Climate Action

What's new

The City of West Kelowna will be reporting publicly on its 2021 Climate Action initiatives by Sept. 30, 2022. 

Please note, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Climate Action Report was not completed. 

Our Official Community Plan is currently being revised and updated with a goal of being adopted in 2022. The OCP target will be an 80 per cent reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 from 2007 levels. 

About this report 

The City of West Kelowna emissions were 2484.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2021.

The City acknowledges that emissions continue to grow due to steady community growth, demands for modern, urban, municipal programs and services, and the response and recovery required for flooding and forest fires.

Despite these pressures, the City will continue to push forward with ongoing adaptation, broad planning, building, energy, green space, solid waste, transportation, and water and wastewater efforts aimed at curbing emissions.

The City will also continue to work towards its commitment to fulfill the requirements of the British Columbia Climate Action Charter. 

Past reporting 

To learn more about the City's Charter commitments and to review what actions were undertaken in 2019 and planned for 2020, please read our 2019 Climate Actions Report:

2019 Climate Actions Report

The recorded level of Corporate Emissions, including the City's corporate and contracted services (measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or tonnes CO₂ e) between 2014 and 2019 are as follows:

• 2,484.2 in 2021
• 2020 not reported due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2,224 in 2019
• 2,371 in 2018
• 2,332 in 2017
• 2,124 in 2016
• 2,130 in 2015
• 2,085 in 2014

Climate Action projects in recent years include:

• Adopted an updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan for the treatment of and preventative measures taken to reduce wildfire risk.
• The City developed a Drought Response Plan. 
• The City purchased e-bikes for bylaw staff, to reduce vehicular trips and fuel consumption. 
• Boucherie Road Wine Trail Upgrade Phase II, including 2.8 kilometres of cycling lanes and 2.8 new lane kilometres of sidewalks, roundabouts, LED street lighting, boulevard trees and transit pullouts.
• LED streetlight conversion pilot project.
• Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Station on Brown Road.
• Gellatly Road Upgrade, with sidewalks, cycling lanes, bus bays and street trees for 1.5km between the Cove Lakeside Resort and Rotary Park.
• Brown Road Upgrade, with sidewalks, new water and sewer mains, curb and gutter, street trees and irrigated landscaping from Gossett Road to Main Street.
• Westlake Road Upgrade from Highway 97 to Starlight Crescent, with bus bays, cycling lanes, crossing for protected turtle species, roundabout at Stevens Road, sidewalks and pedestrian crossings and upgraded turn lanes and accesses.
• Silver LEED® Certified West Kelowna RCMP Detachment.
• Rapid Bus expansion and exchanges at Elliott and Westgate Roads, in partnership with Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia, BC Transit and local governments.