Step Code Acceleration Reversal up for final vote June 18th
Council Chambers 5pm June 18th 2025
(Read the history of North Cowichan jumping ahead on their step codes years ahead of the Province below)
North Cowichan Council will vote tomorrow . Sign in by 4:45 to speak. Meeting at 5pm
Staff recommends keeping the strict step code - read HERE but offers an option for North Cowichan to align with the provinces’ timeline instead (option 3) - end of report.
Community Report: How North Cowichan's Step Code Push Failed the Public
Prepared by: Concerned Residents of North Cowichan
Introduction
In 2023, North Cowichan’s council voted to fast-track the Zero Carbon Step Code, enforcing Emission Level 4 (EL-4) starting July 1, 2024. This placed a full ban on natural gas as a primary heating source in new buildings—six to eight years ahead of BC’s provincial timeline. This move was presented as bold leadership, but in truth, it was a premature, poorly executed rollout with no measurable benefit and plenty of community backlash.
A shift in council dynamics following the 2025 by-election introduced new voices questioning these past decisions. It’s time to review what happened—and why it matters.
What Is the Step Code?
Energy Step Code: Provincial building standards focused on reducing energy use through insulation and performance testing.
Zero Carbon Step Code: Focused on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, especially from heating. At EL-4, natural gas is prohibited as a primary heating source in new buildings, requiring electric options like heat pumps.
The Province plans a full rollout by 2032, giving time for industry, supply chains, and municipalities to adapt.
What Did North Cowichan Do?
On October 18, 2023, Council passed Building Amendment Bylaw No. 3932, mandating EL-4 by July 1, 2024 (as per minutes, October 18, 2023).
They claimed it supported the Climate Action and Energy Plan (CAEP), which targets 80% GHG reduction by 2050. However:
The CAEP does not specifically call for EL-4.
Staff recommended EL-2 as a more reasonable starting point (as per minutes, September 26, 2023).
Council overruled this and pushed EL-4 forward anyway.
Based on council minutes and public motions, there is no documented evidence that meaningful, structured consultation with local builders or industry groups occurred prior to the October 2023 vote to accelerate EL-4. While the September 26, 2023 meeting discussed plans for future engagement, no such consultations appear to have taken place before the decision was made (as per minutes, September 26, 2023).
What EL-4 Actually Accomplishes
5–6 tonnes CO₂ saved per home per year
100 new homes/year = ~600 tonnes saved
North Cowichan Total Emissions: ~300,000 tonnes/year (public estimate)
Net impact: 0.2% of local emissions
That’s like adding a dollar to your $650,000 mortgage and pretending it changed your financial future.
Meanwhile, 40% of local emissions come from transportation. But instead of addressing that, we focused on banning gas furnaces for new homes.
The Financial Impact
Heat pumps cost $5,000–$10,000 more than gas systems
On a $750,000 home, EL-4 adds 1% to 3% in costs = $7,500 to $22,500
Other municipalities eased this transition:
Victoria: $6,000 rebate
Nanaimo: 150 builders engaged, workshops, phased rollout
North Cowichan offered:
Vague mentions of rebates from a Climate Action Reserve Fund
No training programs
No builder transition plan
And then council acted surprised when industry pushed back.
What the Public and Industry Said
On October 18, 2023, 13 residents spoke against EL-4 at the meeting (as per minutes, October 18, 2023). Concerns included:
Cost increases for new home construction
Limited availability of certified heat pump installers
Supply chain constraints and feasibility for builders
Lack of clear transition plan or rebates
Absence of proper consultation with industry stakeholders
Despite this, Council voted to press ahead. Councillor Bruce Findlay attempted to delay EL-4 until 2027—that motion was shut down.
Opposed: Mayor Douglas, Councillors Istace, Justice, Toporowski
(as per minutes, October 18, 2023)
This was no isolated event. This same group—the unofficial "progressive bloc"—frequently blocked pragmatic ideas:
April 17, 2024: Findlay reintroduces the delay. The same four vote it down again (as per minutes, April 17, 2024).
Staff recommendations for EL-2? Ignored (as per minutes, September 26, 2023).
While not officially labelled in council records, voting patterns show a consistent alignment between these four councillors, often opposing motions from Findlay, Caljouw, and Manhas. The impact of this voting bloc was unmistakable.
A Convenient New Rule
On May 21, 2025, Councillor Findlay introduced a notice of motion to roll back EL-4 and align with the provincial timeline (as per minutes, May 21, 2025).
At the June 4, 2025 meeting, instead of voting, Mayor Douglas intervened with a procedural rule: the motion required a staff report before it could proceed. While technically valid, this requirement had never been invoked before on similar motions (as per minutes, June 4, 2025).
It was amended and deferred. Staff committed to returning with a report by the next council meeting—tentatively June 18, 2025 (as per minutes, June 4, 2025).
The Eco Fear Machine
At that June 4 meeting, eco-activists filled the chambers, claiming natural gas causes explosions, asthma, and even death. Most of their citations? Studies from other countries with different climates, housing stock, and regulations.
Groups like the Cowichan Climate Hub led the charge with fear-based messaging—pushing emotion over evidence. And for a while, that worked.
But policy should be shaped by data, not disaster headlines.
Heat Pumps: Not the Magic Bullet
Eco groups claim heat pumps are a win for the environment and the economy. But here’s what they don’t tell you:
Most heat pumps are imported. Canada has almost no large-scale domestic manufacturing.
Brands like Carrier, Daikin, Mitsubishi? Made in the U.S., Japan, or China.
Canadian firms do some component work or niche assembly, but there’s no real supply chain here.
So while climate groups yell "buy Canadian," we’re importing expensive equipment from overseas, increasing costs and creating no local jobs.
And that’s before you factor in tariffs, carbon footprint from shipping, or shortages in certified installers.
So Why Rush It?
Other cities did it smarter:
Victoria: Offered rebates, held workshops, partnered regionally.
Nanaimo: Engaged 150 builders, gave industry time.
North Cowichan: Virtue signalled, ignored staff, and rammed it through.
Why? Because they could.
Back then, votes were predictable. Concerned residents didn’t matter. Even staff didn’t matter.
It was all sunshine and self-congratulations—until new voices joined the table.
Now with scrutiny rising, suddenly it's all “due process” and “let's wait for staff.”
Give us a break.
A Message to the Community
You don’t have to be against climate action to recognize this was a botched rollout.
This isn’t about left vs right. It’s about governing like adults, with facts and stakeholder input. You want green? Great. Let’s do it responsibly.
You want to live in a functioning municipality where residents and industry don’t get steamrolled because it looks good on a press release? Then this matters.
Because the issue here isn’t EL-4. It’s that council didn’t do the work. No data. No plan. Just a rush to impress the eco-gods.
So ask yourself: If this is how big moves are made, what’s next?
What’s Next
The issue is scheduled to return June 18, 2025, pending confirmation. Staff committed to bringing a report by then (as per minutes, June 4, 2025).
Council will have a chance to fix this.
Not because it’s politically easy.
Because it’s the right damn thing to do.
Team COAP