The Discourse asked readers what issues are important to them in the provincial election ending on Oct. 19 and the environment ranked fifth with 59 per cent of respondents in Nanaimo identifying it as a priority.
What the parties are saying about the environment
Conservative Party of BC
The BC Conservative platform does not have a section on the environment, but does have a section on wildlife management, which includes increasing public access to public lands including hunting and fishing rights.
The Conservative platform promises it will “immediately repeal” the BC Energy Step Code and the Zero Carbon Step Code which seeks to reduce emissions from new buildings to net-zero by 2032. It will also scrap the provincial consumer carbon tax, and pledges to double production of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) in the province by approving proposed LNG plants.
BC NDP
The BC NDP’s platform promises that if the national requirement for a consumer carbon tax is eliminated, the party will also remove the provincial carbon tax.
The party is touting a cap on emissions from the oil sector and is aiming for a “75 per cent reduction by the industry by 2030,” and has goals to protect 30 per cent of provincial lands by 2030. It also pledges to double electricity generation in the province by 2050.
The BC NDP promises to establish a Clean Economy Transition fund using a portion of the revenue from oil and gas development, including LNG projects. The platform positively references the floating Cedar LNG facility in Kitimat, which is majority-owned by the Haisla Nation, as an example that “investment is booming” in the province.
The BC NDP also aims to implement the 14 recommendations in the Old Growth Strategic Review in partnership with First Nations, and wants to expand the Youth Climate Corps.
The party wants to electrify the transit system and provide solar panel rebates for homes, schools and small businesses and increase electric vehicle charging stations.
The platform does not address the Energy Step Code or Zero Carbon Step Code that the NDP government introduced in 2017 with a goal of net-zero emissions by 2032 for new buildings.
BC Green Party
The BC Greens are advocating for a robust climate action model, and much of the party’s platform centers around phasing out fossil fuels. The Greens are calling to implement the oil and gas emissions cap, and are promising to establish an “output-based pricing system.” It also promises to increase the industrial carbon tax. The party would keep the provincial consumer carbon tax in place.
The party is pledging to ban all oil and gas advertisements in the province and partner with First Nations to implement all 14 regulations from the Old Growth Strategic Review.
BC Greens also want to ban gas hookups on all new buildings, and ensure Fortis’ business plan has a goal of using electricity to support homes during the transition. The party wants to provide rebates for electric heat pumps.
The Greens also want to stop permitting new fracking wells and pipelines and prohibit new LNG projects while setting a date to phase out gas production in the province. The Greens platform will increase renewable energy like wind, solar and geothermal and will invest $20 million annually in “small-scale distributed solar projects, with a goal of having solar account for 15 per cent of electricity generation by 2035.”
The party calls to designate salmon rivers off limits for the mining sector. The party would stop clearcut logging and “adopt logging practices that emulate natural disturbance regimes, such as selective logging, commercial thinning and longer stand rotations.” The party also calls for banning glyphosate (Round Up) and other chemical herbicides used in forestry management.
Editor’s note: Some of the answers for the NDP candidates are nearly identical, that is how they were submitted and is not an error. All answers have been lightly edited for style and length for fairness, as candidates were given 100-word limits for their responses.
Q. Where do you stand on the Zero Carbon Step Code to prohibit using natural gas as the primary heating source for new buildings?
Nanaimo-Gabriola Island candidates’ answers
Shirley Lambrecht, BC Green Party, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
As, based on the science, we know the climate crisis is exacerbated by the use of fossil fuels to heat buildings, we will support the measures already adopted by the City of Nanaimo to proceed to the last step code for new builds. I will strongly oppose pressure applied by industry to repeal these progressive decisions already made locally.
Sheila Malcolmson, BC NDP, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
We are supporting people to adopt cleaner and more efficient technologies to heat their homes. We’ve expanded the rebate program to make buildings more energy efficient, and we’ve committed to making it more affordable for homeowners to switch to heat pumps and solar. SFU’s think-tank on clean energy praised our plan, saying, “Compared to other parties, the NDP’s recent energy strategy has the clearest sense of direction and alignment with our changing reality.” David Eby and the BC NDP will power B.C.’s homes in a more efficient, affordable, and sustainable way.
Dale Parker, Conservative Party of BC, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
The NDP have increased construction costs by 30-40 per cent through the Step Code policy and net-zero mandate. This results in cookie-cutter homes with fewer windows and reduced livability. We will repeal these hidden taxes that make it so expensive to build in B.C. while doing nothing for safety or livability.
Nanaimo-Lantzville candidates’ answers
George Anderson, BC NDP, Nanaimo-Lantzville
We are supporting people to adopt cleaner and more efficient technologies to heat their homes. We’ve expanded the rebate program to make buildings more energy efficient, and we’ve committed to making it more affordable for homeowners to switch to heat pumps and solar. [Simon Fraser University’s] think-tank on clean energy praised our plan, saying, “Compared to other parties, the NDP’s recent energy strategy has the clearest sense of direction and alignment with our changing reality.” David Eby and the BC NDP will power B.C.’s homes in a more efficient, affordable, and sustainable way.
Gwen O’Mahony, Conservative Party of BC, Nanaimo-Lantzville
O’Mahony did not respond to this question.
Lia Versaevel, BC Greens, Nanaimo-Lantzville
Natural gas must not be allowed as the primary heating source for new buildings.
