NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2010CD0016-000486 May 4, 2010

Ministry of Community and Rural Development

 

$2.9M IN CARBON TAXES RETURNED TO GREEN COMMUNITIES

 

VICTORIA – The Province has returned nearly $2.9 million in carbon tax dollars to local governments who are committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2012. The funding was provided through B.C.’s Climate Action Revenue Incentive program, Minister of State for Climate Action John Yap and Community and Rural Development Minister Bill Bennett announced today.

 

            “We are already seeing real, on-the-ground climate change action as communities work to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Yap. “I would like to thank the local governments who are taking action in a variety of ways, such as promoting more compact and transit-oriented development, as well as investing in greener infrastructure such as community energy systems, green building retrofits, fuel efficient fleet vehicles and micro hydroelectricity projects.”

 

The Climate Action Revenue Incentive program (CARIP), announced in 2008, provides a conditional grant to communities who have signed on to the Climate Action Charter, pledging to become carbon-neutral by 2012. Through this annual program, these communities receive a grant equal to 100 per cent of their carbon tax costs to support their climate change efforts and become carbon neutral by 2012, provided they publicly report both their plan and ongoing progress in meeting that goal.

 

“This funding meets our commitment to return 100 per cent of carbon taxes back to communities who have signed onto the charter,” said Bennett. “This program is another example of how the Province is working with local governments to help them meet community priorities while also working toward our larger provincial goals.”

 

This is the second round of funding provided through this program. In 2009, approximately $1.06 million in CARIP funding was provided to local communities for carbon taxes from July 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2008. The current funding is from Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2009.

 

In addition to a goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2012, local governments who sign the Climate Action Charter also pledge to measure and report on their community’s greenhouse gas emissions profile and work to create compact, more energy efficient communities. The Climate Action Charter is part of the government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050.

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A backgrounder follows.

 

Media Contact:

Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Community Development 250 387-4089

BACKGROUNDER

For Immediate Release 2010CD0016-000486 May 4, 2010

Ministry of Community and Rural Development

 

CLIMATE ACTION REVENUE INCENTIVE PROGRAM
GRANTS BY COMMUNITY

 

Below is a list of 175 communities who received a Climate Action Revenue Incentive grant in 2010. The grant amounts represent 100 per cent of the carbon tax paid by these communities last year:

 

·         100 Mile House                                                  $3,436

·         Abbotsford                                                      $92,421

·         Alert Bay                                                              $793

·         Anmore                                                                 $408

·         Armstrong                                                          $1,310

·         Ashcroft                                                             $3,799

·         Barierre                                                                 $308

·         Belcarra                                                                 $230

·         Bowen Island Municipality                                  $947

·         Bulkley-Nechako RD                                        $4,592

·         Burns Lake                                                         $2,904

·         Cache Creek                                                       $2,732

·         Campbell River                                                $13,594

·         Canal Flats                                                            $723

·         Capital RD                                                       $38,051

·         Cariboo RD                                                        $4,925

·         Castlegar                                                            $5,606

·         Central Coast RD                                                 $425

·         Central Kootenay RD                                      $24,629

·         Central Okanagan RD                                       $8,941

·         Central Saanich                                                  $4,111

·         Chase                                                                    $896

·         Chetwynd                                                        $15,589

·         Chilliwack                                                        $47,292

·         Clearwater                                                          $1,811

·         Clinton                                                               $1,493

·         Coldstream                                                         $3,277

·         Columbia - Shuswap RD                                  $ 2,704

·         Colwood                                                            $2,824

·         Comox                                                               $2,737

·         Comox Valley RD                                           $16,417

·         Coquitlam                                                        $59,205

·         Courtenay                                                          $9,268

·         Cowichan Valley RD                                      $12,878

·         Cranbrook                                                        $29,365

·         Creston                                                               $6,814

·         Dawson Creek                                                 $44,367

·         Delta                                                                $80,527

·         Duncan                                                               $2,684

·         East Kootenay RD                                            $3,214

·         Elkford                                                               $8,640

·         Enderby                                                             $1,335

·         Esquimalt                                                         $15,407

·         Fernie                                                               $14,679

·         Fort St. James                                                    $3,118

·         Fort St. John                                                    $25,956

·         Fraser Lake                                                        $2,886

·         Fraser Valley RD                                               $5,224

·         Fraser-Fort George RD                                      $8,201

·         Fruitvale                                                                $793

·         Gibsons                                                              $1,116

·         Gold River                                                         $3,405

·         Golden                                                               $5,163

·         Grand Forks                                                       $4,551

·         Granisle                                                              $1,312

·         Greater Vancouver RD                                    $75,769

·         Greenwood                                                        $1,561

·         Harrison Hot Springs                                            $933

·         Highlands                                                              $319

·         Hope                                                                  $3,014

·         Houston                                                             $5,845

