Vancouver, BC
City in British Columbia
Canada
Vancouver, BC designs Project Requirement Exploration Tool for laneway house permitting
Homeowners interested in building secondary units on their properties can develop project plans in PRET. The digital tool first asks for the user's address to determine eligibility for laneway house permits. A draft project plan creator walks eligible applicants through required permits in areas like street use, plumbing, and electrical. Vancouver streamlined PRET through testing by those who have built laneway homes.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Vancouver, BC opens Canada's first fire station to meet national zero-carbon building standards
The new Firehall 17 eliminates 99.67% of operational emissions created by its predecessor through better design. A draft-free structure, water recovery systems, and ground-source heat pumps improve on the standard firehall. Radio and IT infrastructure within the firehall support its use as a post-disaster communications hub. Vancouver earned LEED Gold and Net Zero Energy certification for the project with Passive House certification in progress.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Vancouver, BC Last Call Pilot Project takes aim at sexual harassment in bars and clubs
Vancouver and project partner Good Night Out selected six establishments for the one-year pilot. Each venue receives full-staff training on harassment prevention, free subscriptions to the #NotMe platform, and display materials. Patrons are encouraged to download the #NotMe mobile app for anonymous reporting of misconduct and harassment in any establishment. City officials pursued the pilot in response to data indicating frequent incidents of harassment and violence in hospitality settings.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Vancouver, BC minimizes environmental impacts with the Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator Pilot
The program offers apartment building owners up to CAD 500,000 per building for decarbonization upgrades. Eligible projects include air-source heat pumps, space heating upgrades, and hot-water system improvements. Participants receive free coaching and technical support from energy experts. Applicants must rent at least 10 units at market rates, complete projects by March 2025, and allow energy monitoring throughout project implementation.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Vancouver, BC simplifies permit applications and compliance with Archistar digital tools
Vancouver partnered with Archistar for the first local government use of the company's products in North America. The Project Requirements Exploration Tool (PRET) estimates costs, timelines, and feasibility based on pre-application materials. Permit applicants will use eComply for automated assessments of project compliance with city regulations. These digital tools reduce staff time spent on manual reviews and improve applicant experiences.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Vancouver, BC kicks off clean energy kiosk program for low-emission film and television productions
Vancouver's Public Realm Electrification Program advances public charging for uses like food trucks and electric vehicles. A trio of kiosks at Northeast False Creek expands the program's reach to film sets. Clean energy kiosks allow production teams to recharge batteries with hydroelectricity rather than rely on diesel generators. Local officials plan a network of kiosks across the city with the goal of a 10-minute drive from set to kiosk anywhere in Vancouver.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Vancouver, BC addresses climate change and resource inequities with Branch Out tree canopy pilot
The VanPlay parks plan identified Equity Initiative Zones based on indicators like tree canopy and park access gaps. The Branch Out pilot provides 250 free trees to residents of two low-canopy neighborhoods - Victoria-Fraserview and Sunset. A random drawing selects participants from a larger pool of interested households. Parks and Recreation staff will offer guidance on optimal planting locations and long-term maintenance when delivering trees.
Vancouver, BC
Canada