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The District of Squamish is making meaningful strides on its climate commitments, according to a staff report presented to council today.
The update covers the first year of implementing the 2025 Community Climate Action Plan, a document that guides how Squamish works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of the plan’s 67 actions, staff report substantial progress on about a third of them, with another 36 per cent initiated and 31 per cent not yet started.
Staff say this represents solid momentum for a plan only one year into implementation. The plan aims to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Staff say one of the most significant emission reduction efforts underway involves capturing methane gas produced at the local landfill. Eight new well heads were installed in 2026 to extract methane from newly added horizontal pipes, and two of those are now fully operational. The District is not legally required to operate a landfill gas system but elected to build one in 2020 because methane is an especially potent greenhouse gas. Staff describe the landfill gas system as the single most impactful emissions reduction action the District can take.
Alongside the infrastructure work, a new Wood Reuse Pilot Program launched in April 2026, allowing residents to take quality salvaged wood from the landfill at no charge. The goal is to reduce waste by keeping usable materials in circulation. Staff say the program drew strong community interest right away, with more than 100 people engaging with the launch post on social media within the first week.
Transportation is another area seeing action. The District has installed three fast chargers and eight level-2 electric vehicle charging stations now available to the public, and a change to the fees and charges bylaw is being proposed to shift fast charger pricing from a time-based model to one based on electricity used.
On the buildings side, a 2025 Air Sealing Pilot Project carried out through the District’s Retrofit Assist Program was described as highly successful. Youth Climate Corps members worked alongside a professional contractor to visit 20 homes in the District, performing air sealing work at no cost to homeowners. On average, those homes saw a 12 per cent improvement in air tightness, which helps reduce heating costs and emissions. The program is running again in 2026 with a greater focus on multi-unit residential buildings.
Looking further ahead, the District secured $34,800 in funding to develop a Community Renewable Energy Strategy, shared equally with Whistler. Staff say it will be the first community-level renewable energy strategy in British Columbia, and will include detailed assessments of wind, solar, micro-hydro, biomass, geothermal, and waste heat recovery potential in the region.
A Corporate Strategic Energy Management Plan was also completed in March 2026, giving the District its first comprehensive look at energy use and emissions across all its own operations, including buildings, vehicles, and water and wastewater systems.
In 2024, District operations used energy at a cost of about $1.38 million and produced 1,124 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in greenhouse gas emissions. Recreation facilities, particularly Brennan Park Recreation Centre, and the municipal vehicle fleet were identified as the largest contributors. The plan points to fleet electrification, building retrofits, wastewater treatment improvements, and renewable energy generation as the biggest opportunities to cut emissions going forward.
Staff did say the District’s ability to continue this pace of work depends significantly on external funding. The province currently provides annual support to municipalities through the Local Government Climate Action Program, and if that funding were reduced or eliminated, the District’s capacity to advance climate action would be affected.
On the community engagement front, zero waste events drew approximately 4,500 participants in 2025, and the Youth Climate Corps is returning for a third season this summer to assist with outreach. GoByBike Week runs from May 30 to June 5, 2026.
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