What is your position on the LNG industry continuing to expand in the province?
Nanaimo-Gabriola Island candidates’ answers
Shirley Lambrecht, BC Green Party, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
As science has proven, LNG is not a “clean” fuel alternative nor a “bridge” fuel. In fact, a recent Cornell University study reveals that LNG actually represents a greater risk than coal. For this reason, it is clear we need to transition away from LNG and cap off any LNG projects. There is no point in investing in infrastructure we will need to promptly abandon. Our tax dollars are needed to invest in protecting and supporting people and the planet while creating good paying jobs in the renewable energy sector. Already these jobs are outpacing those in the fossil fuel industry.
Sheila Malcolmson, BC NDP, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
Unlike John Rustad, who rejects climate science, we know that good jobs and environmental protection can happen at the same time. We have to find a smart balance with projects like LNG. The oil and gas industry will operate with emissions caps and enhanced emissions testing with a plan to be net zero by 2030. We’ll put revenue generated from oil and gas development into a clean economy transition fund to transition more jobs to clean energy and technology. David Eby’s plan will create good jobs and build a clean economy that works better for people, respects First Nations and protects the climate.
Dale Parker, Conservative Party of BC, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
The Conservative Party’s Powering BC plan focuses on restoring energy independence while ensuring power remains affordable and reliable. We will support the LNG industries. Natural gas will be tapped to provide a stable and cost-effective energy supply, ensuring power reliability for Northwest B.C. communities.
Nanaimo-Lantzville candidates’ answers
George Anderson, BC NDP, Nanaimo-Lantzville
Unlike John Rustad, who rejects climate science, we know that good jobs and environmental protection can happen at the same time. We have to find a smart balance with projects like LNG. The oil and gas industry will operate with emissions caps and enhanced emissions testing with a plan to be net zero by 2030. We’ll put revenue generated from oil and gas development into a clean economy transition fund to transition more jobs to clean energy and technology. David Eby’s plan will create good jobs and build a clean economy that works better for people, respects First Nations and protects the climate.
Gwen O’Mahony, Conservative Party of BC, Nanaimo-Lantzville
We support the expansion of LNG.
Lia Versaevel, BC Greens, Nanaimo-Lantzville
There must be no more expansion of LNG or fracking in B.C.
What is your stand on the carbon tax?
Nanaimo-Gabriola Island candidates’ answers
Shirley Lambrecht, BC Green Party, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
I am in full support of maintaining the carbon tax and raising rebates to consumers based on income. The claims that the carbon tax is significantly causing affordability issues is false. Rebate cheques contribute more to low- and middle-income households than its costs to consumers. By design the carbon tax is meant to impact big industrial polluters. However, the NDP have implemented incentives to the fossil fuel industry which nullify much of the benefit. These incentives need to be removed as we transition away from fossil fuels to aggressively tackle the climate crisis.
Sheila Malcolmson, BC NDP, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
British Columbians are doing everything they can to fight the climate crisis. Meanwhile, everyday costs are getting harder to manage. People are struggling, and they don’t think it’s fair to carry the burden when large polluters are the real cause. We hear them loud and clear. Ottawa sets the carbon tax, and if Ottawa removes the national carbon tax, we will remove the carbon tax on British Columbians while ensuring big polluters continue to pay. We need big polluters to be shouldering costs, not families struggling to get by. Rustad calls climate change a “lie” – he’s a risk we can’t afford.
Fact check: In a Facebook comment by Conservative Leader John Rustad in 2022 he wrote “Climate change is real. The CO2 theory does not hold water. All of their projections and predictions have been wrong. Yet the masses have bought into a lie and as the saying goes, it is far easier to convince someone of a lie than it is to convince them they have been lied to.” Rustad said in September that “climate is changing, and man is contributing to that change. There’s no question.”
Dale Parker, Conservative Party of BC, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
The regressive, job-killing carbon tax drives up the cost of living and does not impact global emissions. It is unfair and leads to offshoring jobs overseas. British Columbians are being taxed into poverty. With the highest gas prices in North America, we will eliminate the Carbon Tax.
Nanaimo-Lantzville candidates’ answers
George Anderson, BC NDP, Nanaimo-Lantzville
British Columbians are doing everything they can to fight the climate crisis. Meanwhile, everyday costs are getting harder to manage. People are struggling, and they don’t think it’s fair to carry the burden when large polluters are the real cause. We hear them loud and clear. Ottawa sets the carbon tax, and if Ottawa removes the national carbon tax, we will remove the carbon tax on British Columbians while ensuring big polluters continue to pay. We need big polluters to be shouldering costs, not families struggling to get by. Rustad calls climate change a “lie” – he’s a risk we can’t afford.
Fact check: In a Facebook comment by Conservative Leader John Rustad in 2022 he wrote “Climate change is real. The CO2 theory does not hold water. All of their projections and predictions have been wrong. Yet the masses have bought into a lie and as the saying goes, it is far easier to convince someone of a lie than it is to convince them they have been lied to.” Rustad said in September that “climate is changing, and man is contributing to that change. There’s no question.”
Gwen O’Mahony, Conservative Party of BC, Nanaimo-Lantzville
We will remove the carbon tax to put money in British Columbians’ pockets.
Lia Versaevel, BC Greens, Nanaimo-Lantzville
The tax must continue and expand, and polluters must pay. Rebates will increase to more households as a result.
