know what is important to you. Hearing from a broader share of the public also helps governments make equitable, sustainable decisions that will improve our communities.

To get started

• Visit govTogetherBC and use the drop-down menus to find CleanBC engagement opportunities where you can share your thoughts on climate-related topics
• Get in touch with your community and provincial leaders about climate issues
• Provide input and feedback on CleanBC policies and programs at any time by emailing CleanBC@gov.bc.ca

Learn more about climate action in B.C.

Visit the pages below to find out more about how the Province is working to switch from fossil fuels to clean energy, make things more efficient, use less energy and waste less.

• See how we’re expanding climate action now in the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030
• Get more detail on the action B.C. is taking on:
  • Transportation
  • Industry
  • Buildings and communities
  • Creating a clean economy
  • Preparing for climate change
• Read about B.C.’s progress and work to date in the Climate Change Accountability Report