Local Government Climate Action Program
Last updated: May 15, 2023
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About the program
The Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP) provides local governments and Modern Treaty Nations with predictable and stable funding. This funding supports local climate action that reduces emissions and prepares communities for the impacts of a changing climate.
LGCAP supports local climate action to help B.C.:
- Reach legislated climate targets
- Achieve provincial climate goals outlined in the:
LGCAP 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
- Build community resilience to future climate impacts
The program is designed to:
- Disburse funding efficiently
- Support timely local climate action
As part of the program, funding recipients will be required to report on their actions.
Engagement sessions were held across B.C. from January to March 2023 to develop program reporting requirements. The requirements are based on input from participants from over 200 local government and Modern Treaty Nation staff.
For step-by-step instructions about the program, eligibility, and reporting requirements, read the Program Guide (PDF, 816KB).
This program will:
- Provide flexible, long-term funding that meets urban and rural needs
- Enable community-specific action to reduce emissions and increase climate resilience
- Enable robust reporting to track results and help improve the program over time
- Enable knowledge sharing among local governments and Modern Treaty Nations to promote innovative climate action across the province
Eligibility
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for the 2023 funding year, applicants are required to:
- Be signatories to the B.C. Climate Action Charter (PDF, 70KB) or be a B.C. Modern Treaty Nation
- Measure and report corporate greenhouse gas emissions
- Required for communities with populations over 15,000
- Encouraged for communities with populations under 15,000
- Report on projects linked to one or more objectives from the:
- Complete an online survey
- Have their Chief Financial Officer, or equivalent position, sign the attestation form (at the end of the survey) to confirm all funds were, or will be, used towards climate action
- Post a completed PDF version of the program survey and attestation form publicly
Over the next year, the Province will work with local governments and Modern Treaty Nations to determine reporting requirements and program design for year three.
Support for Indigenous communities
Modern Treaty Nations are eligible for the LGCAP.
The Province supports other Indigenous communities outside of Modern Treaty Nations with climate action funding through programs, such as:
- CleanBC Remote Community Energy Strategy
- BC Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative
- First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund
For more information on the full range of funding opportunities available to Indigenous communities and local governments, visit the BC Community Climate Funding Guide.
Important dates
May 2 to 10, 2023 – Introductory webinars
- The Province held webinars to provide an overview of program requirements.
- See introductory webinars to access recordings.
May 15, 2023 – Reporting period opens
- Each local government and Modern Treaty Nation will receive an email with information on how to:
- Access the online survey
- Complete the reporting requirements
May 15 to July 31, 2023 – Reporting period
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During the reporting period, applicants must complete and submit the required online survey.
September, 2023 – Funds disbursed through Ministry of Municipal Affairs
- Funds will be dispersed through an electronic funds transfer to local governments and Modern Treaty Nations.
- This is done through the Province's existing Corporate Accounting System.
By September 30, 2023 – Survey information and attestation form posted publicly
- Each local government or Modern Treaty Nation must publicly post the program survey and attestation form.
- For information, see How to report.
Introductory webinars
Introductory webinars provide more information about:
- The LGCAP program
- How to complete reporting requirements
Webinars were held to meet unique community needs:
- Small local government webinar - intended for local governments that serve 15,000 people or fewer.
- Large local government webinar - intended for local governments that serve over 15,000 people.
- Modern Treaty Nations webinar - intended for Modern Treaty Nations.
A dedicated webinar on corporate measurement was held.
For more information on how to report corporate GHG emissions, see the webinar recording.
Reporting requirements
Before the reporting period opens, each local government and Modern Treaty Nation will receive an email with instructions on how to:
- Access the online survey
- Complete the reporting requirements
How to report
- Review the required reporting information outlined in the online survey.
- Optional: Use the survey templates for either local governments or Modern Treaty Nations to gather and prepare the information.
- Complete and sign the attestation form. A CFO (or equivalent) must sign the form.
- Submit the online survey by July 31, 2023 4:00 PM (PDT).
- Save a PDF copy of the completed form and survey for your records and for public posting.
The online survey must be submitted by July 31, 2023 at 4:00 PM (PDT).
Publicly post the form and survey by September 30, 2023.
How information will be used
Information collected enables the Province to track progress, highlight climate leadership and advance action by including local government and Modern Treaty Nations emissions reporting data in the 2023 annual Climate Change Accountability Report (PDF, 8.5MB).
All information gathered will help to:
- Inform policy development
- Monitor progress on achieving provincial and local climate objectives
- Ensure that funds provided are used for these objectives
The Province will support local governments and Modern Treaty Nations with completing reporting requirements. Requests for support can be directed to LGCAP@gov.bc.ca.
Examples of local climate initiatives
While the LGCAP is new, see below previous local climate funding initiatives that serve as examples of how LGCAP funding can support your community:
- CleanBC Communities Fund: funded projects
- 2018 Annual CARIP summary reports (PDF, 3MB)
Reports highlighting local government climate initiatives from the previous Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program (CARIP) - ReTooling for Climate Change
This website is focused on strengthening social, economic and ecological resilience to climate impacts by providing tools and resources for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, public sector, and industries and businesses in B.C.
Coming soon
Check back for:
- Additional climate action examples
- A summary report highlighting local government and Modern Treaty Nation climate projects under LGCAP
