Month 1: Sources and Stats
For Month 1, I’m starting local. I recently learned that, on July 23rd, some Vancouver councillors voted to allow natural gas—for heat and hot water—in new, yet-to-be-built buildings. Below is a working document of sources and stats.
Why it Matters
When working on the Lighter Footprint App, I learned that, in Vancouver, homes are a huge part of the problem. Here’s what the City of Vancouver website says about it:
”Burning natural gas, a fossil fuel, in buildings (for space and water heating) accounts for 55% of the carbon pollution generated in Vancouver.”
What Happened
Here's the meeting where the vote took place.
The debate starts at 6:06pm. Here were my take-aways:
Councillor Montague proposed changing Vancouver’s climate plan—to allow natural gas—for heat and hot water—in new, yet-to-be-built buildings.
When doing so, he claimed that this would make Vancouver more affordable, electrification costs too much, BC's electricity isn't that clean anyway—and more.
No report was presented. No sources were cited.
City staff disagreed with Councillor Montague's claims.
Mayor Sim said electrification costs X. The Director of Sustainability said Y.
Councillor Montague's party, ABC, seemed to have been briefed beforehand—but no one else. Some even had prepared statements. The others expressed surprise.
Councillor Carr said she was worried it was based on misinformation.
Councillor Fry was shocked that such a huge change with massive consequences could be presented last minute, without evidence.
Despite all the confusion, the amendment was put to a vote.
And it (barely) based.
The Data
In presenting the amendment, Councillor Montague didn't reveal his sources.
So I wondered if he got them from the natural gas industry.
Meetings with one of Fortis BC’s lobbyists were seen on his calendar.
Plus, one of the mayor’s advisors is the Director of two natural gas companies.
In a CBC interview, Montague said he consulted with both BC Hydro, and Fortis BC. At first, that sounded reasonable to me. Aren't they pretty much the same?
No. I was shocked to discover Fortis BC is a for-profit company—which is part of a much bigger, $6 billon dollar company called Fortis.
Fortis BC doesn't make money off of the price of gas, but how much gas they deliver.
Companies aren't evil, but they are incentivised to make profit.
And Fortis BC doesn't have the best record of being straight with the facts.
In 2022, they released a report saying, "In the lower mainland, electricity is 6 times more efficient than natural gas for heat and hot water."
9 days later, they cut that part out and released a new, cleaned-up version.
They used the new version to try to convince lower mainland municipalities to stick to natural gas.
Fortis BC is also being sued for greenwashing.