·         Hudson's Hope                                                  $1,600

·         Invermere                                                           $3,201

·         Kamloops                                                         $79,983

·         Kaslo                                                                  $1,110

·         Kelowna                                                           $97,011

·         Kent                                                                      $630

·         Kimberley                                                        $14,376

·         Kootenay-Boundary RD                                $15,726

·         Ladysmith                                                          $4,372

·         Lake Country                                                     $5,533

·         Lake Cowichan                                                  $1,922

·         Langford                                                            $3,063

·         Langley (city)                                                     $8,305

·         Langley (district)                                             $65,132

·         Lantzville                                                              $306

·         Lillooet                                                               $3,970

·         Lions Bay                                                              $741

·         Logan Lake                                                        $3,428

 

 

·         Lumby                                                                $4,785

·         Lytton                                                                   $448

·         MacKenzie                                                       $14,613

·         Maple Ridge                                                    $27,276

·         Masset                                                                $1,978

·         McBride                                                             $1,218

·         Merritt                                                                $7,654

·         Metchosin                                                             $643

·         Midway                                                              $1,109

·         Mission                                                             $24,583

·         Montrose                                                               $913

·         Mount Waddington RD                                    $2,454

·         Nakusp                                                               $2,196

·         Nanaimo                                                           $62,638

·         Nanaimo RD                                                    $39,981

·         Nelson                                                              $24,135

·         New Denver                                                          $363

·         New Hazelton                                                       $592

·         New Westminster                                            $46,372

·         North Cowichan                                              $10,221

·         North Okanagan RD                                        $20,156

·         North Saanich                                                    $2,673

·         North Vancouver (city)                                    $12,859

·         North Vancouver (district)                              $60,405

·         Northern Rockies RD                                      $19,120

·         Oak Bay                                                           $15,704

·         Okanagan-Similkameen RD                             $ 4,633

·         Oliver                                                                 $1,348

·         Osoyoos                                                             $4,767

·         Parksville                                                            $3,889

·         Peace River RD                                                $ 2,189

·         Peachland                                                           $3,248

·         Pemberton                                                          $1,212

·         Penticton                                                            $8,957

·         Pitt Meadows                                                     $8,370

·         Port Alberni                                                     $24,704

·         Port Alice                                                              $819

·         Port Clements                                                       $313

·         Port Edward                                                      $1,920

·         Port Hardy                                                         $2,811

·         Port McNeill                                                      $2,735

·         Port Moody                                                      $21,632

·         Port Coquitlam                                                 $20,923

·         Pouce Coupe                                                         $918

·         Powell River                                                    $21,532

·         Powell River RD                                                  $716

·         Prince George                                                  $81,271

·         Prince Rupert                                                   $29,436

·         Princeton                                                            $2,465

·         Queen Charlotte                                                    $267

·         Quesnel                                                            $24,626

·         Radium Hot Springs                                             $328

·         Revelstoke                                                       $11,909

·         Richmond                                                      $108,781

·         Rossland                                                            $4,330

·         Saanich                                                             $54,261

·         Salmo                                                                 $1,141

·         Salmon Arm                                                     $20,081

·         Sayward                                                             $1,369

·         Sechelt                                                               $2,925

·         Sicamous                                                            $1,334

·         Sidney                                                                $3,634

·         Skeena-Queen Charlotte RD                             $1,207

·         Slocan                                                                   $306

·         Smithers                                                             $8,506

·         Sooke                                                                    $679

·         Spallumcheen                                                     $2,277

·         Sparwood                                                         $11,797

·         Squamish                                                          $13,024

·         Squamish-Lillooet RD                                      $1,534

·         Strathcona RD                                                   $7,949

·         Summerland                                                     $16,082

·         Sunshine Coast RD                                          $21,832

·         Surrey                                                             $176,948

·         Tahsis                                                                    $446

·         Taylor                                                                 $8,039

·         Telkwa                                                               $1,618

·         Terrace                                                             $15,782

·         Thompson-Nicola RD                                       $7,406

·         Tofino                                                                   $616

·         Trail                                                                  $17,436

·         Tumbler Ridge                                                 $10,582

·         Ucluelet                                                                 $985

·         Valemount                                                            $733

·         Vancouver                                                      $441,314

·         Vanderhoof                                                        $5,474

·         Vernon                                                             $22,528

·         Victoria                                                            $42,214

·         View Royal                                                           $818

·         Warfield                                                             $1,692

 

 

·         Wells                                                                  $1,829

·         West Kelowna                                                 $12,841

·         West Vancouver                                              $34,306

·         Whistler                                                            $25,359

·         White Rock                                                        $9,900

·         Williams Lake                                                  $15,453

 

TOTAL FUNDING                                          $2,888,228

 

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Media Contact:

Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Community Development 250 387-4089

 

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